WednesdayMarch 1, 2023
Exhibitions
Exhibition Schedule
January 2 – March 5, 2023: Collection Exhibitions
March 7 – 23, 2023: Museum Gardens Only
Open areas: Museum gardens, outdoor exhibits
The exhibition rooms are closed.
March 25 – May 21, 2023: Special Exhibition
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
- Galleries and Exhibition Themes
- 3F
3F-1
3F-2
- 2F
2F-1 Illustrated Handscrolls
Illustrated Biographies of Ji Shū Patriarchs
2F-2 Buddhist Paintings
Parinirvāṇa: Picturing the Death of the Buddha
2F-3 Medieval Paintings
Famous Chinese Landscapes: The Eight Views of the Xiao and Xiang Rivers
2F-4 Momoyama-Edo Paintings
Kano School Painters of Kyoto: Kano Sanraku
2F-5 Chinese Paintings
Chinese Finger Painting
ThursdayMarch 2, 2023
Exhibitions
Exhibition Schedule
January 2 – March 5, 2023: Collection Exhibitions
March 7 – 23, 2023: Museum Gardens Only
Open areas: Museum gardens, outdoor exhibits
The exhibition rooms are closed.
March 25 – May 21, 2023: Special Exhibition
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
- Galleries and Exhibition Themes
- 3F
3F-1
3F-2
- 2F
2F-1 Illustrated Handscrolls
Illustrated Biographies of Ji Shū Patriarchs
2F-2 Buddhist Paintings
Parinirvāṇa: Picturing the Death of the Buddha
2F-3 Medieval Paintings
Famous Chinese Landscapes: The Eight Views of the Xiao and Xiang Rivers
2F-4 Momoyama-Edo Paintings
Kano School Painters of Kyoto: Kano Sanraku
2F-5 Chinese Paintings
Chinese Finger Painting
FridayMarch 3, 2023
Exhibitions
Exhibition Schedule
January 2 – March 5, 2023: Collection Exhibitions
March 7 – 23, 2023: Museum Gardens Only
Open areas: Museum gardens, outdoor exhibits
The exhibition rooms are closed.
March 25 – May 21, 2023: Special Exhibition
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
- Galleries and Exhibition Themes
- 3F
3F-1
3F-2
- 2F
2F-1 Illustrated Handscrolls
Illustrated Biographies of Ji Shū Patriarchs
2F-2 Buddhist Paintings
Parinirvāṇa: Picturing the Death of the Buddha
2F-3 Medieval Paintings
Famous Chinese Landscapes: The Eight Views of the Xiao and Xiang Rivers
2F-4 Momoyama-Edo Paintings
Kano School Painters of Kyoto: Kano Sanraku
2F-5 Chinese Paintings
Chinese Finger Painting
SaturdayMarch 4, 2023
Exhibitions
Exhibition Schedule
January 2 – March 5, 2023: Collection Exhibitions
March 7 – 23, 2023: Museum Gardens Only
Open areas: Museum gardens, outdoor exhibits
The exhibition rooms are closed.
March 25 – May 21, 2023: Special Exhibition
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
- Galleries and Exhibition Themes
- 3F
3F-1
3F-2
- 2F
2F-1 Illustrated Handscrolls
Illustrated Biographies of Ji Shū Patriarchs
2F-2 Buddhist Paintings
Parinirvāṇa: Picturing the Death of the Buddha
2F-3 Medieval Paintings
Famous Chinese Landscapes: The Eight Views of the Xiao and Xiang Rivers
2F-4 Momoyama-Edo Paintings
Kano School Painters of Kyoto: Kano Sanraku
2F-5 Chinese Paintings
Chinese Finger Painting
SundayMarch 5, 2023
Exhibitions
Exhibition Schedule
January 2 – March 5, 2023: Collection Exhibitions
March 7 – 23, 2023: Museum Gardens Only
Open areas: Museum gardens, outdoor exhibits
The exhibition rooms are closed.
March 25 – May 21, 2023: Special Exhibition
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
- Galleries and Exhibition Themes
- 3F
3F-1
3F-2
- 2F
2F-1 Illustrated Handscrolls
Illustrated Biographies of Ji Shū Patriarchs
2F-2 Buddhist Paintings
Parinirvāṇa: Picturing the Death of the Buddha
2F-3 Medieval Paintings
Famous Chinese Landscapes: The Eight Views of the Xiao and Xiang Rivers
2F-4 Momoyama-Edo Paintings
Kano School Painters of Kyoto: Kano Sanraku
2F-5 Chinese Paintings
Chinese Finger Painting
MondayMarch 6, 2023
The Museum is ClosedCalendarSee Current Exhibition Details
Exhibition Schedule
January 2 – March 5, 2023: Collection Exhibitions
March 7 – 23, 2023: Museum Gardens Only
Open areas: Museum gardens, outdoor exhibits
The exhibition rooms are closed.
March 25 – May 21, 2023: Special Exhibition
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
- Galleries and Exhibition Themes
- 3F
3F-1
3F-2
- 2F
2F-1
2F-2
2F-3
2F-4
2F-5
- 1F
1F-1
1F-2
1F-3
1F-4
1F-5
1F-6
TuesdayMarch 7, 2023
Exhibitions
Exhibition Schedule
January 2 – March 5, 2023: Collection Exhibitions
March 7 – 23, 2023: Museum Gardens Only
Open areas: Museum gardens, outdoor exhibits
The exhibition rooms are closed.
March 25 – May 21, 2023: Special Exhibition
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
- Galleries and Exhibition Themes
- 3F
3F-1
3F-2
- 2F
2F-1
2F-2
2F-3
2F-4
2F-5
- 1F
1F-1
1F-2
1F-3
1F-4
1F-5
1F-6
WednesdayMarch 8, 2023
Exhibitions
Exhibition Schedule
January 2 – March 5, 2023: Collection Exhibitions
March 7 – 23, 2023: Museum Gardens Only
Open areas: Museum gardens, outdoor exhibits
The exhibition rooms are closed.
March 25 – May 21, 2023: Special Exhibition
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
- Galleries and Exhibition Themes
- 3F
3F-1
3F-2
- 2F
2F-1
2F-2
2F-3
2F-4
2F-5
- 1F
1F-1
1F-2
1F-3
1F-4
1F-5
1F-6
ThursdayMarch 9, 2023
Exhibitions
Exhibition Schedule
January 2 – March 5, 2023: Collection Exhibitions
March 7 – 23, 2023: Museum Gardens Only
Open areas: Museum gardens, outdoor exhibits
The exhibition rooms are closed.
March 25 – May 21, 2023: Special Exhibition
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
- Galleries and Exhibition Themes
- 3F
3F-1
3F-2
- 2F
2F-1
2F-2
2F-3
2F-4
2F-5
- 1F
1F-1
1F-2
1F-3
1F-4
1F-5
1F-6
FridayMarch 10, 2023
Exhibitions
Exhibition Schedule
January 2 – March 5, 2023: Collection Exhibitions
March 7 – 23, 2023: Museum Gardens Only
Open areas: Museum gardens, outdoor exhibits
The exhibition rooms are closed.
March 25 – May 21, 2023: Special Exhibition
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
- Galleries and Exhibition Themes
- 3F
3F-1
3F-2
- 2F
2F-1
2F-2
2F-3
2F-4
2F-5
- 1F
1F-1
1F-2
1F-3
1F-4
1F-5
1F-6
SaturdayMarch 11, 2023
Exhibitions
Exhibition Schedule
January 2 – March 5, 2023: Collection Exhibitions
March 7 – 23, 2023: Museum Gardens Only
Open areas: Museum gardens, outdoor exhibits
The exhibition rooms are closed.
March 25 – May 21, 2023: Special Exhibition
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
- Galleries and Exhibition Themes
- 3F
3F-1
3F-2
- 2F
2F-1
2F-2
2F-3
2F-4
2F-5
- 1F
1F-1
1F-2
1F-3
1F-4
1F-5
1F-6
SundayMarch 12, 2023
Exhibitions
Exhibition Schedule
January 2 – March 5, 2023: Collection Exhibitions
March 7 – 23, 2023: Museum Gardens Only
Open areas: Museum gardens, outdoor exhibits
The exhibition rooms are closed.
March 25 – May 21, 2023: Special Exhibition
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
- Galleries and Exhibition Themes
- 3F
3F-1
3F-2
- 2F
2F-1
2F-2
2F-3
2F-4
2F-5
- 1F
1F-1
1F-2
1F-3
1F-4
1F-5
1F-6
MondayMarch 13, 2023
The Museum is ClosedCalendarSee Current Exhibition Details
Exhibition Schedule
January 2 – March 5, 2023: Collection Exhibitions
March 7 – 23, 2023: Museum Gardens Only
Open areas: Museum gardens, outdoor exhibits
The exhibition rooms are closed.
March 25 – May 21, 2023: Special Exhibition
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
- Galleries and Exhibition Themes
- 3F
3F-1
3F-2
- 2F
2F-1
2F-2
2F-3
2F-4
2F-5
- 1F
1F-1
1F-2
1F-3
1F-4
1F-5
1F-6
TuesdayMarch 14, 2023
Exhibitions
Exhibition Schedule
January 2 – March 5, 2023: Collection Exhibitions
March 7 – 23, 2023: Museum Gardens Only
Open areas: Museum gardens, outdoor exhibits
The exhibition rooms are closed.
March 25 – May 21, 2023: Special Exhibition
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
- Galleries and Exhibition Themes
- 3F
3F-1
3F-2
- 2F
2F-1
2F-2
2F-3
2F-4
2F-5
- 1F
1F-1
1F-2
1F-3
1F-4
1F-5
1F-6
WednesdayMarch 15, 2023
Exhibitions
Exhibition Schedule
January 2 – March 5, 2023: Collection Exhibitions
March 7 – 23, 2023: Museum Gardens Only
Open areas: Museum gardens, outdoor exhibits
The exhibition rooms are closed.
March 25 – May 21, 2023: Special Exhibition
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
- Galleries and Exhibition Themes
- 3F
3F-1
3F-2
- 2F
2F-1
2F-2
2F-3
2F-4
2F-5
- 1F
1F-1
1F-2
1F-3
1F-4
1F-5
1F-6
ThursdayMarch 16, 2023
Exhibitions
Exhibition Schedule
January 2 – March 5, 2023: Collection Exhibitions
March 7 – 23, 2023: Museum Gardens Only
Open areas: Museum gardens, outdoor exhibits
The exhibition rooms are closed.
March 25 – May 21, 2023: Special Exhibition
