Ceramics are prized not only for their beauty but also for their uses as dishes and in other quotidian functions. East Asian ceramics have a particularly wide range of patterns, forms, colors, and applications. They can incorporate vastly different materials and techniques, resulting in wares as diverse as earthenware or porcelain, with distinguishing characteristics deriving from the types of clay, the glazes, the décor, and the firing techniques employed at the site of their production. This gallery features a variety of ceramics from Japan, China, and the Korean Peninsula, pieces exemplifying the distinctive qualities and assets of each kiln site.

Important Cultural Property
Decorative Nail Covers
Attributed to Nonomura Ninsei
Kyoto National Museum

This exhibition features works relating to the powerful aristocratic regent Fujiwara no Michinaga (966–1028) and his eldest daughter Empress Fujiwara no Shōshi (988–1074), which have survived from the Heian period (794–1185).
In 1007, the fourth year of the Kankō era, Michinaga buried a cylindrical gilt bronze sutra container (now a National Treasure) in the Kinpusen mountains of Yoshino, Nara. Shōshi later dedicated a sutra case plated in gold and silver (also a National Treasure) at the Nyohōdo Hall of Yokawa, Mount Hiei, in the year 1031.
This prominent father and daughter pair is closely associated with Murasaki Shikibu (c. 973–c. 1031), author of the literary classic The Tale of Genji, who served as a lady-in-waiting under Shōshi. At the time, it was popular to bury scriptures such as the Lotus Sutra in anticipation of the Bodhisattva Miroku (Maitreya)’s Buddhahood in the distant future.
This exhibition introduces objects excavated from sutra mounds dating from the eleventh and twelfth centuries, encapsulating the spirit of Heian-period prayers.

Important Cultural Property
Sutra Container
Excavated from Hanase Bessho Sutra Mound, Kyoto
Agency for Cultural Affairs

Engi-e are paintings that explore the legendary origins and miraculous events associated with specific temples and shrines. This exhibition presents engi-e handscrolls relating to Kyoto temples that were created in the Edo period (1615–1868). During this time, Buddhist sects underwent structural shifts due to the religious policies of the shogunate. The “benevolent rule” of the day promoted scholarship, so monks deepened their studies of religious doctrines, cultivated interests in religious and temple history, and compiled historical books and biographies of temple founders.
As industry and the economy developed in the Kansai region (Osaka and Kyoto) during the late seventeenth century, talented artists produced numerous handscrolls vividly depicting this new urban culture. For the people living during this peaceful era, these vibrant engi-e handscrolls brought the enduring history of temples to life.

Legends of Kōmyō-ji Temple, Volume 1
Kōmyō-ji Temple, Kyoto

Su Shi (also known as Su Dongpo, 1037–1101) was a prominent statesman during the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127). Renowned for his bold calligraphy, he was revered as one of the Four Song Masters, while his writing earned him a place among the Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song. In the realm of art, his lasting contributions include the theories and practices of “scholar painting” (shiren hua) and “ink play” (mo xi), which paved the way for the future development of literati painting.
Su Shi’s legacy has continued to capture the hearts of scholars and painters throughout the ages. Numerous depictions of him along with works inspired by his masterpiece “Ode on the Red Cliff” have survived to the present. Additionally, from the Qing dynasty (1644–1912) onwards, gatherings celebrating his birthday were held on the nineteenth day of the twelfth month of the old lunar calendar. This exhibition explores how admiration for Su Shi has catalyzed a rich variety of artistic activities.

Su Shi (Dongpo) Holding an Inkstone
By Huang Shen
Kyoto National Museum

The Heian period (794–1185) was one of the most transformative times within the history of Japanese sculpture. Buddhist statues were carved primarily in the capital city of Kyoto, but they were also produced throughout the provinces. While some statues have been lost due to wars and natural disasters, a great number of Heian Buddhist sculptures have survived to this day. In the latter half of the Heian period, Buddhist sculptures with serene expressions gained popularity in accordance with the tastes of the imperial court and aristocracy. Round faces, reminiscent of a full moon, and gently lowered eyes give such statues a gentle air. This facial expression—distinctive to Japanese sculpture—became known as wayō (“Japanese style”). One of the more prominent sculptors who embraced this style was Jōchō (d. 1057). This exhibition presents works primarily from the second half of the Heian period. We invite you to enjoy the graceful, tranquil forms of these ancient sculptures.

Important Cultural Property
Seated Shakyamuni Buddha
By Keihan and others
Kōzen-ji Temple, Osaka

Statues of Buddhist deities, along with temple halls evoking their worlds, are sumptuously adorned with a variety of decorations including altars, canopies, hanging votive plaques, beaded ornaments, and Buddhist banners. Similarly, sutras recording the teachings of the Buddha are not viewed as mere books but are revered as the manifest words of the Buddha himself. Designs might adorn the cover, frontispiece, tying cord, paper, or margin lines surrounding a sutra manuscript, as well as the text itself, or the roller knobs. These decorative sutras form a sharp contrast with scriptures written modestly in black ink on plain paper. Through these intricate designs, one can sense people’s profound faith in sutras and the words of the Buddha. We invite you to enjoy the beauty of ancient faith embedded in these sutras.

Important Cultural Property
Lotus Sutra with Characters on Lotus Pedestals, Chapter 21 “Supernatural Powers of the Thus Come One”
Kyoto National Museum

Throughout history, human beings have transformed the one-dimensional medium of thread into two-dimensional fabrics for clothing and textiles using such processes as interworking (plaiting or braiding), interlooping (knitting or crochet), and weaving. Among these, the technique of “weaving” in particular requires a machine known as a loom.
In response to demand for increasingly beautiful and luxurious textiles, looms have undergone continuous improvements, incorporating some of the most cutting-edge engineering and technology of their time. We can piece together how weaving techniques developed even when actual looms no longer exist by observing the structure of textiles—the intersections of warps and wefts and other factors.
This exhibition not only introduces various textiles and their weave structures but also traces the evolution of weaving techniques, contemplating both the ingenuity and shifting aesthetic tastes of our predecessors.

Noh Costume, Karaori Robe with Weeping Cherry Branches
Kyoto National Museum

The traditional tea event held during the New Year is known as Hatsugama, literally meaning “First Kettle.” The “kettle” referred to here is the tea kettle used to boil water during a tea gathering (chaji).
The tea kettle is often referred to as the “host of the tea room” due to its role as one of the most essential utensils for tea. The phrase “put on the kettle” (kama o kakeru) is best understood today as a euphemism for holding a tea gathering.
This exhibition presents tea kettles from the medieval period to the early modern era, many of which have been passed down over the centuries in Kyoto’s temples.

Incense Burner Appropriated as Kettle
Reitō-in Temple, Kyoto

In old Japan, the implements needed for writing—brush, inkstick, inkstone, water dropper, gimlet, and small knife for binding paper—would be stored together inside an inkstone case and displayed. Beautifully adorned inkstone cases were essential possessions for cultivated individuals, symbolizing their owner’s intellect and aesthetic sensitivity. Decorative themes favored by the educated included Chinese stories, Japanese literary classics such as Tales of Ise and The Tale of Genji, and other subjects understood by people of refinement. Each aesthetic quality—materials, decorative techniques, texture, and weight—was carefully selected. Such stationary implements were cherished in intellectual spaces along with cabinets for storing books, boxes to hold writing paper and letters, book stands, and desks. We invite you to enjoy the elegant accoutrements that have ornamented the lives of cultured individuals since ancient times.

Cosmetics Box-Shaped Inkstone Case with Pine, Bamboo, and Plum Blossoms
By Nishimura Goun and Fukui Hōsai
Kyoto National Museum

Ceramics are prized not only for their beauty but also for their uses as dishes and in other quotidian functions. East Asian ceramics have a particularly wide range of patterns, forms, colors, and applications. They can incorporate vastly different materials and techniques, resulting in wares as diverse as earthenware or porcelain, with distinguishing characteristics deriving from the types of clay, the glazes, the décor, and the firing techniques employed at the site of their production. This gallery features a variety of ceramics from Japan, China, and the Korean Peninsula, pieces exemplifying the distinctive qualities and assets of each kiln site.

Important Cultural Property
Decorative Nail Covers
Attributed to Nonomura Ninsei
Kyoto National Museum

This exhibition features works relating to the powerful aristocratic regent Fujiwara no Michinaga (966–1028) and his eldest daughter Empress Fujiwara no Shōshi (988–1074), which have survived from the Heian period (794–1185).
In 1007, the fourth year of the Kankō era, Michinaga buried a cylindrical gilt bronze sutra container (now a National Treasure) in the Kinpusen mountains of Yoshino, Nara. Shōshi later dedicated a sutra case plated in gold and silver (also a National Treasure) at the Nyohōdo Hall of Yokawa, Mount Hiei, in the year 1031.
This prominent father and daughter pair is closely associated with Murasaki Shikibu (c. 973–c. 1031), author of the literary classic The Tale of Genji, who served as a lady-in-waiting under Shōshi. At the time, it was popular to bury scriptures such as the Lotus Sutra in anticipation of the Bodhisattva Miroku (Maitreya)’s Buddhahood in the distant future.
This exhibition introduces objects excavated from sutra mounds dating from the eleventh and twelfth centuries, encapsulating the spirit of Heian-period prayers.

Important Cultural Property
Sutra Container
Excavated from Hanase Bessho Sutra Mound, Kyoto
Agency for Cultural Affairs

Engi-e are paintings that explore the legendary origins and miraculous events associated with specific temples and shrines. This exhibition presents engi-e handscrolls relating to Kyoto temples that were created in the Edo period (1615–1868). During this time, Buddhist sects underwent structural shifts due to the religious policies of the shogunate. The “benevolent rule” of the day promoted scholarship, so monks deepened their studies of religious doctrines, cultivated interests in religious and temple history, and compiled historical books and biographies of temple founders.
As industry and the economy developed in the Kansai region (Osaka and Kyoto) during the late seventeenth century, talented artists produced numerous handscrolls vividly depicting this new urban culture. For the people living during this peaceful era, these vibrant engi-e handscrolls brought the enduring history of temples to life.

Legends of Kōmyō-ji Temple, Volume 1
Kōmyō-ji Temple, Kyoto

Su Shi (also known as Su Dongpo, 1037–1101) was a prominent statesman during the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127). Renowned for his bold calligraphy, he was revered as one of the Four Song Masters, while his writing earned him a place among the Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song. In the realm of art, his lasting contributions include the theories and practices of “scholar painting” (shiren hua) and “ink play” (mo xi), which paved the way for the future development of literati painting.
Su Shi’s legacy has continued to capture the hearts of scholars and painters throughout the ages. Numerous depictions of him along with works inspired by his masterpiece “Ode on the Red Cliff” have survived to the present. Additionally, from the Qing dynasty (1644–1912) onwards, gatherings celebrating his birthday were held on the nineteenth day of the twelfth month of the old lunar calendar. This exhibition explores how admiration for Su Shi has catalyzed a rich variety of artistic activities.

Su Shi (Dongpo) Holding an Inkstone
By Huang Shen
Kyoto National Museum

The Heian period (794–1185) was one of the most transformative times within the history of Japanese sculpture. Buddhist statues were carved primarily in the capital city of Kyoto, but they were also produced throughout the provinces. While some statues have been lost due to wars and natural disasters, a great number of Heian Buddhist sculptures have survived to this day. In the latter half of the Heian period, Buddhist sculptures with serene expressions gained popularity in accordance with the tastes of the imperial court and aristocracy. Round faces, reminiscent of a full moon, and gently lowered eyes give such statues a gentle air. This facial expression—distinctive to Japanese sculpture—became known as wayō (“Japanese style”). One of the more prominent sculptors who embraced this style was Jōchō (d. 1057). This exhibition presents works primarily from the second half of the Heian period. We invite you to enjoy the graceful, tranquil forms of these ancient sculptures.

