The Arts of the Imperial Court | 8th–16th century
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Part of Illustrations of Fine Oxen(detail)
Kamakura period, 13th century (Important Cultural Property)Japanese Gallery (Honkan) Room 13
September 1, 2026 (Tue) - October 18, 2026 (Sun)After emulating China for generations, the imperial court began to develop its own cultural identity around the 10th century. This movement was led by the court nobility serving the emperor. The body of work they produced — literature, calligraphy, painting, and elegantly decorated items for daily use — became one of Japan’s cultural foundations.
Even after the samurai gained more political power than the court in the 12th century, the court remained the home of high culture for centuries. The different art forms of the court were closely related, with literature playing a central role. Previously the nobility wrote in Chinese, but the creation of a new writing system (kana) helped Japanese literature to flourish. Both noblemen and noblewomen wrote some of Japan’s most celebrated poetry and stories, including by the court lady Murasaki Shikibu. Scenes from literature were also shown in paintings and on furnishings, which the nobility commissioned for their mansions.
| Designation | Name | Creation/ Excavation/ Provenance |
Period | Acquisition/ Ownership/ Accession Number |
CMT | ||
| Highlight | Important Cultural Property | Part of Illustrations of Fine Oxen | Kamakura period, 13th century | A-30 | |||
| Highlight | Important Art Object | Part of The Illustrated Tale of Sumiyoshi | Passed down by Count Ōmura's family | Kamakura period, 14th century | Private collection | ||
| Important Cultural Property | Poetry Contest at the Residence of Fujiwara no Tsunehira | Attributed to Fujiwara no Toshitada | Heian period, 12th century | B-2398 | |||
| Highlight | Important Cultural Property | Poetry Contest at Sumiyoshi Shrine | Attributed to Saigyō | Heian period, 12th century | Lent by the Agency for Cultural Affairs |