Jump to content
Font Size：

Language

New Year Feature Exhibition
Year of the Rabbit: Looking at Rabbits in Art and International Stamps

  • Image of "Hares and Scouring Rush in Moonlight, By Utagawa Hiroshige, Edo period, 19th century (Important Art Object)"

    Hares and Scouring Rush in Moonlight, By Utagawa Hiroshige, Edo period, 19th century (Important Art Object)

    Japanese Gallery (Honkan) Room T2
    January 2, 2011 (Sun) - January 30, 2011 (Sun)

    Celebrating the New Year 2011, the Tokyo National Museum will open from January 2. The New Year exhibition will feature the year's zodiac sign rabbits, and the museum will host various family events.

    At Honkan (Japanese Gallery), there will be a Feature Exhibition of the New Year - Year of the Rabbit: Looking at Rabbits in Art and International Stamps from January 2, 2011. Family events will be held on the 2nd and 3rd of January, including Shishimai dance performances, Taiko (Japanese drum) performances, and Kamikiri (Silhouette Cutting) -Traditional vaudeville entertainment.

    Visit the Tokyo National Museum and experience the Japanese New Year's celebration!

 General Information
Dates Sunday, January 2 - Sunday, January 30, 2011
Venue Tokyo National Museum (Ueno Park)
Hours 9:30 - 17:00 (last entry 30 minutes before closing time)
Closed Mondays except January 3 and 10; Tuesday, January 4 and 11, 2011
Admissions Adults: 600 (500)yen, University Students: 400 (300)yen
* Brackets indicate fees for groups of 20 or more
* Special Exhibition "HIRAYAMA Ikuo and the Preservation of Buddhist Heritage" is charged separately
* High school students and under, and persons under 18 and 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: 03-5405-8686 (Hallo Dial)
 New Year Feature Exhibition
Year of the Rabbit: Looking at Rabbits in Art and International Stamps
Room T2, Honkan (Japanese Gallery)
 Sunday, January 2 - Sunday, January 30, 2011

Dish
Dish, Rabbits in underglaze blue
Imari ware, Edo period, 19th century (Gift of Mr. Hirano Kosuke)
   As 2011 is the Year of the Rabbit according to the Chinese zodiac, this exhibition showcases artworks featuring rabbit motifs, in addition to a selection of commemorative postage stamps from around the world. In Japan, rabbits appear as quick-witted characters in popular tales such as "The White Rabbit of Inaba Province" and "Kachi-kachi-yama," and many toys and characters replicate their loveable, familiar forms. They are also traditionally associated with the moon, where the ancient Japanese believed an apothecary rabbit worked to prepare an elixir of eternal youth and life. For this reason, and because they bear many young, rabbits are seen as auspicious. The season most popularly associated with rabbits in Japan is autumn, owing to the custom of full-moon viewing. Seen through the Chinese zodiac, however, rabbits are representative of spring and dawn, and as such are fitting symbols of hope with which to herald the New Year.

The international stamps in this exhibition feature a variety of themes including deities, represented by the Statue of Liberty, and animals such as dragons and carps, which are traditionally auspicious motifs. Many stamps were produced to commemorate the reigns of monarchs, world expositions and other momentous occasions, and contributed to the warm connection between sender and recipient.

We hope that viewers feel the joy of the New Year through both artworks featuring auspicious rabbit motifs and commemorative international stamps.
 Major works in this exhibition

* Works listed below are in the TNM Collection unless otherwise indicated.
 Hares and Scouring Rush in Moonlight, By Utagawa Hiroshige, Edo period, 19th century (Important Art Object)
Hare and Bellflowers, By Tawaraya Sotatsu, Edo period, 17th century (Gift of Mr. Kawai Gyokudo)
Dragon Carp Wild Goose, 19th - 20th century (Gift of the former Department of Communications)
Newspaper Stamps, Statue of Freedom Justice Victory Clio Vesta Peace Commerce Indian Maiden, 19th - 20th century (Gift of the former Department of Communications)
Gold brocade, Design of flowers and rabbits on gold ground, Formerly preserved by the Maeda family, Ming dynasty, 15th - 16th century, China
 Celebrating the Renewal of Honkan
Honkan (Japanese Gallery)
 Sunday, January 2 - Sunday, January 16, 2011