Important Cultural Property
Seated Shakyamuni Buddha
By Keihan and others
Kōzen-ji Temple, Osaka

Statues of Buddhist deities, along with temple halls evoking their worlds, are sumptuously adorned with a variety of decorations including altars, canopies, hanging votive plaques, beaded ornaments, and Buddhist banners. Similarly, sutras recording the teachings of the Buddha are not viewed as mere books but are revered as the manifest words of the Buddha himself. Designs might adorn the cover, frontispiece, tying cord, paper, or margin lines surrounding a sutra manuscript, as well as the text itself, or the roller knobs. These decorative sutras form a sharp contrast with scriptures written modestly in black ink on plain paper. Through these intricate designs, one can sense people’s profound faith in sutras and the words of the Buddha. We invite you to enjoy the beauty of ancient faith embedded in these sutras.

Important Cultural Property
Lotus Sutra with Characters on Lotus Pedestals, Chapter 21 “Supernatural Powers of the Thus Come One”
Kyoto National Museum

Throughout history, human beings have transformed the one-dimensional medium of thread into two-dimensional fabrics for clothing and textiles using such processes as interworking (plaiting or braiding), interlooping (knitting or crochet), and weaving. Among these, the technique of “weaving” in particular requires a machine known as a loom.
In response to demand for increasingly beautiful and luxurious textiles, looms have undergone continuous improvements, incorporating some of the most cutting-edge engineering and technology of their time. We can piece together how weaving techniques developed even when actual looms no longer exist by observing the structure of textiles—the intersections of warps and wefts and other factors.
This exhibition not only introduces various textiles and their weave structures but also traces the evolution of weaving techniques, contemplating both the ingenuity and shifting aesthetic tastes of our predecessors.

Noh Costume, Karaori Robe with Weeping Cherry Branches
Kyoto National Museum

The traditional tea event held during the New Year is known as Hatsugama, literally meaning “First Kettle.” The “kettle” referred to here is the tea kettle used to boil water during a tea gathering (chaji).
The tea kettle is often referred to as the “host of the tea room” due to its role as one of the most essential utensils for tea. The phrase “put on the kettle” (kama o kakeru) is best understood today as a euphemism for holding a tea gathering.
This exhibition presents tea kettles from the medieval period to the early modern era, many of which have been passed down over the centuries in Kyoto’s temples.

Incense Burner Appropriated as Kettle
Reitō-in Temple, Kyoto

In old Japan, the implements needed for writing—brush, inkstick, inkstone, water dropper, gimlet, and small knife for binding paper—would be stored together inside an inkstone case and displayed. Beautifully adorned inkstone cases were essential possessions for cultivated individuals, symbolizing their owner’s intellect and aesthetic sensitivity. Decorative themes favored by the educated included Chinese stories, Japanese literary classics such as Tales of Ise and The Tale of Genji, and other subjects understood by people of refinement. Each aesthetic quality—materials, decorative techniques, texture, and weight—was carefully selected. Such stationary implements were cherished in intellectual spaces along with cabinets for storing books, boxes to hold writing paper and letters, book stands, and desks. We invite you to enjoy the elegant accoutrements that have ornamented the lives of cultured individuals since ancient times.

Cosmetics Box-Shaped Inkstone Case with Pine, Bamboo, and Plum Blossoms
By Nishimura Goun and Fukui Hōsai
Kyoto National Museum

Ceramics are prized not only for their beauty but also for their uses as dishes and in other quotidian functions. East Asian ceramics have a particularly wide range of patterns, forms, colors, and applications. They can incorporate vastly different materials and techniques, resulting in wares as diverse as earthenware or porcelain, with distinguishing characteristics deriving from the types of clay, the glazes, the décor, and the firing techniques employed at the site of their production. This gallery features a variety of ceramics from Japan, China, and the Korean Peninsula, pieces exemplifying the distinctive qualities and assets of each kiln site.

Important Cultural Property
Decorative Nail Covers
Attributed to Nonomura Ninsei
Kyoto National Museum

This exhibition features works relating to the powerful aristocratic regent Fujiwara no Michinaga (966–1028) and his eldest daughter Empress Fujiwara no Shōshi (988–1074), which have survived from the Heian period (794–1185).
In 1007, the fourth year of the Kankō era, Michinaga buried a cylindrical gilt bronze sutra container (now a National Treasure) in the Kinpusen mountains of Yoshino, Nara. Shōshi later dedicated a sutra case plated in gold and silver (also a National Treasure) at the Nyohōdo Hall of Yokawa, Mount Hiei, in the year 1031.
This prominent father and daughter pair is closely associated with Murasaki Shikibu (c. 973–c. 1031), author of the literary classic The Tale of Genji, who served as a lady-in-waiting under Shōshi. At the time, it was popular to bury scriptures such as the Lotus Sutra in anticipation of the Bodhisattva Miroku (Maitreya)’s Buddhahood in the distant future.
This exhibition introduces objects excavated from sutra mounds dating from the eleventh and twelfth centuries, encapsulating the spirit of Heian-period prayers.

Important Cultural Property
Sutra Container
Excavated from Hanase Bessho Sutra Mound, Kyoto
Agency for Cultural Affairs

Engi-e are paintings that explore the legendary origins and miraculous events associated with specific temples and shrines. This exhibition presents engi-e handscrolls relating to Kyoto temples that were created in the Edo period (1615–1868). During this time, Buddhist sects underwent structural shifts due to the religious policies of the shogunate. The “benevolent rule” of the day promoted scholarship, so monks deepened their studies of religious doctrines, cultivated interests in religious and temple history, and compiled historical books and biographies of temple founders.
As industry and the economy developed in the Kansai region (Osaka and Kyoto) during the late seventeenth century, talented artists produced numerous handscrolls vividly depicting this new urban culture. For the people living during this peaceful era, these vibrant engi-e handscrolls brought the enduring history of temples to life.

Legends of Kōmyō-ji Temple, Volume 1
Kōmyō-ji Temple, Kyoto

Su Shi (also known as Su Dongpo, 1037–1101) was a prominent statesman during the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127). Renowned for his bold calligraphy, he was revered as one of the Four Song Masters, while his writing earned him a place among the Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song. In the realm of art, his lasting contributions include the theories and practices of “scholar painting” (shiren hua) and “ink play” (mo xi), which paved the way for the future development of literati painting.
Su Shi’s legacy has continued to capture the hearts of scholars and painters throughout the ages. Numerous depictions of him along with works inspired by his masterpiece “Ode on the Red Cliff” have survived to the present. Additionally, from the Qing dynasty (1644–1912) onwards, gatherings celebrating his birthday were held on the nineteenth day of the twelfth month of the old lunar calendar. This exhibition explores how admiration for Su Shi has catalyzed a rich variety of artistic activities.

Su Shi (Dongpo) Holding an Inkstone
By Huang Shen
Kyoto National Museum

The Heian period (794–1185) was one of the most transformative times within the history of Japanese sculpture. Buddhist statues were carved primarily in the capital city of Kyoto, but they were also produced throughout the provinces. While some statues have been lost due to wars and natural disasters, a great number of Heian Buddhist sculptures have survived to this day. In the latter half of the Heian period, Buddhist sculptures with serene expressions gained popularity in accordance with the tastes of the imperial court and aristocracy. Round faces, reminiscent of a full moon, and gently lowered eyes give such statues a gentle air. This facial expression—distinctive to Japanese sculpture—became known as wayō (“Japanese style”). One of the more prominent sculptors who embraced this style was Jōchō (d. 1057). This exhibition presents works primarily from the second half of the Heian period. We invite you to enjoy the graceful, tranquil forms of these ancient sculptures.

Important Cultural Property
Seated Shakyamuni Buddha
By Keihan and others
Kōzen-ji Temple, Osaka

Statues of Buddhist deities, along with temple halls evoking their worlds, are sumptuously adorned with a variety of decorations including altars, canopies, hanging votive plaques, beaded ornaments, and Buddhist banners. Similarly, sutras recording the teachings of the Buddha are not viewed as mere books but are revered as the manifest words of the Buddha himself. Designs might adorn the cover, frontispiece, tying cord, paper, or margin lines surrounding a sutra manuscript, as well as the text itself, or the roller knobs. These decorative sutras form a sharp contrast with scriptures written modestly in black ink on plain paper. Through these intricate designs, one can sense people’s profound faith in sutras and the words of the Buddha. We invite you to enjoy the beauty of ancient faith embedded in these sutras.

Important Cultural Property
Lotus Sutra with Characters on Lotus Pedestals, Chapter 21 “Supernatural Powers of the Thus Come One”
Kyoto National Museum

Throughout history, human beings have transformed the one-dimensional medium of thread into two-dimensional fabrics for clothing and textiles using such processes as interworking (plaiting or braiding), interlooping (knitting or crochet), and weaving. Among these, the technique of “weaving” in particular requires a machine known as a loom.
In response to demand for increasingly beautiful and luxurious textiles, looms have undergone continuous improvements, incorporating some of the most cutting-edge engineering and technology of their time. We can piece together how weaving techniques developed even when actual looms no longer exist by observing the structure of textiles—the intersections of warps and wefts and other factors.
This exhibition not only introduces various textiles and their weave structures but also traces the evolution of weaving techniques, contemplating both the ingenuity and shifting aesthetic tastes of our predecessors.

Noh Costume, Karaori Robe with Weeping Cherry Branches
Kyoto National Museum

The traditional tea event held during the New Year is known as Hatsugama, literally meaning “First Kettle.” The “kettle” referred to here is the tea kettle used to boil water during a tea gathering (chaji).
The tea kettle is often referred to as the “host of the tea room” due to its role as one of the most essential utensils for tea. The phrase “put on the kettle” (kama o kakeru) is best understood today as a euphemism for holding a tea gathering.
This exhibition presents tea kettles from the medieval period to the early modern era, many of which have been passed down over the centuries in Kyoto’s temples.

Incense Burner Appropriated as Kettle
Reitō-in Temple, Kyoto

In old Japan, the implements needed for writing—brush, inkstick, inkstone, water dropper, gimlet, and small knife for binding paper—would be stored together inside an inkstone case and displayed. Beautifully adorned inkstone cases were essential possessions for cultivated individuals, symbolizing their owner’s intellect and aesthetic sensitivity. Decorative themes favored by the educated included Chinese stories, Japanese literary classics such as Tales of Ise and The Tale of Genji, and other subjects understood by people of refinement. Each aesthetic quality—materials, decorative techniques, texture, and weight—was carefully selected. Such stationary implements were cherished in intellectual spaces along with cabinets for storing books, boxes to hold writing paper and letters, book stands, and desks. We invite you to enjoy the elegant accoutrements that have ornamented the lives of cultured individuals since ancient times.

Cosmetics Box-Shaped Inkstone Case with Pine, Bamboo, and Plum Blossoms
By Nishimura Goun and Fukui Hōsai
Kyoto National Museum

Ceramics are prized not only for their beauty but also for their uses as dishes and in other quotidian functions. East Asian ceramics have a particularly wide range of patterns, forms, colors, and applications. They can incorporate vastly different materials and techniques, resulting in wares as diverse as earthenware or porcelain, with distinguishing characteristics deriving from the types of clay, the glazes, the décor, and the firing techniques employed at the site of their production. This gallery features a variety of ceramics from Japan, China, and the Korean Peninsula, pieces exemplifying the distinctive qualities and assets of each kiln site.

Important Cultural Property
Decorative Nail Covers
Attributed to Nonomura Ninsei
Kyoto National Museum

This exhibition features works relating to the powerful aristocratic regent Fujiwara no Michinaga (966–1028) and his eldest daughter Empress Fujiwara no Shōshi (988–1074), which have survived from the Heian period (794–1185).
In 1007, the fourth year of the Kankō era, Michinaga buried a cylindrical gilt bronze sutra container (now a National Treasure) in the Kinpusen mountains of Yoshino, Nara. Shōshi later dedicated a sutra case plated in gold and silver (also a National Treasure) at the Nyohōdo Hall of Yokawa, Mount Hiei, in the year 1031.
This prominent father and daughter pair is closely associated with Murasaki Shikibu (c. 973–c. 1031), author of the literary classic The Tale of Genji, who served as a lady-in-waiting under Shōshi. At the time, it was popular to bury scriptures such as the Lotus Sutra in anticipation of the Bodhisattva Miroku (Maitreya)’s Buddhahood in the distant future.
This exhibition introduces objects excavated from sutra mounds dating from the eleventh and twelfth centuries, encapsulating the spirit of Heian-period prayers.

