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Thematic Exhibition of the New Year
Chinese Paintings with Auspicious Subjects - "Three Friends of Winter"

  • Image of "Two Sparrows and Plum Blossoms, Attributed to Ma Lin, Southern Song dynasty, 13th century (Important Cultural Property, Gift of Dr. Yamamoto Tatsuro)"

    Two Sparrows and Plum Blossoms, Attributed to Ma Lin, Southern Song dynasty, 13th century (Important Cultural Property, Gift of Dr. Yamamoto Tatsuro)

    Asian Gallery (Toyokan) Room 8
    January 2, 2009 (Fri) - February 1, 2009 (Sun)

    Pine trees and bamboo remain green even in severe cold weather, and fragrant plum blossoms bloom earlier than any other flower, even in a harsh environment. In China, these plants were regarded as Three Friends of Winter, likened to persons who can control themselves with an unwavering will and a generous mind. They also symbolize various worldly wishes of the Chinese; pine trees signify longevity, bamboo means peace and many prosperous descendants, and the plum tree symbolizes easy childbirth and being blessed with many descendants.

    Chinese flower and bird paintings may seem to simply depict nature, but their motifs have various meanings. Paintings with these motifs have long been popular among Chinese people and are viewed as auspicious pictures. Among common motifs in Chinese painting, lotuses, water birds, and fish mean wealth; peonies signify wealth and nobility; peaches mean longevity; grapes, gourds, and pomegranates symbolize many prosperous descendants; phoenixes mean a peaceful world; and bats mean happiness.

    We hope you enjoy the rich world of Chinese auspicious paintings featuring Three Friends of Winter.

 Exhibition includes

* Works listed below are in the TNM Collection unless otherwise indicated.
 Two Sparrows and Plum Blossoms, Attributed to Ma Lin, Southern Song dynasty, 13th century (Important Cultural Property, Gift of Dr. Yamamoto Tatsuro)
Old Pine Tree, By Jin Shi, Ming dynasty, dated 1458
Cranes and Pines in the Kunlan Mountains, By Lu Qian, Ming dynasty, 15th - 16th century
Bamboos, By Wu Hon, Qing dynasty, 17th century
Five Pine Trees, By Li Shan, Qing dynaty, 18th century
Flowering Plants, By Zhao Zhiqian, Qing dynasty, dated 1870 (Gift of Mr.Takashima Kikujiro)
Narcissuses, By Chen Shu, Qing dynasty, dated 1734

 

New Year's Celebration at the Tokyo National Museum
  Friday, January 2 - Sunday, January 25, 2009
 
Fast Bull
Fast Bull, Handscroll Segment, Kamakura period, 13th century (Important Cultural Property)
 Celebrating the New Year 2009, the Tokyo National Museum will open from January 2. The New Year exhibition will feature the year's zodiac sign ox, and the museum will host various family events.

At Honkan (Japanese Gallery), there will be a Feature Exhibition of the New Year - Celebrating the Year of the Ox: Images of Oxen in Art from January 2, 2009. Family events will be held on the 2nd and 3rd of January, including Shishimai dance performances, Taiko (Japanese drum) performances, and Yugei of Edo Traditional vaudeville entertainment. Ikebana (flower arrangements) installations for the New Year, by Yamane Yumi, Head of the Shinsei school of ikebana. Will also be installed at the Main Gate and Honkan entrance areas.

Visit the Tokyo National Museum and experience the Japanese New Year's celebration!
 General Information
Dates Friday, January 2 - Sunday, January 25, 2009
Venue Tokyo National Museum (Ueno Park)
Hours 9:30 - 17:00 (last entry 30 minutes before closing time)
Closed Mondays except January 12; Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Admissions Adults: 600 (500)yen, University Students: 400 (300)yen
* Brackets indicate fees for groups of 20 or more
* Special Exhibition "FUKUZAWA Yukichi : Living the Future" and "Masterpieces of Zen Culture from Myoshinji" are charged separately
* High school students and under, and persons 70 years old and over are admitted free. Please present ID upon entry
* Persons with disabilities and one accompanying person each are admitted free. Please present ID upon entry
Access 10 minutes' walk from JR Ueno station (Park exit) and Uguisudani station
15 minutes' walk from Keisei Ueno station, Tokyo Metro Ueno station (Ginza line, Hibiya line) and Tokyo Metro Nezu station (Chiyoda line)
General Inquiries Tokyo National Museum TEL: +81-3-3822-1111
 Feature Exhibition of the New Year
Celebrating the Year of the Ox: Images of Oxen in Art
Room T1, Honkan (Japanese Gallery)
 Friday, January 2 - Sunday, January 25, 2009

