Ainu and Ryūkyū
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Ritual Hoe-shaped Crest, Hokkaido Ainu, Found at Sakurayama, Kakuta, Kuriyama Town, Hokkaido, 19th century (Gift of Mr. Oda Katsukichi and Mr. Izumi Rintaro)
Japanese Gallery (Honkan) Room 16
September 10, 2019 (Tue) - December 8, 2019 (Sun)Stretching from north to south, the Japanese archipelago is home to diverse cultures that have flourished in its rich natural environments. Representing such cultures from northern Japan, this gallery exhibits a range of items created by the Ainu people featuring their distinctive designs, a typical example of which is a moreu whirl pattern. These items include ritual implements, clothing, and wooden objects. Also on display in this gallery are decorative art objects from the Ryukyu Kingdom, representing a southern culture. The Ryukyu Kingdom developed its unique culture through trade and exchange with many regions including China, Japan, the Korean peninsula, and Southeast Asia. Metalwork objects and textiles created mainly during the Kingdom’s Second Sho dynasty (1469–1879) are featured here.
Current exhibit includes:
Ainu:
Sash for Shaman, Sakhalin Ainu, 19th century (Gift of the Hokkaido Project Management Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce)
Necklace, Hokkaido Ainu, 19th century (Gift of Mr. Tokugawa Yorisada)
Bear Cage (Model), Hokkaido Ainu, 19th century (Gift of Mr. Tokugawa Yorisada)
Ritual Hoe-shaped Crest, Hokkaido Ainu, Found at Sakurayama, Kakuta, Kuriyama Town, Hokkaido, 19th century (Gift of Mr. Oda Katsukichi and Mr. Izumi Rintaro)
Ryukyu:
Covered Food Box, Chrysanthemum design, Chrysanthemum design in tsuikin work (appliqué of colored lacquer cutouts）, Okinawa Main Island, Second Sho dynasty, Ryukyu kingdom, 19th century
Headwear for Prince, Okinawa Main Island, Second Sho dynasty, Ryukyu kingdom, 19th century (Gift of Mr. Higa Kamato)