Important Cultural Property
Sutra Container
Excavated from Hanase Bessho Sutra Mound, Kyoto
Agency for Cultural Affairs

Engi-e are paintings that explore the legendary origins and miraculous events associated with specific temples and shrines. This exhibition presents engi-e handscrolls relating to Kyoto temples that were created in the Edo period (1615–1868). During this time, Buddhist sects underwent structural shifts due to the religious policies of the shogunate. The “benevolent rule” of the day promoted scholarship, so monks deepened their studies of religious doctrines, cultivated interests in religious and temple history, and compiled historical books and biographies of temple founders.
As industry and the economy developed in the Kansai region (Osaka and Kyoto) during the late seventeenth century, talented artists produced numerous handscrolls vividly depicting this new urban culture. For the people living during this peaceful era, these vibrant engi-e handscrolls brought the enduring history of temples to life.

Legends of Kōmyō-ji Temple, Volume 1
Kōmyō-ji Temple, Kyoto

Su Shi (also known as Su Dongpo, 1037–1101) was a prominent statesman during the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127). Renowned for his bold calligraphy, he was revered as one of the Four Song Masters, while his writing earned him a place among the Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song. In the realm of art, his lasting contributions include the theories and practices of “scholar painting” (shiren hua) and “ink play” (mo xi), which paved the way for the future development of literati painting.
Su Shi’s legacy has continued to capture the hearts of scholars and painters throughout the ages. Numerous depictions of him along with works inspired by his masterpiece “Ode on the Red Cliff” have survived to the present. Additionally, from the Qing dynasty (1644–1912) onwards, gatherings celebrating his birthday were held on the nineteenth day of the twelfth month of the old lunar calendar. This exhibition explores how admiration for Su Shi has catalyzed a rich variety of artistic activities.

Su Shi (Dongpo) Holding an Inkstone
By Huang Shen
Kyoto National Museum

The Heian period (794–1185) was one of the most transformative times within the history of Japanese sculpture. Buddhist statues were carved primarily in the capital city of Kyoto, but they were also produced throughout the provinces. While some statues have been lost due to wars and natural disasters, a great number of Heian Buddhist sculptures have survived to this day. In the latter half of the Heian period, Buddhist sculptures with serene expressions gained popularity in accordance with the tastes of the imperial court and aristocracy. Round faces, reminiscent of a full moon, and gently lowered eyes give such statues a gentle air. This facial expression—distinctive to Japanese sculpture—became known as wayō (“Japanese style”). One of the more prominent sculptors who embraced this style was Jōchō (d. 1057). This exhibition presents works primarily from the second half of the Heian period. We invite you to enjoy the graceful, tranquil forms of these ancient sculptures.

Important Cultural Property
Seated Shakyamuni Buddha
By Keihan and others
Kōzen-ji Temple, Osaka

Statues of Buddhist deities, along with temple halls evoking their worlds, are sumptuously adorned with a variety of decorations including altars, canopies, hanging votive plaques, beaded ornaments, and Buddhist banners. Similarly, sutras recording the teachings of the Buddha are not viewed as mere books but are revered as the manifest words of the Buddha himself. Designs might adorn the cover, frontispiece, tying cord, paper, or margin lines surrounding a sutra manuscript, as well as the text itself, or the roller knobs. These decorative sutras form a sharp contrast with scriptures written modestly in black ink on plain paper. Through these intricate designs, one can sense people’s profound faith in sutras and the words of the Buddha. We invite you to enjoy the beauty of ancient faith embedded in these sutras.

Important Cultural Property
Lotus Sutra with Characters on Lotus Pedestals, Chapter 21 “Supernatural Powers of the Thus Come One”
Kyoto National Museum

Throughout history, human beings have transformed the one-dimensional medium of thread into two-dimensional fabrics for clothing and textiles using such processes as interworking (plaiting or braiding), interlooping (knitting or crochet), and weaving. Among these, the technique of “weaving” in particular requires a machine known as a loom.
In response to demand for increasingly beautiful and luxurious textiles, looms have undergone continuous improvements, incorporating some of the most cutting-edge engineering and technology of their time. We can piece together how weaving techniques developed even when actual looms no longer exist by observing the structure of textiles—the intersections of warps and wefts and other factors.
This exhibition not only introduces various textiles and their weave structures but also traces the evolution of weaving techniques, contemplating both the ingenuity and shifting aesthetic tastes of our predecessors.

Noh Costume, Karaori Robe with Weeping Cherry Branches
Kyoto National Museum

The traditional tea event held during the New Year is known as Hatsugama, literally meaning “First Kettle.” The “kettle” referred to here is the tea kettle used to boil water during a tea gathering (chaji).
The tea kettle is often referred to as the “host of the tea room” due to its role as one of the most essential utensils for tea. The phrase “put on the kettle” (kama o kakeru) is best understood today as a euphemism for holding a tea gathering.
This exhibition presents tea kettles from the medieval period to the early modern era, many of which have been passed down over the centuries in Kyoto’s temples.

Incense Burner Appropriated as Kettle
Reitō-in Temple, Kyoto

In old Japan, the implements needed for writing—brush, inkstick, inkstone, water dropper, gimlet, and small knife for binding paper—would be stored together inside an inkstone case and displayed. Beautifully adorned inkstone cases were essential possessions for cultivated individuals, symbolizing their owner’s intellect and aesthetic sensitivity. Decorative themes favored by the educated included Chinese stories, Japanese literary classics such as Tales of Ise and The Tale of Genji, and other subjects understood by people of refinement. Each aesthetic quality—materials, decorative techniques, texture, and weight—was carefully selected. Such stationary implements were cherished in intellectual spaces along with cabinets for storing books, boxes to hold writing paper and letters, book stands, and desks. We invite you to enjoy the elegant accoutrements that have ornamented the lives of cultured individuals since ancient times.

Cosmetics Box-Shaped Inkstone Case with Pine, Bamboo, and Plum Blossoms
By Nishimura Goun and Fukui Hōsai
Kyoto National Museum

Ceramics are prized not only for their beauty but also for their uses as dishes and in other quotidian functions. East Asian ceramics have a particularly wide range of patterns, forms, colors, and applications. They can incorporate vastly different materials and techniques, resulting in wares as diverse as earthenware or porcelain, with distinguishing characteristics deriving from the types of clay, the glazes, the décor, and the firing techniques employed at the site of their production. This gallery features a variety of ceramics from Japan, China, and the Korean Peninsula, pieces exemplifying the distinctive qualities and assets of each kiln site.

Important Cultural Property
Decorative Nail Covers
Attributed to Nonomura Ninsei
Kyoto National Museum

This exhibition features works relating to the powerful aristocratic regent Fujiwara no Michinaga (966–1028) and his eldest daughter Empress Fujiwara no Shōshi (988–1074), which have survived from the Heian period (794–1185).
In 1007, the fourth year of the Kankō era, Michinaga buried a cylindrical gilt bronze sutra container (now a National Treasure) in the Kinpusen mountains of Yoshino, Nara. Shōshi later dedicated a sutra case plated in gold and silver (also a National Treasure) at the Nyohōdo Hall of Yokawa, Mount Hiei, in the year 1031.
This prominent father and daughter pair is closely associated with Murasaki Shikibu (c. 973–c. 1031), author of the literary classic The Tale of Genji, who served as a lady-in-waiting under Shōshi. At the time, it was popular to bury scriptures such as the Lotus Sutra in anticipation of the Bodhisattva Miroku (Maitreya)’s Buddhahood in the distant future.
This exhibition introduces objects excavated from sutra mounds dating from the eleventh and twelfth centuries, encapsulating the spirit of Heian-period prayers.

Important Cultural Property
Sutra Container
Excavated from Hanase Bessho Sutra Mound, Kyoto
Agency for Cultural Affairs

Engi-e are paintings that explore the legendary origins and miraculous events associated with specific temples and shrines. This exhibition presents engi-e handscrolls relating to Kyoto temples that were created in the Edo period (1615–1868). During this time, Buddhist sects underwent structural shifts due to the religious policies of the shogunate. The “benevolent rule” of the day promoted scholarship, so monks deepened their studies of religious doctrines, cultivated interests in religious and temple history, and compiled historical books and biographies of temple founders.
As industry and the economy developed in the Kansai region (Osaka and Kyoto) during the late seventeenth century, talented artists produced numerous handscrolls vividly depicting this new urban culture. For the people living during this peaceful era, these vibrant engi-e handscrolls brought the enduring history of temples to life.

Legends of Kōmyō-ji Temple, Volume 1
Kōmyō-ji Temple, Kyoto

Su Shi (also known as Su Dongpo, 1037–1101) was a prominent statesman during the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127). Renowned for his bold calligraphy, he was revered as one of the Four Song Masters, while his writing earned him a place among the Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song. In the realm of art, his lasting contributions include the theories and practices of “scholar painting” (shiren hua) and “ink play” (mo xi), which paved the way for the future development of literati painting.
Su Shi’s legacy has continued to capture the hearts of scholars and painters throughout the ages. Numerous depictions of him along with works inspired by his masterpiece “Ode on the Red Cliff” have survived to the present. Additionally, from the Qing dynasty (1644–1912) onwards, gatherings celebrating his birthday were held on the nineteenth day of the twelfth month of the old lunar calendar. This exhibition explores how admiration for Su Shi has catalyzed a rich variety of artistic activities.

Su Shi (Dongpo) Holding an Inkstone
By Huang Shen
Kyoto National Museum

The Heian period (794–1185) was one of the most transformative times within the history of Japanese sculpture. Buddhist statues were carved primarily in the capital city of Kyoto, but they were also produced throughout the provinces. While some statues have been lost due to wars and natural disasters, a great number of Heian Buddhist sculptures have survived to this day. In the latter half of the Heian period, Buddhist sculptures with serene expressions gained popularity in accordance with the tastes of the imperial court and aristocracy. Round faces, reminiscent of a full moon, and gently lowered eyes give such statues a gentle air. This facial expression—distinctive to Japanese sculpture—became known as wayō (“Japanese style”). One of the more prominent sculptors who embraced this style was Jōchō (d. 1057). This exhibition presents works primarily from the second half of the Heian period. We invite you to enjoy the graceful, tranquil forms of these ancient sculptures.

Important Cultural Property
Seated Shakyamuni Buddha
By Keihan and others
Kōzen-ji Temple, Osaka

Statues of Buddhist deities, along with temple halls evoking their worlds, are sumptuously adorned with a variety of decorations including altars, canopies, hanging votive plaques, beaded ornaments, and Buddhist banners. Similarly, sutras recording the teachings of the Buddha are not viewed as mere books but are revered as the manifest words of the Buddha himself. Designs might adorn the cover, frontispiece, tying cord, paper, or margin lines surrounding a sutra manuscript, as well as the text itself, or the roller knobs. These decorative sutras form a sharp contrast with scriptures written modestly in black ink on plain paper. Through these intricate designs, one can sense people’s profound faith in sutras and the words of the Buddha. We invite you to enjoy the beauty of ancient faith embedded in these sutras.

Important Cultural Property
Lotus Sutra with Characters on Lotus Pedestals, Chapter 21 “Supernatural Powers of the Thus Come One”
Kyoto National Museum

Throughout history, human beings have transformed the one-dimensional medium of thread into two-dimensional fabrics for clothing and textiles using such processes as interworking (plaiting or braiding), interlooping (knitting or crochet), and weaving. Among these, the technique of “weaving” in particular requires a machine known as a loom.
In response to demand for increasingly beautiful and luxurious textiles, looms have undergone continuous improvements, incorporating some of the most cutting-edge engineering and technology of their time. We can piece together how weaving techniques developed even when actual looms no longer exist by observing the structure of textiles—the intersections of warps and wefts and other factors.
This exhibition not only introduces various textiles and their weave structures but also traces the evolution of weaving techniques, contemplating both the ingenuity and shifting aesthetic tastes of our predecessors.