Autumn and Winter Landscapes
Autumn and Winter Landscapes
By Sesshu Toyo, Muromachi period, 15th century (National Treasure) [Room 2]

Features selected masterpieces from our collection to celebrate the renewal of Honkan (Japanese Gallery).

 more information
 Major works in this exhibition

* Works listed below are in the TNM Collection unless otherwise indicated.
Autumn and Winter Landscapes, By Sesshu Toyo, Muromachi period, 15th century (National Treasure) [Room 2]
Kokin Waka Shu Poetry Anthology, Gen'ei version, Heian period, 12th century (National Treasure, Gift of Mr. Mitsui Takahiro) [Room 3]
Poem, Known as Kumano Kaishi, By Asukai Masatsune, Kamakura period, dated 1200 (Important Cultural Property) [Room 4]
Cypress Trees, By Kano Eitoku, Azuchi-Momoyama period, 16th century (National Treasure) [Room 7]
Wind God and Thunder God, By Ogata Korin, Edo period, 18th century (Important Cultural Property) [Room 8]
Thirty-Six Views of Mt. Fuji, By Katsushika Hokusai, Edo period, 19th century [Room 10]
 Visit the rabbits in the galleries and create your own 2011 calendar
Sunday, January 2 and Monday, January 3, 2011
Pick up Calendars at Honkan, Room 20
Activity at Honkan, Room 20 10:00 - 16:00
 New Year's Celebration Events  (Locations are subject to change)
Shishimai - Lion-dance performance
January 2, 2011  starting at 12:00 and 14:30
January 3, 2011  starting at 12:00 and 14:30
Outside Honkan entrance
Performed by Toto Kasai Hayashi Mutsumikai
Taiko - Japanese drumming performance
January 2, 2011 starting at 10:30 and 13:00
January 3, 2011 starting at 10:30 and 13:00
Main Gate entrance area
Performed by Wadaiko Obiki
Kamikiri - Silhouette Cutting (Traditional vaudeville entertainment)
January 2, 2011  starting at 11:15 and 13:45
Outside Honkan entrance
Performed by Hayashiya Niraku
Mini concert - By clarinet group "Amateur"
January 3, 2011  starting at 11:15 and 13:45
Heiseikan Lounge
Ikebana Flower Arrangements
January 2 - January 16, 2011
By Yamane Yumi, Head of the Shinsei school of ikebana
Installed at the Main Gate and Honkan
TNM & TOPPAN Museum Theater (in Japanese)
Sunday, January 2 - Monday, January 3, 2011
New-year gifts presented to the first 60 guests each day
Yose entertainment at the Museum - Comic storytelling (in Japanese)
Monday, January 15, 2011  starting at 13:30
Heiseikan Auditorium
Performance by Kingentei Basho, Umaji, Umakichi, and Kokontei Kikuharu
Tickets: 2,000 yen (includes regular admission fee).
Reservations and 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. Features oil-painted portraits of the Tokugawa shoguns.
Sunday, January 2 and Monday, January 3, 2011, 10:00 - 15:00
Featuring oil painted portraits of the 15 Tokugawa shoguns, et al.

 the Konpon-chudo Hall of Kan'eiji The Konpon-chudo (Main Hall) of Kan'eiji
 New-year Gifts and sale from the Museum Shop
New-year Gifts at the Museum Shop
Sunday, January 2 and Monday, January 3, 2011
Lucky draw with purchases of 2,500 yen and over
New-Year Book Sale
Sunday, January 2 - Monday, January 10, 2011
 New-year Gifts and Service from the Restaurants
Food & Cafe L'Accord
Sunday, January 2 and Monday, January 3, 2011
Lucky draw with every cafe guest
Hotel Okura Garden Terrace
Sunday, January 2 and Monday, January 3, 2011
Complimentary amazake (hot sweet sake) service for restaurant guests
 Special Exhibition on January (Separate fees apply)
"HIRAYAMA Ikuo and the Preservation of Buddhist Heritage"
Heiseikan
Tuesday, January 18 - Sunday, March 6, 2011
Exhibitions