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
- Galleries and Exhibition Themes
- 3F
3F-1
3F-2
- 2F
2F-1
2F-2
2F-3
2F-4
2F-5
- 1F
1F-1
1F-2
1F-3
1F-4
1F-5
1F-6
FridayMarch 17, 2023
Exhibitions
Exhibition Schedule
January 2 – March 5, 2023: Collection Exhibitions
March 7 – 23, 2023: Museum Gardens Only
Open areas: Museum gardens, outdoor exhibits
The exhibition rooms are closed.
March 25 – May 21, 2023: Special Exhibition
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
- Galleries and Exhibition Themes
- 3F
3F-1
3F-2
- 2F
2F-1
2F-2
2F-3
2F-4
2F-5
- 1F
1F-1
1F-2
1F-3
1F-4
1F-5
1F-6
SaturdayMarch 18, 2023
Exhibitions
Exhibition Schedule
January 2 – March 5, 2023: Collection Exhibitions
March 7 – 23, 2023: Museum Gardens Only
Open areas: Museum gardens, outdoor exhibits
The exhibition rooms are closed.
March 25 – May 21, 2023: Special Exhibition
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
- Galleries and Exhibition Themes
- 3F
3F-1
3F-2
- 2F
2F-1
2F-2
2F-3
2F-4
2F-5
- 1F
1F-1
1F-2
1F-3
1F-4
1F-5
1F-6
SundayMarch 19, 2023
Exhibitions
Exhibition Schedule
January 2 – March 5, 2023: Collection Exhibitions
March 7 – 23, 2023: Museum Gardens Only
Open areas: Museum gardens, outdoor exhibits
The exhibition rooms are closed.
March 25 – May 21, 2023: Special Exhibition
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
- Galleries and Exhibition Themes
- 3F
3F-1
3F-2
- 2F
2F-1
2F-2
2F-3
2F-4
2F-5
- 1F
1F-1
1F-2
1F-3
1F-4
1F-5
1F-6
MondayMarch 20, 2023
The Museum is ClosedCalendarSee Current Exhibition Details
Exhibition Schedule
January 2 – March 5, 2023: Collection Exhibitions
March 7 – 23, 2023: Museum Gardens Only
Open areas: Museum gardens, outdoor exhibits
The exhibition rooms are closed.
March 25 – May 21, 2023: Special Exhibition
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
- Galleries and Exhibition Themes
- 3F
3F-1
3F-2
- 2F
2F-1
2F-2
2F-3
2F-4
2F-5
- 1F
1F-1
1F-2
1F-3
1F-4
1F-5
1F-6
TuesdayMarch 21, 2023
Exhibitions
Exhibition Schedule
January 2 – March 5, 2023: Collection Exhibitions
March 7 – 23, 2023: Museum Gardens Only
Open areas: Museum gardens, outdoor exhibits
The exhibition rooms are closed.
March 25 – May 21, 2023: Special Exhibition
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
- Galleries and Exhibition Themes
- 3F
3F-1
3F-2
- 2F
2F-1
2F-2
2F-3
2F-4
2F-5
- 1F
1F-1
1F-2
1F-3
1F-4
1F-5
1F-6
WednesdayMarch 22, 2023
Exhibitions
Exhibition Schedule
January 2 – March 5, 2023: Collection Exhibitions
March 7 – 23, 2023: Museum Gardens Only
Open areas: Museum gardens, outdoor exhibits
The exhibition rooms are closed.
March 25 – May 21, 2023: Special Exhibition
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
- Galleries and Exhibition Themes
- 3F
3F-1
3F-2
- 2F
2F-1
2F-2
2F-3
2F-4
2F-5
- 1F
1F-1
1F-2
1F-3
1F-4
1F-5
1F-6
ThursdayMarch 23, 2023
Exhibitions
Exhibition Schedule
January 2 – March 5, 2023: Collection Exhibitions
March 7 – 23, 2023: Museum Gardens Only
Open areas: Museum gardens, outdoor exhibits
The exhibition rooms are closed.
March 25 – May 21, 2023: Special Exhibition
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
- Galleries and Exhibition Themes
- 3F
3F-1
3F-2
- 2F
2F-1
2F-2
2F-3
2F-4
2F-5
- 1F
1F-1
1F-2
1F-3
1F-4
1F-5
1F-6
FridayMarch 24, 2023
The Museum is ClosedCalendarSee Current Exhibition Details
Exhibition Schedule
January 2 – March 5, 2023: Collection Exhibitions
March 7 – 23, 2023: Museum Gardens Only
Open areas: Museum gardens, outdoor exhibits
The exhibition rooms are closed.
March 25 – May 21, 2023: Special Exhibition
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
- Galleries and Exhibition Themes
- 3F
3F-1
3F-2
- 2F
2F-1
2F-2
2F-3
2F-4
2F-5
- 1F
1F-1
1F-2
1F-3
1F-4
1F-5
1F-6
SaturdayMarch 25, 2023
Exhibitions
Exhibition Schedule
January 2 – March 5, 2023: Collection Exhibitions
March 7 – 23, 2023: Museum Gardens Only
Open areas: Museum gardens, outdoor exhibits
The exhibition rooms are closed.
March 25 – May 21, 2023: Special Exhibition
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
- Galleries and Exhibition Themes
- 3F
- 2F
3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
- 1F
3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
SundayMarch 26, 2023
Exhibitions
Exhibition Schedule
January 2 – March 5, 2023: Collection Exhibitions
March 7 – 23, 2023: Museum Gardens Only
Open areas: Museum gardens, outdoor exhibits
The exhibition rooms are closed.
March 25 – May 21, 2023: Special Exhibition
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
- Galleries and Exhibition Themes
- 3F
- 2F
3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
- 1F
3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
MondayMarch 27, 2023
The Museum is ClosedCalendarSee Current Exhibition Details
Exhibition Schedule
January 2 – March 5, 2023: Collection Exhibitions
March 7 – 23, 2023: Museum Gardens Only
Open areas: Museum gardens, outdoor exhibits
The exhibition rooms are closed.
March 25 – May 21, 2023: Special Exhibition
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
- Galleries and Exhibition Themes
- 3F
- 2F
3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
- 1F
3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
TuesdayMarch 28, 2023
Exhibitions
Exhibition Schedule
January 2 – March 5, 2023: Collection Exhibitions
March 7 – 23, 2023: Museum Gardens Only
Open areas: Museum gardens, outdoor exhibits
The exhibition rooms are closed.
March 25 – May 21, 2023: Special Exhibition
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
- Galleries and Exhibition Themes
- 3F
- 2F
3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
- 1F
3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
WednesdayMarch 29, 2023
Exhibitions
Exhibition Schedule
January 2 – March 5, 2023: Collection Exhibitions
March 7 – 23, 2023: Museum Gardens Only
Open areas: Museum gardens, outdoor exhibits
The exhibition rooms are closed.
March 25 – May 21, 2023: Special Exhibition
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
- Galleries and Exhibition Themes
- 3F
- 2F
3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
- 1F
3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
ThursdayMarch 30, 2023
Exhibitions
Exhibition Schedule
January 2 – March 5, 2023: Collection Exhibitions
March 7 – 23, 2023: Museum Gardens Only
Open areas: Museum gardens, outdoor exhibits
The exhibition rooms are closed.
March 25 – May 21, 2023: Special Exhibition
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
- Galleries and Exhibition Themes
- 3F
- 2F
3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
- 1F
3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
FridayMarch 31, 2023
Exhibitions
Exhibition Schedule
January 2 – March 5, 2023: Collection Exhibitions
March 7 – 23, 2023: Museum Gardens Only
Open areas: Museum gardens, outdoor exhibits
The exhibition rooms are closed.
March 25 – May 21, 2023: Special Exhibition
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
- Galleries and Exhibition Themes
- 3F
- 2F
3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
- 1F
3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism3F, 2F, 1F Special Exhibitions
850th Anniversary Special Exhibition
Shinran: The Life and Legacy of the Founder of Shin Buddhism
Also On View in the Collection Galleries特別展観覧料が必要
Illustrated Biographies of Ji Shū Patriarchs
February 7–March 5, 2023
Illustrated Handscrolls|2F-1 gallery
The Japanese Buddhist sect known as the Ji Shū was founded in the Kamakura period (1185–1333) and became known for its ecstatic dancing and chanting (odori nenbutsu). The twelve-volume set of illustrated handscrolls portraying the life of the sect’s founder Ippen (1239–1289) is now registered as a National Treasure. There is, however, another important and distinct group of scrolls that was widely circulated among Ji Shū temples during the medieval period. The Illustrated Legends of the Venerable Itinerant Priests (J: Yugyō shōnin engi-e) is a ten-volume set of illustrated handscrolls first compiled by the priest Sōshun. It not only features events from the life of Ippen but also from the life of the second patriarch, Ta’a (1237–1319). The original scrolls were scattered and lost, but several copies survive. This exhibition introduces important extant examples and related pictorial biographies of medieval Ji Shū patriarchs.