Noh Costume, Karaori Robe with Weeping Cherry Branches
Kyoto National Museum

The traditional tea event held during the New Year is known as Hatsugama, literally meaning “First Kettle.” The “kettle” referred to here is the tea kettle used to boil water during a tea gathering (chaji).
The tea kettle is often referred to as the “host of the tea room” due to its role as one of the most essential utensils for tea. The phrase “put on the kettle” (kama o kakeru) is best understood today as a euphemism for holding a tea gathering.
This exhibition presents tea kettles from the medieval period to the early modern era, many of which have been passed down over the centuries in Kyoto’s temples.

Incense Burner Appropriated as Kettle
Reitō-in Temple, Kyoto

In old Japan, the implements needed for writing—brush, inkstick, inkstone, water dropper, gimlet, and small knife for binding paper—would be stored together inside an inkstone case and displayed. Beautifully adorned inkstone cases were essential possessions for cultivated individuals, symbolizing their owner’s intellect and aesthetic sensitivity. Decorative themes favored by the educated included Chinese stories, Japanese literary classics such as Tales of Ise and The Tale of Genji, and other subjects understood by people of refinement. Each aesthetic quality—materials, decorative techniques, texture, and weight—was carefully selected. Such stationary implements were cherished in intellectual spaces along with cabinets for storing books, boxes to hold writing paper and letters, book stands, and desks. We invite you to enjoy the elegant accoutrements that have ornamented the lives of cultured individuals since ancient times.

Cosmetics Box-Shaped Inkstone Case with Pine, Bamboo, and Plum Blossoms
By Nishimura Goun and Fukui Hōsai
Kyoto National Museum

Ceramics are prized not only for their beauty but also for their uses as dishes and in other quotidian functions. East Asian ceramics have a particularly wide range of patterns, forms, colors, and applications. They can incorporate vastly different materials and techniques, resulting in wares as diverse as earthenware or porcelain, with distinguishing characteristics deriving from the types of clay, the glazes, the décor, and the firing techniques employed at the site of their production. This gallery features a variety of ceramics from Japan, China, and the Korean Peninsula, pieces exemplifying the distinctive qualities and assets of each kiln site.

Important Cultural Property
Decorative Nail Covers
Attributed to Nonomura Ninsei
Kyoto National Museum

This exhibition features works relating to the powerful aristocratic regent Fujiwara no Michinaga (966–1028) and his eldest daughter Empress Fujiwara no Shōshi (988–1074), which have survived from the Heian period (794–1185).
In 1007, the fourth year of the Kankō era, Michinaga buried a cylindrical gilt bronze sutra container (now a National Treasure) in the Kinpusen mountains of Yoshino, Nara. Shōshi later dedicated a sutra case plated in gold and silver (also a National Treasure) at the Nyohōdo Hall of Yokawa, Mount Hiei, in the year 1031.
This prominent father and daughter pair is closely associated with Murasaki Shikibu (c. 973–c. 1031), author of the literary classic The Tale of Genji, who served as a lady-in-waiting under Shōshi. At the time, it was popular to bury scriptures such as the Lotus Sutra in anticipation of the Bodhisattva Miroku (Maitreya)’s Buddhahood in the distant future.
This exhibition introduces objects excavated from sutra mounds dating from the eleventh and twelfth centuries, encapsulating the spirit of Heian-period prayers.

Important Cultural Property
Sutra Container
Excavated from Hanase Bessho Sutra Mound, Kyoto
Agency for Cultural Affairs

Engi-e are paintings that explore the legendary origins and miraculous events associated with specific temples and shrines. This exhibition presents engi-e handscrolls relating to Kyoto temples that were created in the Edo period (1615–1868). During this time, Buddhist sects underwent structural shifts due to the religious policies of the shogunate. The “benevolent rule” of the day promoted scholarship, so monks deepened their studies of religious doctrines, cultivated interests in religious and temple history, and compiled historical books and biographies of temple founders.
As industry and the economy developed in the Kansai region (Osaka and Kyoto) during the late seventeenth century, talented artists produced numerous handscrolls vividly depicting this new urban culture. For the people living during this peaceful era, these vibrant engi-e handscrolls brought the enduring history of temples to life.

Legends of Kōmyō-ji Temple, Volume 1
Kōmyō-ji Temple, Kyoto

Su Shi (also known as Su Dongpo, 1037–1101) was a prominent statesman during the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127). Renowned for his bold calligraphy, he was revered as one of the Four Song Masters, while his writing earned him a place among the Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song. In the realm of art, his lasting contributions include the theories and practices of “scholar painting” (shiren hua) and “ink play” (mo xi), which paved the way for the future development of literati painting.
Su Shi’s legacy has continued to capture the hearts of scholars and painters throughout the ages. Numerous depictions of him along with works inspired by his masterpiece “Ode on the Red Cliff” have survived to the present. Additionally, from the Qing dynasty (1644–1912) onwards, gatherings celebrating his birthday were held on the nineteenth day of the twelfth month of the old lunar calendar. This exhibition explores how admiration for Su Shi has catalyzed a rich variety of artistic activities.

Su Shi (Dongpo) Holding an Inkstone
By Huang Shen
Kyoto National Museum

The Heian period (794–1185) was one of the most transformative times within the history of Japanese sculpture. Buddhist statues were carved primarily in the capital city of Kyoto, but they were also produced throughout the provinces. While some statues have been lost due to wars and natural disasters, a great number of Heian Buddhist sculptures have survived to this day. In the latter half of the Heian period, Buddhist sculptures with serene expressions gained popularity in accordance with the tastes of the imperial court and aristocracy. Round faces, reminiscent of a full moon, and gently lowered eyes give such statues a gentle air. This facial expression—distinctive to Japanese sculpture—became known as wayō (“Japanese style”). One of the more prominent sculptors who embraced this style was Jōchō (d. 1057). This exhibition presents works primarily from the second half of the Heian period. We invite you to enjoy the graceful, tranquil forms of these ancient sculptures.

Important Cultural Property
Seated Shakyamuni Buddha
By Keihan and others
Kōzen-ji Temple, Osaka

Statues of Buddhist deities, along with temple halls evoking their worlds, are sumptuously adorned with a variety of decorations including altars, canopies, hanging votive plaques, beaded ornaments, and Buddhist banners. Similarly, sutras recording the teachings of the Buddha are not viewed as mere books but are revered as the manifest words of the Buddha himself. Designs might adorn the cover, frontispiece, tying cord, paper, or margin lines surrounding a sutra manuscript, as well as the text itself, or the roller knobs. These decorative sutras form a sharp contrast with scriptures written modestly in black ink on plain paper. Through these intricate designs, one can sense people’s profound faith in sutras and the words of the Buddha. We invite you to enjoy the beauty of ancient faith embedded in these sutras.

Important Cultural Property
Lotus Sutra with Characters on Lotus Pedestals, Chapter 21 “Supernatural Powers of the Thus Come One”
Kyoto National Museum

Throughout history, human beings have transformed the one-dimensional medium of thread into two-dimensional fabrics for clothing and textiles using such processes as interworking (plaiting or braiding), interlooping (knitting or crochet), and weaving. Among these, the technique of “weaving” in particular requires a machine known as a loom.
In response to demand for increasingly beautiful and luxurious textiles, looms have undergone continuous improvements, incorporating some of the most cutting-edge engineering and technology of their time. We can piece together how weaving techniques developed even when actual looms no longer exist by observing the structure of textiles—the intersections of warps and wefts and other factors.
This exhibition not only introduces various textiles and their weave structures but also traces the evolution of weaving techniques, contemplating both the ingenuity and shifting aesthetic tastes of our predecessors.

Noh Costume, Karaori Robe with Weeping Cherry Branches
Kyoto National Museum

The traditional tea event held during the New Year is known as Hatsugama, literally meaning “First Kettle.” The “kettle” referred to here is the tea kettle used to boil water during a tea gathering (chaji).
The tea kettle is often referred to as the “host of the tea room” due to its role as one of the most essential utensils for tea. The phrase “put on the kettle” (kama o kakeru) is best understood today as a euphemism for holding a tea gathering.
This exhibition presents tea kettles from the medieval period to the early modern era, many of which have been passed down over the centuries in Kyoto’s temples.

Incense Burner Appropriated as Kettle
Reitō-in Temple, Kyoto

In old Japan, the implements needed for writing—brush, inkstick, inkstone, water dropper, gimlet, and small knife for binding paper—would be stored together inside an inkstone case and displayed. Beautifully adorned inkstone cases were essential possessions for cultivated individuals, symbolizing their owner’s intellect and aesthetic sensitivity. Decorative themes favored by the educated included Chinese stories, Japanese literary classics such as Tales of Ise and The Tale of Genji, and other subjects understood by people of refinement. Each aesthetic quality—materials, decorative techniques, texture, and weight—was carefully selected. Such stationary implements were cherished in intellectual spaces along with cabinets for storing books, boxes to hold writing paper and letters, book stands, and desks. We invite you to enjoy the elegant accoutrements that have ornamented the lives of cultured individuals since ancient times.

Cosmetics Box-Shaped Inkstone Case with Pine, Bamboo, and Plum Blossoms
By Nishimura Goun and Fukui Hōsai
Kyoto National Museum

Ceramics are prized not only for their beauty but also for their uses as dishes and in other quotidian functions. East Asian ceramics have a particularly wide range of patterns, forms, colors, and applications. They can incorporate vastly different materials and techniques, resulting in wares as diverse as earthenware or porcelain, with distinguishing characteristics deriving from the types of clay, the glazes, the décor, and the firing techniques employed at the site of their production. This gallery features a variety of ceramics from Japan, China, and the Korean Peninsula, pieces exemplifying the distinctive qualities and assets of each kiln site.

Important Cultural Property
Decorative Nail Covers
Attributed to Nonomura Ninsei
Kyoto National Museum

This exhibition features works relating to the powerful aristocratic regent Fujiwara no Michinaga (966–1028) and his eldest daughter Empress Fujiwara no Shōshi (988–1074), which have survived from the Heian period (794–1185).
In 1007, the fourth year of the Kankō era, Michinaga buried a cylindrical gilt bronze sutra container (now a National Treasure) in the Kinpusen mountains of Yoshino, Nara. Shōshi later dedicated a sutra case plated in gold and silver (also a National Treasure) at the Nyohōdo Hall of Yokawa, Mount Hiei, in the year 1031.
This prominent father and daughter pair is closely associated with Murasaki Shikibu (c. 973–c. 1031), author of the literary classic The Tale of Genji, who served as a lady-in-waiting under Shōshi. At the time, it was popular to bury scriptures such as the Lotus Sutra in anticipation of the Bodhisattva Miroku (Maitreya)’s Buddhahood in the distant future.
This exhibition introduces objects excavated from sutra mounds dating from the eleventh and twelfth centuries, encapsulating the spirit of Heian-period prayers.

Important Cultural Property
Sutra Container
Excavated from Hanase Bessho Sutra Mound, Kyoto
Agency for Cultural Affairs

Engi-e are paintings that explore the legendary origins and miraculous events associated with specific temples and shrines. This exhibition presents engi-e handscrolls relating to Kyoto temples that were created in the Edo period (1615–1868). During this time, Buddhist sects underwent structural shifts due to the religious policies of the shogunate. The “benevolent rule” of the day promoted scholarship, so monks deepened their studies of religious doctrines, cultivated interests in religious and temple history, and compiled historical books and biographies of temple founders.
As industry and the economy developed in the Kansai region (Osaka and Kyoto) during the late seventeenth century, talented artists produced numerous handscrolls vividly depicting this new urban culture. For the people living during this peaceful era, these vibrant engi-e handscrolls brought the enduring history of temples to life.