Kosode
Kosode (Garment with Small Wrist Openings), Design of agriculture scenes of four seasons on brown figured satin, Edo period, 19th century
Dish
Dish, Water buffalo in overglaze enamel, Vietnam, 16th century
Our annual New Year feature exhibition for 2009 commemorates the Year of the Ox in Chinese Zodiac, taking depictions of oxen in art as its theme.

Historically kept as livestock, oxen have played an important part in our lives, for example, assisting us with the provision of labor. Through the works in this exhibition, we explore how oxen have been represented in art, and ways in which they embody people's thoughts and prayers.

The figure of the ox can be seen expressed in a variety of different forms: at work in the fields representing the coming of spring, pulling ox-carriages, which were vehicles for the noble class, and as a symbol of a rich harvest, or simply wealth in itself. Beginning with images of harvests, the hopes for which were entrusted with oxen, we hope you enjoy the depictions of this auspicious animal on display.
 Exhibition includes

* Works listed below are in the TNM Collection unless otherwise indicated.
 Segment from Legend of Kitano Tenjin Shrine, Kenji version, Kamakura period, dated 1277
Fast Bull, Handscroll Segment, Kamakura period, 13th century (Important Cultural Property)
Dish, Water buffalo in overglaze enamel, Vietnam, 16th century
Standing Juni Shinsho (Twelve Heavenly generals), Kamakura period, 12-13th century
Kosode (Garment with Small Wrist Openings), Design of agriculture scenes of four seasons on brown figured satin, Edo period, 19th century
 Featured work at Honkan (Japanese Gallery)
Illustrated Biography of Priest Ippen, Vol. 7
Room 2, Honkan Wednesday, November 26, 2008 - Sunday, January 4, 2009

Illustrated Biography of Priest Ippen, Vol. 7(detail)
Illustrated Biography of Priest Ippen, Vol. 7 (detail), By Hogen En'I, Kamakura period, dated 1299 (National Treasure)

Other photos		 This illustrated scroll is one of a twelve-volume series depicting the life of Priest Ippen, who founded the Ji sect of Buddhism in the Kamakura period (1185-1333). During his lifetime, Ippen journeyed to various parts of the country, leading large groups of the people he met along the way in ceremonies of Buddhist chants and dance. Through this, and by distributing leaflets printed with prayers, he encouraged the rise of Buddhism among the general populace.

This biographical series was completed on August 23rd, 1299, the tenth anniversary of Ippen's death, based upon writings by Ippen's younger brother and featuring illustrations by painter Hogen En'i.

During the Edo period (1603-1867), four sections of illustrations and one text section from the seventh volume were released from the collection of Kankikoji Temple in Kyoto. From there, they came into the possession of famous art collector Hara Sankei, and were ultimately acquired by the museum after World War II.

The illustrations on display exhibit a unique style which infuses traditional Japanese yamato-e painting with influences from the Chinese Song painting tradition. Replete with gestures toward the changing seasons, the landscapes and scenes which the wandering priest would have encountered during his travels are brought vividly to life in this work.

When the work was being repaired in 2003-2004, it was discovered that the back of the piece had been carefully painted to match the pigment on the surface and present an especially rich effect.
 Featured work at Honkan (Japanese Gallery)
Caricature of Frolicking Animals and People, Fourth Scroll
Room 2, Honkan Tuesday, January 6 - Sunday, February 1, 2009

The element of humor is an important part of Japanese painting. One of the earliest examples of humorous work is the Caricature of Frolicking Animals and People series from the collection of Kozanji Temple. This series consists of four picture scrolls, each characterized by differing painting styles, themes or production periods, and is essentially a disparate group of works united only in their use of caricature style.