Important Cultural Property
Illustrated Legends of the Venerable Itinerant Priests, Vol. 1
Shinkō-ji Temple, Hyōgo
Parinirvāṇa: Picturing the Death of the Buddha
February 7–March 5, 2023
Buddhist Paintings|2F-2 gallery
The historical Buddha Shakyamuni is said to have died and entered parinirvāṇa, his “final nirvana,” on the fifteenth day of the second lunar month. By the Gregorian calendar, this translates to March 15th, which is when Japanese temples today hold the Nirvana Assembly (nehan-e). A painting of the Death of the Buddha typically hangs at this ceremony.
Many Death of the Buddha paintings are oversized; some are so large that they cannot be fully unrolled, even in grand temple halls. Why such massive dimensions? Perhaps this gave the viewers a more immersive experience akin to a sort of virtual reality. During the Kamakura period (1185–1333), artists were increasingly incorporating new Chinese artistic styles into their Death of the Buddha paintings. These included realistic elements that must have been fascinating to contemporaneous viewers.
The Nirvana Assembly became a staple in Japanese Buddhism probably because of the grand scale and realism of Death of the Buddha
paintings such as these—also because it centers on the historical Buddha Shakyamuni, who is worshiped by many different Buddhist sects.

Death of the Buddha
Kyoto National Museum
Famous Chinese Landscapes: The Eight Views of the Xiao and Xiang Rivers
February 7–March 5, 2023
Medieval Paintings|2F-3 gallery
Before the modern era, the age in which Japanese people most frequently traveled abroad was between the Kamakura (1185–1333) and Muromachi (1392–1573) periods. Foreign goods came into Japan in large quantities during this time, brought back by traders or those who went abroad to study. It was also during this age that monochrome ink painting took root and developed in Japan as part an international art trend connecting the cultures of East Asia.
The “Eight Views of the Xiao and Xiang Rivers” is a poetic theme based on seasonal imagery of watery landscapes around Lake Dongting in China (Hunan province), where the two rivers converge. It has been a popular poetic and pictorial subject since the Song dynasty (960–1279) and played an important role in the history of Japanese ink painting, especially landscape painting. Because the Xiao and Xiang Rivers were located far from Ningpo and other crowded port cities visited by foreign travelers, few Japanese would have seen these sites with their own eyes. Instead, it was scenic depictions filtered through the lens of imported Chinese paintings that served as the basis for the portrayal of ink landscapes in medieval Japan.