Legends of Kōmyō-ji Temple, Volume 1
Kōmyō-ji Temple, Kyoto

Su Shi (also known as Su Dongpo, 1037–1101) was a prominent statesman during the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127). Renowned for his bold calligraphy, he was revered as one of the Four Song Masters, while his writing earned him a place among the Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song. In the realm of art, his lasting contributions include the theories and practices of “scholar painting” (shiren hua) and “ink play” (mo xi), which paved the way for the future development of literati painting.
Su Shi’s legacy has continued to capture the hearts of scholars and painters throughout the ages. Numerous depictions of him along with works inspired by his masterpiece “Ode on the Red Cliff” have survived to the present. Additionally, from the Qing dynasty (1644–1912) onwards, gatherings celebrating his birthday were held on the nineteenth day of the twelfth month of the old lunar calendar. This exhibition explores how admiration for Su Shi has catalyzed a rich variety of artistic activities.

Su Shi (Dongpo) Holding an Inkstone
By Huang Shen
Kyoto National Museum

The Heian period (794–1185) was one of the most transformative times within the history of Japanese sculpture. Buddhist statues were carved primarily in the capital city of Kyoto, but they were also produced throughout the provinces. While some statues have been lost due to wars and natural disasters, a great number of Heian Buddhist sculptures have survived to this day. In the latter half of the Heian period, Buddhist sculptures with serene expressions gained popularity in accordance with the tastes of the imperial court and aristocracy. Round faces, reminiscent of a full moon, and gently lowered eyes give such statues a gentle air. This facial expression—distinctive to Japanese sculpture—became known as wayō (“Japanese style”). One of the more prominent sculptors who embraced this style was Jōchō (d. 1057). This exhibition presents works primarily from the second half of the Heian period. We invite you to enjoy the graceful, tranquil forms of these ancient sculptures.

Important Cultural Property
Seated Shakyamuni Buddha
By Keihan and others
Kōzen-ji Temple, Osaka

Statues of Buddhist deities, along with temple halls evoking their worlds, are sumptuously adorned with a variety of decorations including altars, canopies, hanging votive plaques, beaded ornaments, and Buddhist banners. Similarly, sutras recording the teachings of the Buddha are not viewed as mere books but are revered as the manifest words of the Buddha himself. Designs might adorn the cover, frontispiece, tying cord, paper, or margin lines surrounding a sutra manuscript, as well as the text itself, or the roller knobs. These decorative sutras form a sharp contrast with scriptures written modestly in black ink on plain paper. Through these intricate designs, one can sense people’s profound faith in sutras and the words of the Buddha. We invite you to enjoy the beauty of ancient faith embedded in these sutras.

Important Cultural Property
Lotus Sutra with Characters on Lotus Pedestals, Chapter 21 “Supernatural Powers of the Thus Come One”
Kyoto National Museum

Throughout history, human beings have transformed the one-dimensional medium of thread into two-dimensional fabrics for clothing and textiles using such processes as interworking (plaiting or braiding), interlooping (knitting or crochet), and weaving. Among these, the technique of “weaving” in particular requires a machine known as a loom.
In response to demand for increasingly beautiful and luxurious textiles, looms have undergone continuous improvements, incorporating some of the most cutting-edge engineering and technology of their time. We can piece together how weaving techniques developed even when actual looms no longer exist by observing the structure of textiles—the intersections of warps and wefts and other factors.
This exhibition not only introduces various textiles and their weave structures but also traces the evolution of weaving techniques, contemplating both the ingenuity and shifting aesthetic tastes of our predecessors.

Noh Costume, Karaori Robe with Weeping Cherry Branches
Kyoto National Museum

The traditional tea event held during the New Year is known as Hatsugama, literally meaning “First Kettle.” The “kettle” referred to here is the tea kettle used to boil water during a tea gathering (chaji).
The tea kettle is often referred to as the “host of the tea room” due to its role as one of the most essential utensils for tea. The phrase “put on the kettle” (kama o kakeru) is best understood today as a euphemism for holding a tea gathering.
This exhibition presents tea kettles from the medieval period to the early modern era, many of which have been passed down over the centuries in Kyoto’s temples.

Incense Burner Appropriated as Kettle
Reitō-in Temple, Kyoto

In old Japan, the implements needed for writing—brush, inkstick, inkstone, water dropper, gimlet, and small knife for binding paper—would be stored together inside an inkstone case and displayed. Beautifully adorned inkstone cases were essential possessions for cultivated individuals, symbolizing their owner’s intellect and aesthetic sensitivity. Decorative themes favored by the educated included Chinese stories, Japanese literary classics such as Tales of Ise and The Tale of Genji, and other subjects understood by people of refinement. Each aesthetic quality—materials, decorative techniques, texture, and weight—was carefully selected. Such stationary implements were cherished in intellectual spaces along with cabinets for storing books, boxes to hold writing paper and letters, book stands, and desks. We invite you to enjoy the elegant accoutrements that have ornamented the lives of cultured individuals since ancient times.

Cosmetics Box-Shaped Inkstone Case with Pine, Bamboo, and Plum Blossoms
By Nishimura Goun and Fukui Hōsai
Kyoto National Museum

Ceramics are prized not only for their beauty but also for their uses as dishes and in other quotidian functions. East Asian ceramics have a particularly wide range of patterns, forms, colors, and applications. They can incorporate vastly different materials and techniques, resulting in wares as diverse as earthenware or porcelain, with distinguishing characteristics deriving from the types of clay, the glazes, the décor, and the firing techniques employed at the site of their production. This gallery features a variety of ceramics from Japan, China, and the Korean Peninsula, pieces exemplifying the distinctive qualities and assets of each kiln site.

Important Cultural Property
Decorative Nail Covers
Attributed to Nonomura Ninsei
Kyoto National Museum

This exhibition features works relating to the powerful aristocratic regent Fujiwara no Michinaga (966–1028) and his eldest daughter Empress Fujiwara no Shōshi (988–1074), which have survived from the Heian period (794–1185).
In 1007, the fourth year of the Kankō era, Michinaga buried a cylindrical gilt bronze sutra container (now a National Treasure) in the Kinpusen mountains of Yoshino, Nara. Shōshi later dedicated a sutra case plated in gold and silver (also a National Treasure) at the Nyohōdo Hall of Yokawa, Mount Hiei, in the year 1031.
This prominent father and daughter pair is closely associated with Murasaki Shikibu (c. 973–c. 1031), author of the literary classic The Tale of Genji, who served as a lady-in-waiting under Shōshi. At the time, it was popular to bury scriptures such as the Lotus Sutra in anticipation of the Bodhisattva Miroku (Maitreya)’s Buddhahood in the distant future.
This exhibition introduces objects excavated from sutra mounds dating from the eleventh and twelfth centuries, encapsulating the spirit of Heian-period prayers.

Important Cultural Property
Sutra Container
Excavated from Hanase Bessho Sutra Mound, Kyoto
Agency for Cultural Affairs

Engi-e are paintings that explore the legendary origins and miraculous events associated with specific temples and shrines. This exhibition presents engi-e handscrolls relating to Kyoto temples that were created in the Edo period (1615–1868). During this time, Buddhist sects underwent structural shifts due to the religious policies of the shogunate. The “benevolent rule” of the day promoted scholarship, so monks deepened their studies of religious doctrines, cultivated interests in religious and temple history, and compiled historical books and biographies of temple founders.
As industry and the economy developed in the Kansai region (Osaka and Kyoto) during the late seventeenth century, talented artists produced numerous handscrolls vividly depicting this new urban culture. For the people living during this peaceful era, these vibrant engi-e handscrolls brought the enduring history of temples to life.

Legends of Kōmyō-ji Temple, Volume 1
Kōmyō-ji Temple, Kyoto

Su Shi (also known as Su Dongpo, 1037–1101) was a prominent statesman during the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127). Renowned for his bold calligraphy, he was revered as one of the Four Song Masters, while his writing earned him a place among the Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song. In the realm of art, his lasting contributions include the theories and practices of “scholar painting” (shiren hua) and “ink play” (mo xi), which paved the way for the future development of literati painting.
Su Shi’s legacy has continued to capture the hearts of scholars and painters throughout the ages. Numerous depictions of him along with works inspired by his masterpiece “Ode on the Red Cliff” have survived to the present. Additionally, from the Qing dynasty (1644–1912) onwards, gatherings celebrating his birthday were held on the nineteenth day of the twelfth month of the old lunar calendar. This exhibition explores how admiration for Su Shi has catalyzed a rich variety of artistic activities.

Su Shi (Dongpo) Holding an Inkstone
By Huang Shen
Kyoto National Museum

The Heian period (794–1185) was one of the most transformative times within the history of Japanese sculpture. Buddhist statues were carved primarily in the capital city of Kyoto, but they were also produced throughout the provinces. While some statues have been lost due to wars and natural disasters, a great number of Heian Buddhist sculptures have survived to this day. In the latter half of the Heian period, Buddhist sculptures with serene expressions gained popularity in accordance with the tastes of the imperial court and aristocracy. Round faces, reminiscent of a full moon, and gently lowered eyes give such statues a gentle air. This facial expression—distinctive to Japanese sculpture—became known as wayō (“Japanese style”). One of the more prominent sculptors who embraced this style was Jōchō (d. 1057). This exhibition presents works primarily from the second half of the Heian period. We invite you to enjoy the graceful, tranquil forms of these ancient sculptures.

Important Cultural Property
Seated Shakyamuni Buddha
By Keihan and others
Kōzen-ji Temple, Osaka

Statues of Buddhist deities, along with temple halls evoking their worlds, are sumptuously adorned with a variety of decorations including altars, canopies, hanging votive plaques, beaded ornaments, and Buddhist banners. Similarly, sutras recording the teachings of the Buddha are not viewed as mere books but are revered as the manifest words of the Buddha himself. Designs might adorn the cover, frontispiece, tying cord, paper, or margin lines surrounding a sutra manuscript, as well as the text itself, or the roller knobs. These decorative sutras form a sharp contrast with scriptures written modestly in black ink on plain paper. Through these intricate designs, one can sense people’s profound faith in sutras and the words of the Buddha. We invite you to enjoy the beauty of ancient faith embedded in these sutras.

Important Cultural Property
Lotus Sutra with Characters on Lotus Pedestals, Chapter 21 “Supernatural Powers of the Thus Come One”
Kyoto National Museum

Throughout history, human beings have transformed the one-dimensional medium of thread into two-dimensional fabrics for clothing and textiles using such processes as interworking (plaiting or braiding), interlooping (knitting or crochet), and weaving. Among these, the technique of “weaving” in particular requires a machine known as a loom.
In response to demand for increasingly beautiful and luxurious textiles, looms have undergone continuous improvements, incorporating some of the most cutting-edge engineering and technology of their time. We can piece together how weaving techniques developed even when actual looms no longer exist by observing the structure of textiles—the intersections of warps and wefts and other factors.
This exhibition not only introduces various textiles and their weave structures but also traces the evolution of weaving techniques, contemplating both the ingenuity and shifting aesthetic tastes of our predecessors.

Noh Costume, Karaori Robe with Weeping Cherry Branches
Kyoto National Museum

The traditional tea event held during the New Year is known as Hatsugama, literally meaning “First Kettle.” The “kettle” referred to here is the tea kettle used to boil water during a tea gathering (chaji).
The tea kettle is often referred to as the “host of the tea room” due to its role as one of the most essential utensils for tea. The phrase “put on the kettle” (kama o kakeru) is best understood today as a euphemism for holding a tea gathering.
This exhibition presents tea kettles from the medieval period to the early modern era, many of which have been passed down over the centuries in Kyoto’s temples.

Incense Burner Appropriated as Kettle
Reitō-in Temple, Kyoto

In old Japan, the implements needed for writing—brush, inkstick, inkstone, water dropper, gimlet, and small knife for binding paper—would be stored together inside an inkstone case and displayed. Beautifully adorned inkstone cases were essential possessions for cultivated individuals, symbolizing their owner’s intellect and aesthetic sensitivity. Decorative themes favored by the educated included Chinese stories, Japanese literary classics such as Tales of Ise and The Tale of Genji, and other subjects understood by people of refinement. Each aesthetic quality—materials, decorative techniques, texture, and weight—was carefully selected. Such stationary implements were cherished in intellectual spaces along with cabinets for storing books, boxes to hold writing paper and letters, book stands, and desks. We invite you to enjoy the elegant accoutrements that have ornamented the lives of cultured individuals since ancient times.