The highly renowned first scroll depicts animals such as rabbits, monkeys and frogs acting as humans, and the second scroll in the series depicts animals acting in a manner more true to their nature. Both the first and second scrolls were produced at the end of the Heian period, while the third and fourth scrolls were made sometime after the start of the Kamakura period.

Within the series, the fourth scroll is distinctive for its extremely quick and unrestrained brushwork, and for its lack of animal figures. This work depicts people of the time engaging spiritedly in a variety of activities, and exhibits a different charm from that of the animal scrolls. The prayer scene on display here appears to have been based on a scene from the first scroll, in which a monkey prays before a frog Buddha.
 Visit the oxen in the galleries and create your own 2009 calendar
Friday, January 2 - Sunday, January 4, 2009
Calendars handed out at Rooms T1 and 20, Honkan and Toyokan Entrance Hall Activity at Room 20, Honkan 10:00 - 16:00
 New Year's Celebration Events  (sites are subject to change)
Shishimai - Lion dance performance
January 2, 2009  starting at 10:30 and 13:00
January 3, 2009  starting at 10:30 and 13:00
Outside Honkan (Japanese Gallery) entrance
Performed by Toto Kasai Hayashi Mutsumikai
Taiko - Japanese drums
January 2, 2009 starting at 11:00 and 13:30
January 3, 2009 starting at 11:00 and 13:30
Main Gate entrance area
Performed by Wadaiko Obiki
Yugei of Edo -Traditional vaudeville entertainment
January 2, 2009  starting at 12:00 and 14:30
Outside Honkan (Japanese Gallery) entrance
Performed by Mr. Miyata Shoji
Mini concert - by clarinet group "Amateur"
January 3, 2009  starting at 12:00 and 14:30
Heiseikan Lounge
Ikebana flower arrangements
Friday, January 2 - Monday, January 12, 2009
By Ms. Yamane Yumi, Head of the Shinsei school of ikebana
Installed at the Main Gate and Honkan
TNM&TOPPAN Museum Theater
New Year Viewing on Friday, January 2 and Saturday, January 3
Memorial gifts (first-come, first-served to 60 guests each day)
Yose entertainment at the Museum - Comic storytelling (in Japanese)
Sunday, January 11, 2009  starting at 13:30
Heiseikan Auditorium
Performance by Kingentei Basho, Umaji, and Umakichi, Kokontei Kikuharu
2,000 yen including regular admission fee. Tickets now on sale.
Inquiries: 03-3821-9270 (Tokyo National Museum, Events)
Shishimai - Shishimai - "lion dance" performance
 
Taiko - Japanese drums Taiko - Japanese drums
 Event in collaboration with Kan'eiji Temple
  Special opening of the Konpon-chudo Hall of Kan'eiji
Friday, January 2 and Saturday, January 3, 2009, 10:00 - 15:00
Portraits (oil paintings) of the 15 Tokugawa shoguns and the renowned garden rock "Kurokamiyama" will be on exhibit.

 the Konpon-chudo Hall of Kan'eiji The Konpon-chudo Hall of Kan'eiji
 New-year presents and sale from the Museum Shop
New-year Presents from the Museum Shop
Friday, January 2 and Saturday, January 3, 2009
Receive a raffle draw with purchases of 2,500 yen and over
New-year Book Sale
Friday, January 2 - Monday, January 12, 2009
 New-year presents and service from the Restaurants
Restaurant L'accord
Friday, January 2 and Saturday 3, January, 2009
Receive a raffle draw with every 1,500 yen spent per guest
Prize A : Seiyoken Gateau Selection
Prize B : Half bottle of Seiyoken white wine
Hotel Okura Garden Terrace
Friday, January 2 and Saturday 3, January, 2009
Complimentary Amazake (hot sweet sake) service for restaurant guests
 Special Exhibitions starting from January (Separate fees apply)
"FUKUZAWA Yukichi : Living the Future"
Hyokeikan
Saturday, January 10 - Sunday, March 8, 2009
"Masterpieces of Zen Culture from Myoshinji"
Heiseikan
Tuesday, January 20 - Sunday, March 1, 2009
Exhibitions