Important Cultural Property
Eight Views of the Xiao and Xiang Rivers (right screen)
Myōshin-ji Temple, Kyoto
Kano School Painters of Kyoto: Kano Sanraku
February 7–March 5, 2023
Momoyama-Edo Paintings|2F-4 gallery
During the Edo period (1615–1868), the Kano school dominated the realm of official painting, producing works for the Tokugawa shoguns and other regional warrior houses. With the appointment of Kano Tanyū (1602–1674) to the position of official painter to the shogun following the relocation of the capital to Edo (now Tokyo), the Edo Kano shaped the trajectory of Japanese painting history throughout the early modern period. In contrast, those members of the Kano school who remained in Kyoto and did not serve the shogun followed a different path and were known as the Kyō Kano (or Kyō Gano).
Kano Sanraku (1559–1635) is considered the founder of the Kyotobased Kyō Kano painters. Prior to the rise of the Tokugawa, Sanraku served the Toyotomi clan and found himself on the run following Tokugawa Ieyasu’s victory over Toyotomi Hideyori at the Siege of Osaka in 1615. He was eventually pardoned through the support and protection of powerful benefactors. Remaining in Kyoto, Sanraku developed a painting style inherited from his master, Kano Eitoku, that was both forceful and decorative, and which stood in stark contrast to the work of his peers in Edo.

Chinese Landscape (right screen)
By Kano Sanraku
Myōken-ji Temple, Kyoto
Chinese Finger Painting
February 7–March 5, 2023
Chinese Paintings|2F-5 gallery
Brush and ink are indispensable to Chinese painting, but many artists throughout history experimented with a style of finger painting that substituted the brush for the fingers, hands, and fingernails of the artist. Records suggest that related practices date back to the Tang dynasty (618–907), but it was not until the Qing dynasty (1644–1912) and the painter Gao Qipei (1660–1734) that finger painting came into its own as a true art. Gao is said to have received instruction in his finger painting method from an old man in a dream, and the creative effects that he achieved were noticeably distinct from those produced with the brush. Inspired by its novelty, many painters began to apply this technique to their own painting practice. Finger painting was later adopted and further refined by Ike no Taiga (1723–1776) and other Japanese painters who had taken up the style of Chinese literati artists. This exhibition introduces finger paintings by Gao Qipei and other Chinese painters.

Finger Painted Landscape
By Gao Qipei
Kyoto National Museum
Buddhist and Shinto Sculpture of Kyoto
January 2–March 5, 2023
Sculpture|1F-1 gallery
You may be surprised to learn that the Kyoto National Museum owns relatively few works of sculpture in its permanent collection. Instead, it has the honor of housing many important Buddhist and Shinto icons entrusted to the museum by temples and shrines from across Kyoto prefecture and Japan. This exhibition features some of the sculpture curator’s favorite works on long-term loan from temples and shrines in Kyoto, including nationally designated objects. Most of these masterworks from Kyoto were made between the Nara (710–794) and Kamakura (1185–1333) periods. In addition, the exhibit features a guardian lion and lion dog pair from the early modern period that was recently donated by the nearby Ichihime Shrine along with a statue of a female kami from the shrine, which has been in our care for some time.

Important Cultural Property
Standing Priest Baozhi
Saiō-ji Temple, Kyoto
Also On View in the Collection Galleries特別展観覧料が必要
Illustrated Biographies of Ji Shū Patriarchs
February 7–March 5, 2023
Illustrated Handscrolls|2F-1 gallery
The Japanese Buddhist sect known as the Ji Shū was founded in the Kamakura period (1185–1333) and became known for its ecstatic dancing and chanting (odori nenbutsu). The twelve-volume set of illustrated handscrolls portraying the life of the sect’s founder Ippen (1239–1289) is now registered as a National Treasure. There is, however, another important and distinct group of scrolls that was widely circulated among Ji Shū temples during the medieval period. The Illustrated Legends of the Venerable Itinerant Priests (J: Yugyō shōnin engi-e) is a ten-volume set of illustrated handscrolls first compiled by the priest Sōshun. It not only features events from the life of Ippen but also from the life of the second patriarch, Ta’a (1237–1319). The original scrolls were scattered and lost, but several copies survive. This exhibition introduces important extant examples and related pictorial biographies of medieval Ji Shū patriarchs.