Cosmetics Box-Shaped Inkstone Case with Pine, Bamboo, and Plum Blossoms
By Nishimura Goun and Fukui Hōsai
Kyoto National Museum

Ceramics are prized not only for their beauty but also for their uses as dishes and in other quotidian functions. East Asian ceramics have a particularly wide range of patterns, forms, colors, and applications. They can incorporate vastly different materials and techniques, resulting in wares as diverse as earthenware or porcelain, with distinguishing characteristics deriving from the types of clay, the glazes, the décor, and the firing techniques employed at the site of their production. This gallery features a variety of ceramics from Japan, China, and the Korean Peninsula, pieces exemplifying the distinctive qualities and assets of each kiln site.

Important Cultural Property
Decorative Nail Covers
Attributed to Nonomura Ninsei
Kyoto National Museum

This exhibition features works relating to the powerful aristocratic regent Fujiwara no Michinaga (966–1028) and his eldest daughter Empress Fujiwara no Shōshi (988–1074), which have survived from the Heian period (794–1185).
In 1007, the fourth year of the Kankō era, Michinaga buried a cylindrical gilt bronze sutra container (now a National Treasure) in the Kinpusen mountains of Yoshino, Nara. Shōshi later dedicated a sutra case plated in gold and silver (also a National Treasure) at the Nyohōdo Hall of Yokawa, Mount Hiei, in the year 1031.
This prominent father and daughter pair is closely associated with Murasaki Shikibu (c. 973–c. 1031), author of the literary classic The Tale of Genji, who served as a lady-in-waiting under Shōshi. At the time, it was popular to bury scriptures such as the Lotus Sutra in anticipation of the Bodhisattva Miroku (Maitreya)’s Buddhahood in the distant future.
This exhibition introduces objects excavated from sutra mounds dating from the eleventh and twelfth centuries, encapsulating the spirit of Heian-period prayers.

Important Cultural Property
Sutra Container
Excavated from Hanase Bessho Sutra Mound, Kyoto
Agency for Cultural Affairs

Engi-e are paintings that explore the legendary origins and miraculous events associated with specific temples and shrines. This exhibition presents engi-e handscrolls relating to Kyoto temples that were created in the Edo period (1615–1868). During this time, Buddhist sects underwent structural shifts due to the religious policies of the shogunate. The “benevolent rule” of the day promoted scholarship, so monks deepened their studies of religious doctrines, cultivated interests in religious and temple history, and compiled historical books and biographies of temple founders.
As industry and the economy developed in the Kansai region (Osaka and Kyoto) during the late seventeenth century, talented artists produced numerous handscrolls vividly depicting this new urban culture. For the people living during this peaceful era, these vibrant engi-e handscrolls brought the enduring history of temples to life.

Legends of Kōmyō-ji Temple, Volume 1
Kōmyō-ji Temple, Kyoto

Su Shi (also known as Su Dongpo, 1037–1101) was a prominent statesman during the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127). Renowned for his bold calligraphy, he was revered as one of the Four Song Masters, while his writing earned him a place among the Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song. In the realm of art, his lasting contributions include the theories and practices of “scholar painting” (shiren hua) and “ink play” (mo xi), which paved the way for the future development of literati painting.
Su Shi’s legacy has continued to capture the hearts of scholars and painters throughout the ages. Numerous depictions of him along with works inspired by his masterpiece “Ode on the Red Cliff” have survived to the present. Additionally, from the Qing dynasty (1644–1912) onwards, gatherings celebrating his birthday were held on the nineteenth day of the twelfth month of the old lunar calendar. This exhibition explores how admiration for Su Shi has catalyzed a rich variety of artistic activities.

Su Shi (Dongpo) Holding an Inkstone
By Huang Shen
Kyoto National Museum

The Heian period (794–1185) was one of the most transformative times within the history of Japanese sculpture. Buddhist statues were carved primarily in the capital city of Kyoto, but they were also produced throughout the provinces. While some statues have been lost due to wars and natural disasters, a great number of Heian Buddhist sculptures have survived to this day. In the latter half of the Heian period, Buddhist sculptures with serene expressions gained popularity in accordance with the tastes of the imperial court and aristocracy. Round faces, reminiscent of a full moon, and gently lowered eyes give such statues a gentle air. This facial expression—distinctive to Japanese sculpture—became known as wayō (“Japanese style”). One of the more prominent sculptors who embraced this style was Jōchō (d. 1057). This exhibition presents works primarily from the second half of the Heian period. We invite you to enjoy the graceful, tranquil forms of these ancient sculptures.

Important Cultural Property
Seated Shakyamuni Buddha
By Keihan and others
Kōzen-ji Temple, Osaka

Statues of Buddhist deities, along with temple halls evoking their worlds, are sumptuously adorned with a variety of decorations including altars, canopies, hanging votive plaques, beaded ornaments, and Buddhist banners. Similarly, sutras recording the teachings of the Buddha are not viewed as mere books but are revered as the manifest words of the Buddha himself. Designs might adorn the cover, frontispiece, tying cord, paper, or margin lines surrounding a sutra manuscript, as well as the text itself, or the roller knobs. These decorative sutras form a sharp contrast with scriptures written modestly in black ink on plain paper. Through these intricate designs, one can sense people’s profound faith in sutras and the words of the Buddha. We invite you to enjoy the beauty of ancient faith embedded in these sutras.

Important Cultural Property
Lotus Sutra with Characters on Lotus Pedestals, Chapter 21 “Supernatural Powers of the Thus Come One”
Kyoto National Museum

Throughout history, human beings have transformed the one-dimensional medium of thread into two-dimensional fabrics for clothing and textiles using such processes as interworking (plaiting or braiding), interlooping (knitting or crochet), and weaving. Among these, the technique of “weaving” in particular requires a machine known as a loom.
In response to demand for increasingly beautiful and luxurious textiles, looms have undergone continuous improvements, incorporating some of the most cutting-edge engineering and technology of their time. We can piece together how weaving techniques developed even when actual looms no longer exist by observing the structure of textiles—the intersections of warps and wefts and other factors.
This exhibition not only introduces various textiles and their weave structures but also traces the evolution of weaving techniques, contemplating both the ingenuity and shifting aesthetic tastes of our predecessors.

Noh Costume, Karaori Robe with Weeping Cherry Branches
Kyoto National Museum

The traditional tea event held during the New Year is known as Hatsugama, literally meaning “First Kettle.” The “kettle” referred to here is the tea kettle used to boil water during a tea gathering (chaji).
The tea kettle is often referred to as the “host of the tea room” due to its role as one of the most essential utensils for tea. The phrase “put on the kettle” (kama o kakeru) is best understood today as a euphemism for holding a tea gathering.
This exhibition presents tea kettles from the medieval period to the early modern era, many of which have been passed down over the centuries in Kyoto’s temples.

Incense Burner Appropriated as Kettle
Reitō-in Temple, Kyoto

In old Japan, the implements needed for writing—brush, inkstick, inkstone, water dropper, gimlet, and small knife for binding paper—would be stored together inside an inkstone case and displayed. Beautifully adorned inkstone cases were essential possessions for cultivated individuals, symbolizing their owner’s intellect and aesthetic sensitivity. Decorative themes favored by the educated included Chinese stories, Japanese literary classics such as Tales of Ise and The Tale of Genji, and other subjects understood by people of refinement. Each aesthetic quality—materials, decorative techniques, texture, and weight—was carefully selected. Such stationary implements were cherished in intellectual spaces along with cabinets for storing books, boxes to hold writing paper and letters, book stands, and desks. We invite you to enjoy the elegant accoutrements that have ornamented the lives of cultured individuals since ancient times.

Cosmetics Box-Shaped Inkstone Case with Pine, Bamboo, and Plum Blossoms
By Nishimura Goun and Fukui Hōsai
Kyoto National Museum

Ceramics are prized not only for their beauty but also for their uses as dishes and in other quotidian functions. East Asian ceramics have a particularly wide range of patterns, forms, colors, and applications. They can incorporate vastly different materials and techniques, resulting in wares as diverse as earthenware or porcelain, with distinguishing characteristics deriving from the types of clay, the glazes, the décor, and the firing techniques employed at the site of their production. This gallery features a variety of ceramics from Japan, China, and the Korean Peninsula, pieces exemplifying the distinctive qualities and assets of each kiln site.

Important Cultural Property
Decorative Nail Covers
Attributed to Nonomura Ninsei
Kyoto National Museum

This exhibition features works relating to the powerful aristocratic regent Fujiwara no Michinaga (966–1028) and his eldest daughter Empress Fujiwara no Shōshi (988–1074), which have survived from the Heian period (794–1185).
In 1007, the fourth year of the Kankō era, Michinaga buried a cylindrical gilt bronze sutra container (now a National Treasure) in the Kinpusen mountains of Yoshino, Nara. Shōshi later dedicated a sutra case plated in gold and silver (also a National Treasure) at the Nyohōdo Hall of Yokawa, Mount Hiei, in the year 1031.
This prominent father and daughter pair is closely associated with Murasaki Shikibu (c. 973–c. 1031), author of the literary classic The Tale of Genji, who served as a lady-in-waiting under Shōshi. At the time, it was popular to bury scriptures such as the Lotus Sutra in anticipation of the Bodhisattva Miroku (Maitreya)’s Buddhahood in the distant future.
This exhibition introduces objects excavated from sutra mounds dating from the eleventh and twelfth centuries, encapsulating the spirit of Heian-period prayers.

Important Cultural Property
Sutra Container
Excavated from Hanase Bessho Sutra Mound, Kyoto
Agency for Cultural Affairs

Engi-e are paintings that explore the legendary origins and miraculous events associated with specific temples and shrines. This exhibition presents engi-e handscrolls relating to Kyoto temples that were created in the Edo period (1615–1868). During this time, Buddhist sects underwent structural shifts due to the religious policies of the shogunate. The “benevolent rule” of the day promoted scholarship, so monks deepened their studies of religious doctrines, cultivated interests in religious and temple history, and compiled historical books and biographies of temple founders.
As industry and the economy developed in the Kansai region (Osaka and Kyoto) during the late seventeenth century, talented artists produced numerous handscrolls vividly depicting this new urban culture. For the people living during this peaceful era, these vibrant engi-e handscrolls brought the enduring history of temples to life.

Legends of Kōmyō-ji Temple, Volume 1
Kōmyō-ji Temple, Kyoto

Su Shi (also known as Su Dongpo, 1037–1101) was a prominent statesman during the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127). Renowned for his bold calligraphy, he was revered as one of the Four Song Masters, while his writing earned him a place among the Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song. In the realm of art, his lasting contributions include the theories and practices of “scholar painting” (shiren hua) and “ink play” (mo xi), which paved the way for the future development of literati painting.
Su Shi’s legacy has continued to capture the hearts of scholars and painters throughout the ages. Numerous depictions of him along with works inspired by his masterpiece “Ode on the Red Cliff” have survived to the present. Additionally, from the Qing dynasty (1644–1912) onwards, gatherings celebrating his birthday were held on the nineteenth day of the twelfth month of the old lunar calendar. This exhibition explores how admiration for Su Shi has catalyzed a rich variety of artistic activities.

Su Shi (Dongpo) Holding an Inkstone
By Huang Shen
Kyoto National Museum

The Heian period (794–1185) was one of the most transformative times within the history of Japanese sculpture. Buddhist statues were carved primarily in the capital city of Kyoto, but they were also produced throughout the provinces. While some statues have been lost due to wars and natural disasters, a great number of Heian Buddhist sculptures have survived to this day. In the latter half of the Heian period, Buddhist sculptures with serene expressions gained popularity in accordance with the tastes of the imperial court and aristocracy. Round faces, reminiscent of a full moon, and gently lowered eyes give such statues a gentle air. This facial expression—distinctive to Japanese sculpture—became known as wayō (“Japanese style”). One of the more prominent sculptors who embraced this style was Jōchō (d. 1057). This exhibition presents works primarily from the second half of the Heian period. We invite you to enjoy the graceful, tranquil forms of these ancient sculptures.

