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Special Exhibition Commemorating the 1150th Founding Anniversary of Daikakuji
Treasures of Daikakuji: From Imperial Villa to Buddhist Temple

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    Japanese Archaeology and Special Exhibition (Heiseikan) Special Exhibition Galleries
    January 21, 2025 (Tue) - March 16, 2025 (Sun)

    Since ancient times, Sagano in northwestern Kyoto has been admired for its beautiful natural scenery. Frequented by court aristocrats and the Japanese imperial family, it has long been adored as a famous sightseeing attraction. In the early part of the Heian period (794–1192), Emperor Saga (786–842) established an imperial villa in Sagano named Saga’in, and on the recommendation of the Buddhist monk Kūkai (774–835), he also erected sculptures of the Five Great Wisdom Kings on its grounds. Years later in 876, Princess Seishi (810–879) converted the villa into a Buddhist temple, founding Daikakuji Temple.
    To commemorate the 1150th anniversary of Daikakuji’s founding in 2026, the Tokyo National Museum is displaying the temple’s treasured artifacts. Among these include masterpieces by the celebrated painter Kanō Sanraku (1559–1635), which span multiple walls of one of the temple’s important buildings previously used as the sleeping quarters of Empress Tōfukumon’in. In addition to more than a hundred of such large-scale paintings, this exhibition features numerous works of calligraphy by various emperors that trace the history of the development of Buddhism, as well as the sculptures of the Five Great Wisdom Kings and other famous works of Esoteric Buddhist art.

    Tickets now on sale

General Information

Period January 21–March 16, 2025
Venue Heiseikan, Tokyo National Museum (Ueno Park)
Hours 9:30–17:00
*Last admission 30 minutes before closing.
Closed Mondays and February 25 (Open on February 10 and 24)
Admission

Visitors can view this exhibition without making reservations. Tickets may also be purchased at the ticket counter, but you may be asked to wait if the exhibition is crowded.

Adults: ￥2,100
University students: ￥1,300
High school students: ￥900
Junior high school students and under: Free

  • *Prices in parentheses indicate discount ticket prices for advance purchase.
  • *Persons with disabilities are admitted free with one accompanying person each (please present an ID at the ticket booth).
  • *Visitors with tickets for this exhibition may also view the regular exhibitions on the day of their visit at no extra charge.
  • *Students who are Campus Members of the Tokyo National Museum can purchase same-day admission tickets at ￥1,100 (discount of ￥200). Please present your Campus Member status and student ID at the ticket window.
Access 10-minute walk from JR Ueno Station (Park exit) and Uguisudani Station
15-minute walk from Keisei Ueno Station, Tokyo Metro Ueno Station, and Tokyo Metro Nezu Station
Organizers Tokyo National Museum, Daikakuji Temple, The Yomiuri Shimbun, Nippon Television Network Corporation, BS Nippon Corporation
With the Special
Sponsorship of		 Canon Inc., Daiwa Securities Group, T&D Insurance Group, Meiji Holdings Co., Ltd.
With the Sponsorship of East Japan Railway Company, SHIMIZU CORPORATION, TAKENAKA CORPORATION, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd., MITSUBISHI GAS CHEMICAL CO., INC., MITSUBISHI ESTATE CO., LTD., Mitsubishi Corporation
With the Special Support of Agency for Cultural Affairs
With the Assistance of MITSUMURA PRINTING Co., Ltd.
Catalog The exhibition catalog (3,100 yen) is available at the Heiseikan Special Exhibition Shop and at the museum shop in Honkan (Japanese Gallery).
General Inquiries 050-5541-8600 (Hello Dial)
Exhibition Website https://tsumugu.yomiuri.co.jp/daikakuji2025/

 

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