New Year’s Celebration at the Tokyo National Museum: Horses as Messengers between Gods and People
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Horse
By Gotō Sadayuki (1849–1903), Meiji era, 1893Japanese Gallery (Honkan) Room T1
January 1, 2026 (Thu) - January 25, 2026 (Sun)Happy New Year from the Tokyo National Museum!
2026 is the Year of the Horse. Domesticated around 5,000 years ago, horses have played a vital role in human life ever since. They have been trusted partners integral to many different areas including the military, transportation, agriculture, and more. Horse domestication is thought to have reached the Japanese archipelago in the Kofun period, around the 4th to 5th centuries. Native Japanese breeds are typically smaller, at around 130 cm (4 ft. 3 in.) tall, and are often sturdier and more compact than modern racehorses.
Horses are well suited for long-distance travel, attuned to human commands, and highly agile. These abilities made them invaluable to kings and warriors, greatly enhancing combat strength. From the Heian period (794–1192) onward, renowned warhorses, admired for their strength, endurance, and fierce temperaments, came to symbolize the prestige of the samurai. Horses were also offered in religious rituals to the gods in prayers for victory in battle.
We hope this exhibition provides an opportunity for you to reflect on the deep bonds between humans and horses throughout history.
| Designation | Name | Creation/ Excavation/ Provenance |
Period | Acquisition/ Ownership/ Accession Number |
CMT | ||
| Highlight | Horse | By Gotō Sadayuki (1849–1903) | Meiji era, 1893 | C-512 | |||
| Highlight | Tomb Sculpture (Haniwa): Horse | Found in Ōizumi Town, Gunma | Kofun period, 6th century | J-21154 | |||
| Capped Stirrup | Heian period, 10th–11th century | F-16286-1 | |||||
| Capped Stirrup | Heian period, 10th–11th century | F-16286-2 | |||||
| Highlight | Capped Stirrup | Heian period, 10th–11th century | F-16279 | ||||
| Highlight | Saddle and Stirrups with Cranes and Turtles | Edo period, 19th century | H-4813 | ||||
| Highlight | Important Cultural Property | Portrait Traditionally Identified as Nawa Nagatoshi | By Hasegawa Tōhaku (1539–1610) | Azuchi-Momoyama period, 16th century | A-10472 | ||
| Highlight | Incense Game Tally Board | Edo period, 19th century | H-3417 | ||||
| Highlight | Important Cultural Property | “Flower Garland” with a Man on Horseback | Passed down at Niūtsuhime Shrine, Wakayama | Muromachi period, 16th century | E-14732 | ||
| Important Cultural Property | Scroll of Horse Doctors | Kamakura period, 1267 | A-10479 | ||||
| Highlight | Important Cultural Property | Plaques with Divine Horses | By Kanō Motonobu(1477–1559) | Muromachi period, 16th century | Lent by Kamo Shrine, Hyōgo |