Important Cultural Property
Seated Shakyamuni Buddha
By Keihan and others
Kōzen-ji Temple, Osaka

Statues of Buddhist deities, along with temple halls evoking their worlds, are sumptuously adorned with a variety of decorations including altars, canopies, hanging votive plaques, beaded ornaments, and Buddhist banners. Similarly, sutras recording the teachings of the Buddha are not viewed as mere books but are revered as the manifest words of the Buddha himself. Designs might adorn the cover, frontispiece, tying cord, paper, or margin lines surrounding a sutra manuscript, as well as the text itself, or the roller knobs. These decorative sutras form a sharp contrast with scriptures written modestly in black ink on plain paper. Through these intricate designs, one can sense people’s profound faith in sutras and the words of the Buddha. We invite you to enjoy the beauty of ancient faith embedded in these sutras.

Important Cultural Property
Lotus Sutra with Characters on Lotus Pedestals, Chapter 21 “Supernatural Powers of the Thus Come One”
Kyoto National Museum

Throughout history, human beings have transformed the one-dimensional medium of thread into two-dimensional fabrics for clothing and textiles using such processes as interworking (plaiting or braiding), interlooping (knitting or crochet), and weaving. Among these, the technique of “weaving” in particular requires a machine known as a loom.
In response to demand for increasingly beautiful and luxurious textiles, looms have undergone continuous improvements, incorporating some of the most cutting-edge engineering and technology of their time. We can piece together how weaving techniques developed even when actual looms no longer exist by observing the structure of textiles—the intersections of warps and wefts and other factors.
This exhibition not only introduces various textiles and their weave structures but also traces the evolution of weaving techniques, contemplating both the ingenuity and shifting aesthetic tastes of our predecessors.

Noh Costume, Karaori Robe with Weeping Cherry Branches
Kyoto National Museum

The traditional tea event held during the New Year is known as Hatsugama, literally meaning “First Kettle.” The “kettle” referred to here is the tea kettle used to boil water during a tea gathering (chaji).
The tea kettle is often referred to as the “host of the tea room” due to its role as one of the most essential utensils for tea. The phrase “put on the kettle” (kama o kakeru) is best understood today as a euphemism for holding a tea gathering.
This exhibition presents tea kettles from the medieval period to the early modern era, many of which have been passed down over the centuries in Kyoto’s temples.

Incense Burner Appropriated as Kettle
Reitō-in Temple, Kyoto

In old Japan, the implements needed for writing—brush, inkstick, inkstone, water dropper, gimlet, and small knife for binding paper—would be stored together inside an inkstone case and displayed. Beautifully adorned inkstone cases were essential possessions for cultivated individuals, symbolizing their owner’s intellect and aesthetic sensitivity. Decorative themes favored by the educated included Chinese stories, Japanese literary classics such as Tales of Ise and The Tale of Genji, and other subjects understood by people of refinement. Each aesthetic quality—materials, decorative techniques, texture, and weight—was carefully selected. Such stationary implements were cherished in intellectual spaces along with cabinets for storing books, boxes to hold writing paper and letters, book stands, and desks. We invite you to enjoy the elegant accoutrements that have ornamented the lives of cultured individuals since ancient times.

Cosmetics Box-Shaped Inkstone Case with Pine, Bamboo, and Plum Blossoms
By Nishimura Goun and Fukui Hōsai
Kyoto National Museum

Ceramics are prized not only for their beauty but also for their uses as dishes and in other quotidian functions. East Asian ceramics have a particularly wide range of patterns, forms, colors, and applications. They can incorporate vastly different materials and techniques, resulting in wares as diverse as earthenware or porcelain, with distinguishing characteristics deriving from the types of clay, the glazes, the décor, and the firing techniques employed at the site of their production. This gallery features a variety of ceramics from Japan, China, and the Korean Peninsula, pieces exemplifying the distinctive qualities and assets of each kiln site.

Important Cultural Property
Decorative Nail Covers
Attributed to Nonomura Ninsei
Kyoto National Museum

This exhibition features works relating to the powerful aristocratic regent Fujiwara no Michinaga (966–1028) and his eldest daughter Empress Fujiwara no Shōshi (988–1074), which have survived from the Heian period (794–1185).
In 1007, the fourth year of the Kankō era, Michinaga buried a cylindrical gilt bronze sutra container (now a National Treasure) in the Kinpusen mountains of Yoshino, Nara. Shōshi later dedicated a sutra case plated in gold and silver (also a National Treasure) at the Nyohōdo Hall of Yokawa, Mount Hiei, in the year 1031.
This prominent father and daughter pair is closely associated with Murasaki Shikibu (c. 973–c. 1031), author of the literary classic The Tale of Genji, who served as a lady-in-waiting under Shōshi. At the time, it was popular to bury scriptures such as the Lotus Sutra in anticipation of the Bodhisattva Miroku (Maitreya)’s Buddhahood in the distant future.
This exhibition introduces objects excavated from sutra mounds dating from the eleventh and twelfth centuries, encapsulating the spirit of Heian-period prayers.

Important Cultural Property
Sutra Container
Excavated from Hanase Bessho Sutra Mound, Kyoto
Agency for Cultural Affairs

Engi-e are paintings that explore the legendary origins and miraculous events associated with specific temples and shrines. This exhibition presents engi-e handscrolls relating to Kyoto temples that were created in the Edo period (1615–1868). During this time, Buddhist sects underwent structural shifts due to the religious policies of the shogunate. The “benevolent rule” of the day promoted scholarship, so monks deepened their studies of religious doctrines, cultivated interests in religious and temple history, and compiled historical books and biographies of temple founders.
As industry and the economy developed in the Kansai region (Osaka and Kyoto) during the late seventeenth century, talented artists produced numerous handscrolls vividly depicting this new urban culture. For the people living during this peaceful era, these vibrant engi-e handscrolls brought the enduring history of temples to life.

Legends of Kōmyō-ji Temple, Volume 1
Kōmyō-ji Temple, Kyoto

Su Shi (also known as Su Dongpo, 1037–1101) was a prominent statesman during the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127). Renowned for his bold calligraphy, he was revered as one of the Four Song Masters, while his writing earned him a place among the Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song. In the realm of art, his lasting contributions include the theories and practices of “scholar painting” (shiren hua) and “ink play” (mo xi), which paved the way for the future development of literati painting.
Su Shi’s legacy has continued to capture the hearts of scholars and painters throughout the ages. Numerous depictions of him along with works inspired by his masterpiece “Ode on the Red Cliff” have survived to the present. Additionally, from the Qing dynasty (1644–1912) onwards, gatherings celebrating his birthday were held on the nineteenth day of the twelfth month of the old lunar calendar. This exhibition explores how admiration for Su Shi has catalyzed a rich variety of artistic activities.

Su Shi (Dongpo) Holding an Inkstone
By Huang Shen
Kyoto National Museum

The Heian period (794–1185) was one of the most transformative times within the history of Japanese sculpture. Buddhist statues were carved primarily in the capital city of Kyoto, but they were also produced throughout the provinces. While some statues have been lost due to wars and natural disasters, a great number of Heian Buddhist sculptures have survived to this day. In the latter half of the Heian period, Buddhist sculptures with serene expressions gained popularity in accordance with the tastes of the imperial court and aristocracy. Round faces, reminiscent of a full moon, and gently lowered eyes give such statues a gentle air. This facial expression—distinctive to Japanese sculpture—became known as wayō (“Japanese style”). One of the more prominent sculptors who embraced this style was Jōchō (d. 1057). This exhibition presents works primarily from the second half of the Heian period. We invite you to enjoy the graceful, tranquil forms of these ancient sculptures.

Important Cultural Property
Seated Shakyamuni Buddha
By Keihan and others
Kōzen-ji Temple, Osaka

Statues of Buddhist deities, along with temple halls evoking their worlds, are sumptuously adorned with a variety of decorations including altars, canopies, hanging votive plaques, beaded ornaments, and Buddhist banners. Similarly, sutras recording the teachings of the Buddha are not viewed as mere books but are revered as the manifest words of the Buddha himself. Designs might adorn the cover, frontispiece, tying cord, paper, or margin lines surrounding a sutra manuscript, as well as the text itself, or the roller knobs. These decorative sutras form a sharp contrast with scriptures written modestly in black ink on plain paper. Through these intricate designs, one can sense people’s profound faith in sutras and the words of the Buddha. We invite you to enjoy the beauty of ancient faith embedded in these sutras.

Important Cultural Property
Lotus Sutra with Characters on Lotus Pedestals, Chapter 21 “Supernatural Powers of the Thus Come One”
Kyoto National Museum

Throughout history, human beings have transformed the one-dimensional medium of thread into two-dimensional fabrics for clothing and textiles using such processes as interworking (plaiting or braiding), interlooping (knitting or crochet), and weaving. Among these, the technique of “weaving” in particular requires a machine known as a loom.
In response to demand for increasingly beautiful and luxurious textiles, looms have undergone continuous improvements, incorporating some of the most cutting-edge engineering and technology of their time. We can piece together how weaving techniques developed even when actual looms no longer exist by observing the structure of textiles—the intersections of warps and wefts and other factors.
This exhibition not only introduces various textiles and their weave structures but also traces the evolution of weaving techniques, contemplating both the ingenuity and shifting aesthetic tastes of our predecessors.

Noh Costume, Karaori Robe with Weeping Cherry Branches
Kyoto National Museum

The traditional tea event held during the New Year is known as Hatsugama, literally meaning “First Kettle.” The “kettle” referred to here is the tea kettle used to boil water during a tea gathering (chaji).
The tea kettle is often referred to as the “host of the tea room” due to its role as one of the most essential utensils for tea. The phrase “put on the kettle” (kama o kakeru) is best understood today as a euphemism for holding a tea gathering.
This exhibition presents tea kettles from the medieval period to the early modern era, many of which have been passed down over the centuries in Kyoto’s temples.

Incense Burner Appropriated as Kettle
Reitō-in Temple, Kyoto

In old Japan, the implements needed for writing—brush, inkstick, inkstone, water dropper, gimlet, and small knife for binding paper—would be stored together inside an inkstone case and displayed. Beautifully adorned inkstone cases were essential possessions for cultivated individuals, symbolizing their owner’s intellect and aesthetic sensitivity. Decorative themes favored by the educated included Chinese stories, Japanese literary classics such as Tales of Ise and The Tale of Genji, and other subjects understood by people of refinement. Each aesthetic quality—materials, decorative techniques, texture, and weight—was carefully selected. Such stationary implements were cherished in intellectual spaces along with cabinets for storing books, boxes to hold writing paper and letters, book stands, and desks. We invite you to enjoy the elegant accoutrements that have ornamented the lives of cultured individuals since ancient times.

Cosmetics Box-Shaped Inkstone Case with Pine, Bamboo, and Plum Blossoms
By Nishimura Goun and Fukui Hōsai
Kyoto National Museum

Ceramics are prized not only for their beauty but also for their uses as dishes and in other quotidian functions. East Asian ceramics have a particularly wide range of patterns, forms, colors, and applications. They can incorporate vastly different materials and techniques, resulting in wares as diverse as earthenware or porcelain, with distinguishing characteristics deriving from the types of clay, the glazes, the décor, and the firing techniques employed at the site of their production. This gallery features a variety of ceramics from Japan, China, and the Korean Peninsula, pieces exemplifying the distinctive qualities and assets of each kiln site.