Important Cultural Property
Illustrated Legends of the Venerable Itinerant Priests, Vol. 1
Shinkō-ji Temple, Hyōgo
Parinirvāṇa: Picturing the Death of the Buddha
February 7–March 5, 2023
Buddhist Paintings|2F-2 gallery
The historical Buddha Shakyamuni is said to have died and entered parinirvāṇa, his “final nirvana,” on the fifteenth day of the second lunar month. By the Gregorian calendar, this translates to March 15th, which is when Japanese temples today hold the Nirvana Assembly (nehan-e). A painting of the Death of the Buddha typically hangs at this ceremony.
Many Death of the Buddha paintings are oversized; some are so large that they cannot be fully unrolled, even in grand temple halls. Why such massive dimensions? Perhaps this gave the viewers a more immersive experience akin to a sort of virtual reality. During the Kamakura period (1185–1333), artists were increasingly incorporating new Chinese artistic styles into their Death of the Buddha paintings. These included realistic elements that must have been fascinating to contemporaneous viewers.
The Nirvana Assembly became a staple in Japanese Buddhism probably because of the grand scale and realism of Death of the Buddha
paintings such as these—also because it centers on the historical Buddha Shakyamuni, who is worshiped by many different Buddhist sects.

Death of the Buddha
Kyoto National Museum
Famous Chinese Landscapes: The Eight Views of the Xiao and Xiang Rivers
February 7–March 5, 2023
Medieval Paintings|2F-3 gallery
Before the modern era, the age in which Japanese people most frequently traveled abroad was between the Kamakura (1185–1333) and Muromachi (1392–1573) periods. Foreign goods came into Japan in large quantities during this time, brought back by traders or those who went abroad to study. It was also during this age that monochrome ink painting took root and developed in Japan as part an international art trend connecting the cultures of East Asia.
The “Eight Views of the Xiao and Xiang Rivers” is a poetic theme based on seasonal imagery of watery landscapes around Lake Dongting in China (Hunan province), where the two rivers converge. It has been a popular poetic and pictorial subject since the Song dynasty (960–1279) and played an important role in the history of Japanese ink painting, especially landscape painting. Because the Xiao and Xiang Rivers were located far from Ningpo and other crowded port cities visited by foreign travelers, few Japanese would have seen these sites with their own eyes. Instead, it was scenic depictions filtered through the lens of imported Chinese paintings that served as the basis for the portrayal of ink landscapes in medieval Japan.

Important Cultural Property
Eight Views of the Xiao and Xiang Rivers (right screen)
Myōshin-ji Temple, Kyoto
Kano School Painters of Kyoto: Kano Sanraku
February 7–March 5, 2023
Momoyama-Edo Paintings|2F-4 gallery
During the Edo period (1615–1868), the Kano school dominated the realm of official painting, producing works for the Tokugawa shoguns and other regional warrior houses. With the appointment of Kano Tanyū (1602–1674) to the position of official painter to the shogun following the relocation of the capital to Edo (now Tokyo), the Edo Kano shaped the trajectory of Japanese painting history throughout the early modern period. In contrast, those members of the Kano school who remained in Kyoto and did not serve the shogun followed a different path and were known as the Kyō Kano (or Kyō Gano).
Kano Sanraku (1559–1635) is considered the founder of the Kyotobased Kyō Kano painters. Prior to the rise of the Tokugawa, Sanraku served the Toyotomi clan and found himself on the run following Tokugawa Ieyasu’s victory over Toyotomi Hideyori at the Siege of Osaka in 1615. He was eventually pardoned through the support and protection of powerful benefactors. Remaining in Kyoto, Sanraku developed a painting style inherited from his master, Kano Eitoku, that was both forceful and decorative, and which stood in stark contrast to the work of his peers in Edo.

Chinese Landscape (right screen)
By Kano Sanraku
Myōken-ji Temple, Kyoto
Chinese Finger Painting
February 7–March 5, 2023
Chinese Paintings|2F-5 gallery
Brush and ink are indispensable to Chinese painting, but many artists throughout history experimented with a style of finger painting that substituted the brush for the fingers, hands, and fingernails of the artist. Records suggest that related practices date back to the Tang dynasty (618–907), but it was not until the Qing dynasty (1644–1912) and the painter Gao Qipei (1660–1734) that finger painting came into its own as a true art. Gao is said to have received instruction in his finger painting method from an old man in a dream, and the creative effects that he achieved were noticeably distinct from those produced with the brush. Inspired by its novelty, many painters began to apply this technique to their own painting practice. Finger painting was later adopted and further refined by Ike no Taiga (1723–1776) and other Japanese painters who had taken up the style of Chinese literati artists. This exhibition introduces finger paintings by Gao Qipei and other Chinese painters.

Finger Painted Landscape
By Gao Qipei
Kyoto National Museum
Buddhist and Shinto Sculpture of Kyoto
January 2–March 5, 2023
Sculpture|1F-1 gallery
You may be surprised to learn that the Kyoto National Museum owns relatively few works of sculpture in its permanent collection. Instead, it has the honor of housing many important Buddhist and Shinto icons entrusted to the museum by temples and shrines from across Kyoto prefecture and Japan. This exhibition features some of the sculpture curator’s favorite works on long-term loan from temples and shrines in Kyoto, including nationally designated objects. Most of these masterworks from Kyoto were made between the Nara (710–794) and Kamakura (1185–1333) periods. In addition, the exhibit features a guardian lion and lion dog pair from the early modern period that was recently donated by the nearby Ichihime Shrine along with a statue of a female kami from the shrine, which has been in our care for some time.

Important Cultural Property
Standing Priest Baozhi
Saiō-ji Temple, Kyoto
Also On View in the Collection Galleries特別展観覧料が必要
Illustrated Biographies of Ji Shū Patriarchs
February 7–March 5, 2023
Illustrated Handscrolls|2F-1 gallery
The Japanese Buddhist sect known as the Ji Shū was founded in the Kamakura period (1185–1333) and became known for its ecstatic dancing and chanting (odori nenbutsu). The twelve-volume set of illustrated handscrolls portraying the life of the sect’s founder Ippen (1239–1289) is now registered as a National Treasure. There is, however, another important and distinct group of scrolls that was widely circulated among Ji Shū temples during the medieval period. The Illustrated Legends of the Venerable Itinerant Priests (J: Yugyō shōnin engi-e) is a ten-volume set of illustrated handscrolls first compiled by the priest Sōshun. It not only features events from the life of Ippen but also from the life of the second patriarch, Ta’a (1237–1319). The original scrolls were scattered and lost, but several copies survive. This exhibition introduces important extant examples and related pictorial biographies of medieval Ji Shū patriarchs.

