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New Year’s Celebration at the Tokyo National Museum: Horses as Messengers between Gods and People

  • Image of "HorseBy Gotō Sadayuki (1849–1903), Meiji era, 1893"

    Horse
    By Gotō Sadayuki (1849–1903), Meiji era, 1893

    Upcoming

    Japanese 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.
    List of Exhibits

Major works in this exhibition

* Works listed below are in the TNM Collection unless otherwise indicated.

Horse, By Gotō Sadayuki (1849–1903), Meiji era, 1893

Tomb Sculpture (Haniwa): Horse, Found in Ōizumi Town, Gunma, Kofun period, 6th century

Capped Stirrup, Heian period, 10th–11th century

Saddle and Stirrups with Cranes and Turtles, Edo period, 19th century

Portrait Traditionally Identified as Nawa Nagatoshi, By Hasegawa Tōhaku (1539–1610), Azuchi-Momoyama period, 16th century (Important Cultural Property)

Incense Game Tally Board, Edo period, 19th century

“Flower Garland” with a Man on Horseback, Passed down at Niūtsuhime Shrine, Wakayama, Muromachi period, 16th century (Important Cultural Property)

Plaques with Divine Horses, By Kanō Motonobu(1477–1559), Muromachi period, 16th century (Lent by Kamo Shrine, Hyōgo, Important Cultural Property)

 

Pamphlet

New Year’s Celebration at the Tokyo National Museum: Horses as Messengers between Gods and People

Thematic Exhibition
New Year’s Celebration at the Tokyo National Museum: Horses as Messengers between Gods and People

Copies are available in the gallery during the exhibition period, while stocks last.
PDF（1.76MB）

 

 

Exhibitions