New Year’s Celebration at the Tokyo National Museum: The Year of the Dragon

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The Dragon General, One of the Twelve Divine Generals, Passed down at Jōruriji Temple, Kyoto, Kamakura period, 13th century (Important Cultural Property)

Japanese Gallery (Honkan) Room T1
January 2, 2024 (Tue) - January 28, 2024 (Sun)

Happy New Year! 2024 is the Year of the Dragon in the Chinese zodiac. To celebrate, this exhibition introduces a variety of objects that feature dragons, a popular motif in Asian painting and calligraphy. Dragons often appear as powerful and imposing creatures, but they can also be depicted in humorous ways. Please join us in celebrating the beginning of the New Year with this exhibition.

List of Exhibits

Major works in this exhibition

Dragons in Auspicious Calligraphy and Paintings

Two Large Characters: "Dragon" and "Tiger"
By Emperor Goyōzei (1571–1617) Azuchi-Momoyama–Edo period, 16th–17th century (Gift of Ōta Matsuko)

Five Dragons
Attributed to Chen Rong, Southern Song dynasty, 13th century (Important Cultural Property)

Around Asia on the Dragon

Disc (Bi) with Dragons
Warring States period–Western Han dynasty, 4th–2nd century BC

Dish with a Carp Ascending a Waterfall
Edo period, 19th century (Gift of Dr. Hirano Kōsuke)

Fine Details of the Dragon

Foliate Tray with a Dragon and Waves
Yuan dynasty, 14th century (Important Cultural Property)

Articulated Dragon
By Satomi Shigeyoshi, Meiji era, 20th century

Flesh and Bones of the Dragon

The Dragon General, One of the Twelve Divine Generals
Passed down at Jōruriji Temple, Kyoto, Kamakura period, 13th century (Important Cultural Property)