Important Cultural Property
Illustrated Legends of the Venerable Itinerant Priests, Vol. 1
Shinkō-ji Temple, Hyōgo
Parinirvāṇa: Picturing the Death of the Buddha
February 7–March 5, 2023
Buddhist Paintings|2F-2 gallery
The historical Buddha Shakyamuni is said to have died and entered parinirvāṇa, his “final nirvana,” on the fifteenth day of the second lunar month. By the Gregorian calendar, this translates to March 15th, which is when Japanese temples today hold the Nirvana Assembly (nehan-e). A painting of the Death of the Buddha typically hangs at this ceremony.
Many Death of the Buddha paintings are oversized; some are so large that they cannot be fully unrolled, even in grand temple halls. Why such massive dimensions? Perhaps this gave the viewers a more immersive experience akin to a sort of virtual reality. During the Kamakura period (1185–1333), artists were increasingly incorporating new Chinese artistic styles into their Death of the Buddha paintings. These included realistic elements that must have been fascinating to contemporaneous viewers.
The Nirvana Assembly became a staple in Japanese Buddhism probably because of the grand scale and realism of Death of the Buddha
paintings such as these—also because it centers on the historical Buddha Shakyamuni, who is worshiped by many different Buddhist sects.

Death of the Buddha
Kyoto National Museum
Famous Chinese Landscapes: The Eight Views of the Xiao and Xiang Rivers
February 7–March 5, 2023
Medieval Paintings|2F-3 gallery
Before the modern era, the age in which Japanese people most frequently traveled abroad was between the Kamakura (1185–1333) and Muromachi (1392–1573) periods. Foreign goods came into Japan in large quantities during this time, brought back by traders or those who went abroad to study. It was also during this age that monochrome ink painting took root and developed in Japan as part an international art trend connecting the cultures of East Asia.
The “Eight Views of the Xiao and Xiang Rivers” is a poetic theme based on seasonal imagery of watery landscapes around Lake Dongting in China (Hunan province), where the two rivers converge. It has been a popular poetic and pictorial subject since the Song dynasty (960–1279) and played an important role in the history of Japanese ink painting, especially landscape painting. Because the Xiao and Xiang Rivers were located far from Ningpo and other crowded port cities visited by foreign travelers, few Japanese would have seen these sites with their own eyes. Instead, it was scenic depictions filtered through the lens of imported Chinese paintings that served as the basis for the portrayal of ink landscapes in medieval Japan.

Important Cultural Property
Eight Views of the Xiao and Xiang Rivers (right screen)
Myōshin-ji Temple, Kyoto
Kano School Painters of Kyoto: Kano Sanraku
February 7–March 5, 2023
Momoyama-Edo Paintings|2F-4 gallery
During the Edo period (1615–1868), the Kano school dominated the realm of official painting, producing works for the Tokugawa shoguns and other regional warrior houses. With the appointment of Kano Tanyū (1602–1674) to the position of official painter to the shogun following the relocation of the capital to Edo (now Tokyo), the Edo Kano shaped the trajectory of Japanese painting history throughout the early modern period. In contrast, those members of the Kano school who remained in Kyoto and did not serve the shogun followed a different path and were known as the Kyō Kano (or Kyō Gano).
Kano Sanraku (1559–1635) is considered the founder of the Kyotobased Kyō Kano painters. Prior to the rise of the Tokugawa, Sanraku served the Toyotomi clan and found himself on the run following Tokugawa Ieyasu’s victory over Toyotomi Hideyori at the Siege of Osaka in 1615. He was eventually pardoned through the support and protection of powerful benefactors. Remaining in Kyoto, Sanraku developed a painting style inherited from his master, Kano Eitoku, that was both forceful and decorative, and which stood in stark contrast to the work of his peers in Edo.

Chinese Landscape (right screen)
By Kano Sanraku
Myōken-ji Temple, Kyoto
Chinese Finger Painting
February 7–March 5, 2023
Chinese Paintings|2F-5 gallery
Brush and ink are indispensable to Chinese painting, but many artists throughout history experimented with a style of finger painting that substituted the brush for the fingers, hands, and fingernails of the artist. Records suggest that related practices date back to the Tang dynasty (618–907), but it was not until the Qing dynasty (1644–1912) and the painter Gao Qipei (1660–1734) that finger painting came into its own as a true art. Gao is said to have received instruction in his finger painting method from an old man in a dream, and the creative effects that he achieved were noticeably distinct from those produced with the brush. Inspired by its novelty, many painters began to apply this technique to their own painting practice. Finger painting was later adopted and further refined by Ike no Taiga (1723–1776) and other Japanese painters who had taken up the style of Chinese literati artists. This exhibition introduces finger paintings by Gao Qipei and other Chinese painters.

Finger Painted Landscape
By Gao Qipei
Kyoto National Museum
Buddhist and Shinto Sculpture of Kyoto
January 2–March 5, 2023
Sculpture|1F-1 gallery
You may be surprised to learn that the Kyoto National Museum owns relatively few works of sculpture in its permanent collection. Instead, it has the honor of housing many important Buddhist and Shinto icons entrusted to the museum by temples and shrines from across Kyoto prefecture and Japan. This exhibition features some of the sculpture curator’s favorite works on long-term loan from temples and shrines in Kyoto, including nationally designated objects. Most of these masterworks from Kyoto were made between the Nara (710–794) and Kamakura (1185–1333) periods. In addition, the exhibit features a guardian lion and lion dog pair from the early modern period that was recently donated by the nearby Ichihime Shrine along with a statue of a female kami from the shrine, which has been in our care for some time.

Important Cultural Property
Standing Priest Baozhi
Saiō-ji Temple, Kyoto
Also On View in the Collection Galleries特別展観覧料が必要
Illustrated Biographies of Ji Shū Patriarchs
February 7–March 5, 2023
Illustrated Handscrolls|2F-1 gallery
The Japanese Buddhist sect known as the Ji Shū was founded in the Kamakura period (1185–1333) and became known for its ecstatic dancing and chanting (odori nenbutsu). The twelve-volume set of illustrated handscrolls portraying the life of the sect’s founder Ippen (1239–1289) is now registered as a National Treasure. There is, however, another important and distinct group of scrolls that was widely circulated among Ji Shū temples during the medieval period. The Illustrated Legends of the Venerable Itinerant Priests (J: Yugyō shōnin engi-e) is a ten-volume set of illustrated handscrolls first compiled by the priest Sōshun. It not only features events from the life of Ippen but also from the life of the second patriarch, Ta’a (1237–1319). The original scrolls were scattered and lost, but several copies survive. This exhibition introduces important extant examples and related pictorial biographies of medieval Ji Shū patriarchs.

Important Cultural Property
Illustrated Legends of the Venerable Itinerant Priests, Vol. 1
Shinkō-ji Temple, Hyōgo
Parinirvāṇa: Picturing the Death of the Buddha
February 7–March 5, 2023
Buddhist Paintings|2F-2 gallery
The historical Buddha Shakyamuni is said to have died and entered parinirvāṇa, his “final nirvana,” on the fifteenth day of the second lunar month. By the Gregorian calendar, this translates to March 15th, which is when Japanese temples today hold the Nirvana Assembly (nehan-e). A painting of the Death of the Buddha typically hangs at this ceremony.
Many Death of the Buddha paintings are oversized; some are so large that they cannot be fully unrolled, even in grand temple halls. Why such massive dimensions? Perhaps this gave the viewers a more immersive experience akin to a sort of virtual reality. During the Kamakura period (1185–1333), artists were increasingly incorporating new Chinese artistic styles into their Death of the Buddha paintings. These included realistic elements that must have been fascinating to contemporaneous viewers.
The Nirvana Assembly became a staple in Japanese Buddhism probably because of the grand scale and realism of Death of the Buddha
paintings such as these—also because it centers on the historical Buddha Shakyamuni, who is worshiped by many different Buddhist sects.

Death of the Buddha
Kyoto National Museum
Famous Chinese Landscapes: The Eight Views of the Xiao and Xiang Rivers
February 7–March 5, 2023
Medieval Paintings|2F-3 gallery
Before the modern era, the age in which Japanese people most frequently traveled abroad was between the Kamakura (1185–1333) and Muromachi (1392–1573) periods. Foreign goods came into Japan in large quantities during this time, brought back by traders or those who went abroad to study. It was also during this age that monochrome ink painting took root and developed in Japan as part an international art trend connecting the cultures of East Asia.
The “Eight Views of the Xiao and Xiang Rivers” is a poetic theme based on seasonal imagery of watery landscapes around Lake Dongting in China (Hunan province), where the two rivers converge. It has been a popular poetic and pictorial subject since the Song dynasty (960–1279) and played an important role in the history of Japanese ink painting, especially landscape painting. Because the Xiao and Xiang Rivers were located far from Ningpo and other crowded port cities visited by foreign travelers, few Japanese would have seen these sites with their own eyes. Instead, it was scenic depictions filtered through the lens of imported Chinese paintings that served as the basis for the portrayal of ink landscapes in medieval Japan.

Important Cultural Property
Eight Views of the Xiao and Xiang Rivers (right screen)
Myōshin-ji Temple, Kyoto
Kano School Painters of Kyoto: Kano Sanraku
February 7–March 5, 2023
Momoyama-Edo Paintings|2F-4 gallery
During the Edo period (1615–1868), the Kano school dominated the realm of official painting, producing works for the Tokugawa shoguns and other regional warrior houses. With the appointment of Kano Tanyū (1602–1674) to the position of official painter to the shogun following the relocation of the capital to Edo (now Tokyo), the Edo Kano shaped the trajectory of Japanese painting history throughout the early modern period. In contrast, those members of the Kano school who remained in Kyoto and did not serve the shogun followed a different path and were known as the Kyō Kano (or Kyō Gano).
Kano Sanraku (1559–1635) is considered the founder of the Kyotobased Kyō Kano painters. Prior to the rise of the Tokugawa, Sanraku served the Toyotomi clan and found himself on the run following Tokugawa Ieyasu’s victory over Toyotomi Hideyori at the Siege of Osaka in 1615. He was eventually pardoned through the support and protection of powerful benefactors. Remaining in Kyoto, Sanraku developed a painting style inherited from his master, Kano Eitoku, that was both forceful and decorative, and which stood in stark contrast to the work of his peers in Edo.

Chinese Landscape (right screen)
By Kano Sanraku
Myōken-ji Temple, Kyoto
Chinese Finger Painting
February 7–March 5, 2023
Chinese Paintings|2F-5 gallery
Brush and ink are indispensable to Chinese painting, but many artists throughout history experimented with a style of finger painting that substituted the brush for the fingers, hands, and fingernails of the artist. Records suggest that related practices date back to the Tang dynasty (618–907), but it was not until the Qing dynasty (1644–1912) and the painter Gao Qipei (1660–1734) that finger painting came into its own as a true art. Gao is said to have received instruction in his finger painting method from an old man in a dream, and the creative effects that he achieved were noticeably distinct from those produced with the brush. Inspired by its novelty, many painters began to apply this technique to their own painting practice. Finger painting was later adopted and further refined by Ike no Taiga (1723–1776) and other Japanese painters who had taken up the style of Chinese literati artists. This exhibition introduces finger paintings by Gao Qipei and other Chinese painters.

Finger Painted Landscape
By Gao Qipei
Kyoto National Museum
Buddhist and Shinto Sculpture of Kyoto
January 2–March 5, 2023
Sculpture|1F-1 gallery
You may be surprised to learn that the Kyoto National Museum owns relatively few works of sculpture in its permanent collection. Instead, it has the honor of housing many important Buddhist and Shinto icons entrusted to the museum by temples and shrines from across Kyoto prefecture and Japan. This exhibition features some of the sculpture curator’s favorite works on long-term loan from temples and shrines in Kyoto, including nationally designated objects. Most of these masterworks from Kyoto were made between the Nara (710–794) and Kamakura (1185–1333) periods. In addition, the exhibit features a guardian lion and lion dog pair from the early modern period that was recently donated by the nearby Ichihime Shrine along with a statue of a female kami from the shrine, which has been in our care for some time.

Important Cultural Property
Standing Priest Baozhi
Saiō-ji Temple, Kyoto
Also On View in the Collection Galleries特別展観覧料が必要
Illustrated Biographies of Ji Shū Patriarchs
February 7–March 5, 2023
Illustrated Handscrolls|2F-1 gallery
The Japanese Buddhist sect known as the Ji Shū was founded in the Kamakura period (1185–1333) and became known for its ecstatic dancing and chanting (odori nenbutsu). The twelve-volume set of illustrated handscrolls portraying the life of the sect’s founder Ippen (1239–1289) is now registered as a National Treasure. There is, however, another important and distinct group of scrolls that was widely circulated among Ji Shū temples during the medieval period. The Illustrated Legends of the Venerable Itinerant Priests (J: Yugyō shōnin engi-e) is a ten-volume set of illustrated handscrolls first compiled by the priest Sōshun. It not only features events from the life of Ippen but also from the life of the second patriarch, Ta’a (1237–1319). The original scrolls were scattered and lost, but several copies survive. This exhibition introduces important extant examples and related pictorial biographies of medieval Ji Shū patriarchs.

Important Cultural Property
Illustrated Legends of the Venerable Itinerant Priests, Vol. 1
Shinkō-ji Temple, Hyōgo
Parinirvāṇa: Picturing the Death of the Buddha
February 7–March 5, 2023
Buddhist Paintings|2F-2 gallery
The historical Buddha Shakyamuni is said to have died and entered parinirvāṇa, his “final nirvana,” on the fifteenth day of the second lunar month. By the Gregorian calendar, this translates to March 15th, which is when Japanese temples today hold the Nirvana Assembly (nehan-e). A painting of the Death of the Buddha typically hangs at this ceremony.
Many Death of the Buddha paintings are oversized; some are so large that they cannot be fully unrolled, even in grand temple halls. Why such massive dimensions? Perhaps this gave the viewers a more immersive experience akin to a sort of virtual reality. During the Kamakura period (1185–1333), artists were increasingly incorporating new Chinese artistic styles into their Death of the Buddha paintings. These included realistic elements that must have been fascinating to contemporaneous viewers.
The Nirvana Assembly became a staple in Japanese Buddhism probably because of the grand scale and realism of Death of the Buddha
paintings such as these—also because it centers on the historical Buddha Shakyamuni, who is worshiped by many different Buddhist sects.

Death of the Buddha
Kyoto National Museum
Famous Chinese Landscapes: The Eight Views of the Xiao and Xiang Rivers
February 7–March 5, 2023
Medieval Paintings|2F-3 gallery
Before the modern era, the age in which Japanese people most frequently traveled abroad was between the Kamakura (1185–1333) and Muromachi (1392–1573) periods. Foreign goods came into Japan in large quantities during this time, brought back by traders or those who went abroad to study. It was also during this age that monochrome ink painting took root and developed in Japan as part an international art trend connecting the cultures of East Asia.
The “Eight Views of the Xiao and Xiang Rivers” is a poetic theme based on seasonal imagery of watery landscapes around Lake Dongting in China (Hunan province), where the two rivers converge. It has been a popular poetic and pictorial subject since the Song dynasty (960–1279) and played an important role in the history of Japanese ink painting, especially landscape painting. Because the Xiao and Xiang Rivers were located far from Ningpo and other crowded port cities visited by foreign travelers, few Japanese would have seen these sites with their own eyes. Instead, it was scenic depictions filtered through the lens of imported Chinese paintings that served as the basis for the portrayal of ink landscapes in medieval Japan.

Important Cultural Property
Eight Views of the Xiao and Xiang Rivers (right screen)
Myōshin-ji Temple, Kyoto
Kano School Painters of Kyoto: Kano Sanraku
February 7–March 5, 2023
Momoyama-Edo Paintings|2F-4 gallery
During the Edo period (1615–1868), the Kano school dominated the realm of official painting, producing works for the Tokugawa shoguns and other regional warrior houses. With the appointment of Kano Tanyū (1602–1674) to the position of official painter to the shogun following the relocation of the capital to Edo (now Tokyo), the Edo Kano shaped the trajectory of Japanese painting history throughout the early modern period. In contrast, those members of the Kano school who remained in Kyoto and did not serve the shogun followed a different path and were known as the Kyō Kano (or Kyō Gano).
Kano Sanraku (1559–1635) is considered the founder of the Kyotobased Kyō Kano painters. Prior to the rise of the Tokugawa, Sanraku served the Toyotomi clan and found himself on the run following Tokugawa Ieyasu’s victory over Toyotomi Hideyori at the Siege of Osaka in 1615. He was eventually pardoned through the support and protection of powerful benefactors. Remaining in Kyoto, Sanraku developed a painting style inherited from his master, Kano Eitoku, that was both forceful and decorative, and which stood in stark contrast to the work of his peers in Edo.

Chinese Landscape (right screen)
By Kano Sanraku
Myōken-ji Temple, Kyoto
Chinese Finger Painting
February 7–March 5, 2023
Chinese Paintings|2F-5 gallery
Brush and ink are indispensable to Chinese painting, but many artists throughout history experimented with a style of finger painting that substituted the brush for the fingers, hands, and fingernails of the artist. Records suggest that related practices date back to the Tang dynasty (618–907), but it was not until the Qing dynasty (1644–1912) and the painter Gao Qipei (1660–1734) that finger painting came into its own as a true art. Gao is said to have received instruction in his finger painting method from an old man in a dream, and the creative effects that he achieved were noticeably distinct from those produced with the brush. Inspired by its novelty, many painters began to apply this technique to their own painting practice. Finger painting was later adopted and further refined by Ike no Taiga (1723–1776) and other Japanese painters who had taken up the style of Chinese literati artists. This exhibition introduces finger paintings by Gao Qipei and other Chinese painters.

Finger Painted Landscape
By Gao Qipei
Kyoto National Museum
Buddhist and Shinto Sculpture of Kyoto
January 2–March 5, 2023
Sculpture|1F-1 gallery
You may be surprised to learn that the Kyoto National Museum owns relatively few works of sculpture in its permanent collection. Instead, it has the honor of housing many important Buddhist and Shinto icons entrusted to the museum by temples and shrines from across Kyoto prefecture and Japan. This exhibition features some of the sculpture curator’s favorite works on long-term loan from temples and shrines in Kyoto, including nationally designated objects. Most of these masterworks from Kyoto were made between the Nara (710–794) and Kamakura (1185–1333) periods. In addition, the exhibit features a guardian lion and lion dog pair from the early modern period that was recently donated by the nearby Ichihime Shrine along with a statue of a female kami from the shrine, which has been in our care for some time.

Important Cultural Property
Standing Priest Baozhi
Saiō-ji Temple, Kyoto