Important Cultural Property
Decorative Nail Covers
Attributed to Nonomura Ninsei
Kyoto National Museum

This exhibition features works relating to the powerful aristocratic regent Fujiwara no Michinaga (966–1028) and his eldest daughter Empress Fujiwara no Shōshi (988–1074), which have survived from the Heian period (794–1185).
In 1007, the fourth year of the Kankō era, Michinaga buried a cylindrical gilt bronze sutra container (now a National Treasure) in the Kinpusen mountains of Yoshino, Nara. Shōshi later dedicated a sutra case plated in gold and silver (also a National Treasure) at the Nyohōdo Hall of Yokawa, Mount Hiei, in the year 1031.
This prominent father and daughter pair is closely associated with Murasaki Shikibu (c. 973–c. 1031), author of the literary classic The Tale of Genji, who served as a lady-in-waiting under Shōshi. At the time, it was popular to bury scriptures such as the Lotus Sutra in anticipation of the Bodhisattva Miroku (Maitreya)’s Buddhahood in the distant future.
This exhibition introduces objects excavated from sutra mounds dating from the eleventh and twelfth centuries, encapsulating the spirit of Heian-period prayers.

Important Cultural Property
Sutra Container
Excavated from Hanase Bessho Sutra Mound, Kyoto
Agency for Cultural Affairs

Engi-e are paintings that explore the legendary origins and miraculous events associated with specific temples and shrines. This exhibition presents engi-e handscrolls relating to Kyoto temples that were created in the Edo period (1615–1868). During this time, Buddhist sects underwent structural shifts due to the religious policies of the shogunate. The “benevolent rule” of the day promoted scholarship, so monks deepened their studies of religious doctrines, cultivated interests in religious and temple history, and compiled historical books and biographies of temple founders.
As industry and the economy developed in the Kansai region (Osaka and Kyoto) during the late seventeenth century, talented artists produced numerous handscrolls vividly depicting this new urban culture. For the people living during this peaceful era, these vibrant engi-e handscrolls brought the enduring history of temples to life.

Legends of Kōmyō-ji Temple, Volume 1
Kōmyō-ji Temple, Kyoto

Su Shi (also known as Su Dongpo, 1037–1101) was a prominent statesman during the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127). Renowned for his bold calligraphy, he was revered as one of the Four Song Masters, while his writing earned him a place among the Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song. In the realm of art, his lasting contributions include the theories and practices of “scholar painting” (shiren hua) and “ink play” (mo xi), which paved the way for the future development of literati painting.
Su Shi’s legacy has continued to capture the hearts of scholars and painters throughout the ages. Numerous depictions of him along with works inspired by his masterpiece “Ode on the Red Cliff” have survived to the present. Additionally, from the Qing dynasty (1644–1912) onwards, gatherings celebrating his birthday were held on the nineteenth day of the twelfth month of the old lunar calendar. This exhibition explores how admiration for Su Shi has catalyzed a rich variety of artistic activities.

Su Shi (Dongpo) Holding an Inkstone
By Huang Shen
Kyoto National Museum

The Heian period (794–1185) was one of the most transformative times within the history of Japanese sculpture. Buddhist statues were carved primarily in the capital city of Kyoto, but they were also produced throughout the provinces. While some statues have been lost due to wars and natural disasters, a great number of Heian Buddhist sculptures have survived to this day. In the latter half of the Heian period, Buddhist sculptures with serene expressions gained popularity in accordance with the tastes of the imperial court and aristocracy. Round faces, reminiscent of a full moon, and gently lowered eyes give such statues a gentle air. This facial expression—distinctive to Japanese sculpture—became known as wayō (“Japanese style”). One of the more prominent sculptors who embraced this style was Jōchō (d. 1057). This exhibition presents works primarily from the second half of the Heian period. We invite you to enjoy the graceful, tranquil forms of these ancient sculptures.

Important Cultural Property
Seated Shakyamuni Buddha
By Keihan and others
Kōzen-ji Temple, Osaka

Statues of Buddhist deities, along with temple halls evoking their worlds, are sumptuously adorned with a variety of decorations including altars, canopies, hanging votive plaques, beaded ornaments, and Buddhist banners. Similarly, sutras recording the teachings of the Buddha are not viewed as mere books but are revered as the manifest words of the Buddha himself. Designs might adorn the cover, frontispiece, tying cord, paper, or margin lines surrounding a sutra manuscript, as well as the text itself, or the roller knobs. These decorative sutras form a sharp contrast with scriptures written modestly in black ink on plain paper. Through these intricate designs, one can sense people’s profound faith in sutras and the words of the Buddha. We invite you to enjoy the beauty of ancient faith embedded in these sutras.

Important Cultural Property
Lotus Sutra with Characters on Lotus Pedestals, Chapter 21 “Supernatural Powers of the Thus Come One”
Kyoto National Museum

Throughout history, human beings have transformed the one-dimensional medium of thread into two-dimensional fabrics for clothing and textiles using such processes as interworking (plaiting or braiding), interlooping (knitting or crochet), and weaving. Among these, the technique of “weaving” in particular requires a machine known as a loom.
In response to demand for increasingly beautiful and luxurious textiles, looms have undergone continuous improvements, incorporating some of the most cutting-edge engineering and technology of their time. We can piece together how weaving techniques developed even when actual looms no longer exist by observing the structure of textiles—the intersections of warps and wefts and other factors.
This exhibition not only introduces various textiles and their weave structures but also traces the evolution of weaving techniques, contemplating both the ingenuity and shifting aesthetic tastes of our predecessors.

Noh Costume, Karaori Robe with Weeping Cherry Branches
Kyoto National Museum

The traditional tea event held during the New Year is known as Hatsugama, literally meaning “First Kettle.” The “kettle” referred to here is the tea kettle used to boil water during a tea gathering (chaji).
The tea kettle is often referred to as the “host of the tea room” due to its role as one of the most essential utensils for tea. The phrase “put on the kettle” (kama o kakeru) is best understood today as a euphemism for holding a tea gathering.
This exhibition presents tea kettles from the medieval period to the early modern era, many of which have been passed down over the centuries in Kyoto’s temples.

Incense Burner Appropriated as Kettle
Reitō-in Temple, Kyoto

In old Japan, the implements needed for writing—brush, inkstick, inkstone, water dropper, gimlet, and small knife for binding paper—would be stored together inside an inkstone case and displayed. Beautifully adorned inkstone cases were essential possessions for cultivated individuals, symbolizing their owner’s intellect and aesthetic sensitivity. Decorative themes favored by the educated included Chinese stories, Japanese literary classics such as Tales of Ise and The Tale of Genji, and other subjects understood by people of refinement. Each aesthetic quality—materials, decorative techniques, texture, and weight—was carefully selected. Such stationary implements were cherished in intellectual spaces along with cabinets for storing books, boxes to hold writing paper and letters, book stands, and desks. We invite you to enjoy the elegant accoutrements that have ornamented the lives of cultured individuals since ancient times.

Cosmetics Box-Shaped Inkstone Case with Pine, Bamboo, and Plum Blossoms
By Nishimura Goun and Fukui Hōsai
Kyoto National Museum

Ceramics are prized not only for their beauty but also for their uses as dishes and in other quotidian functions. East Asian ceramics have a particularly wide range of patterns, forms, colors, and applications. They can incorporate vastly different materials and techniques, resulting in wares as diverse as earthenware or porcelain, with distinguishing characteristics deriving from the types of clay, the glazes, the décor, and the firing techniques employed at the site of their production. This gallery features a variety of ceramics from Japan, China, and the Korean Peninsula, pieces exemplifying the distinctive qualities and assets of each kiln site.

Important Cultural Property
Decorative Nail Covers
Attributed to Nonomura Ninsei
Kyoto National Museum

This exhibition features works relating to the powerful aristocratic regent Fujiwara no Michinaga (966–1028) and his eldest daughter Empress Fujiwara no Shōshi (988–1074), which have survived from the Heian period (794–1185).
In 1007, the fourth year of the Kankō era, Michinaga buried a cylindrical gilt bronze sutra container (now a National Treasure) in the Kinpusen mountains of Yoshino, Nara. Shōshi later dedicated a sutra case plated in gold and silver (also a National Treasure) at the Nyohōdo Hall of Yokawa, Mount Hiei, in the year 1031.
This prominent father and daughter pair is closely associated with Murasaki Shikibu (c. 973–c. 1031), author of the literary classic The Tale of Genji, who served as a lady-in-waiting under Shōshi. At the time, it was popular to bury scriptures such as the Lotus Sutra in anticipation of the Bodhisattva Miroku (Maitreya)’s Buddhahood in the distant future.
This exhibition introduces objects excavated from sutra mounds dating from the eleventh and twelfth centuries, encapsulating the spirit of Heian-period prayers.

Important Cultural Property
Sutra Container
Excavated from Hanase Bessho Sutra Mound, Kyoto
Agency for Cultural Affairs

Engi-e are paintings that explore the legendary origins and miraculous events associated with specific temples and shrines. This exhibition presents engi-e handscrolls relating to Kyoto temples that were created in the Edo period (1615–1868). During this time, Buddhist sects underwent structural shifts due to the religious policies of the shogunate. The “benevolent rule” of the day promoted scholarship, so monks deepened their studies of religious doctrines, cultivated interests in religious and temple history, and compiled historical books and biographies of temple founders.
As industry and the economy developed in the Kansai region (Osaka and Kyoto) during the late seventeenth century, talented artists produced numerous handscrolls vividly depicting this new urban culture. For the people living during this peaceful era, these vibrant engi-e handscrolls brought the enduring history of temples to life.

Legends of Kōmyō-ji Temple, Volume 1
Kōmyō-ji Temple, Kyoto

Su Shi (also known as Su Dongpo, 1037–1101) was a prominent statesman during the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127). Renowned for his bold calligraphy, he was revered as one of the Four Song Masters, while his writing earned him a place among the Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song. In the realm of art, his lasting contributions include the theories and practices of “scholar painting” (shiren hua) and “ink play” (mo xi), which paved the way for the future development of literati painting.
Su Shi’s legacy has continued to capture the hearts of scholars and painters throughout the ages. Numerous depictions of him along with works inspired by his masterpiece “Ode on the Red Cliff” have survived to the present. Additionally, from the Qing dynasty (1644–1912) onwards, gatherings celebrating his birthday were held on the nineteenth day of the twelfth month of the old lunar calendar. This exhibition explores how admiration for Su Shi has catalyzed a rich variety of artistic activities.

Su Shi (Dongpo) Holding an Inkstone
By Huang Shen
Kyoto National Museum

The Heian period (794–1185) was one of the most transformative times within the history of Japanese sculpture. Buddhist statues were carved primarily in the capital city of Kyoto, but they were also produced throughout the provinces. While some statues have been lost due to wars and natural disasters, a great number of Heian Buddhist sculptures have survived to this day. In the latter half of the Heian period, Buddhist sculptures with serene expressions gained popularity in accordance with the tastes of the imperial court and aristocracy. Round faces, reminiscent of a full moon, and gently lowered eyes give such statues a gentle air. This facial expression—distinctive to Japanese sculpture—became known as wayō (“Japanese style”). One of the more prominent sculptors who embraced this style was Jōchō (d. 1057). This exhibition presents works primarily from the second half of the Heian period. We invite you to enjoy the graceful, tranquil forms of these ancient sculptures.

Important Cultural Property
Seated Shakyamuni Buddha
By Keihan and others
Kōzen-ji Temple, Osaka

Statues of Buddhist deities, along with temple halls evoking their worlds, are sumptuously adorned with a variety of decorations including altars, canopies, hanging votive plaques, beaded ornaments, and Buddhist banners. Similarly, sutras recording the teachings of the Buddha are not viewed as mere books but are revered as the manifest words of the Buddha himself. Designs might adorn the cover, frontispiece, tying cord, paper, or margin lines surrounding a sutra manuscript, as well as the text itself, or the roller knobs. These decorative sutras form a sharp contrast with scriptures written modestly in black ink on plain paper. Through these intricate designs, one can sense people’s profound faith in sutras and the words of the Buddha. We invite you to enjoy the beauty of ancient faith embedded in these sutras.

Important Cultural Property
Lotus Sutra with Characters on Lotus Pedestals, Chapter 21 “Supernatural Powers of the Thus Come One”
Kyoto National Museum

Throughout history, human beings have transformed the one-dimensional medium of thread into two-dimensional fabrics for clothing and textiles using such processes as interworking (plaiting or braiding), interlooping (knitting or crochet), and weaving. Among these, the technique of “weaving” in particular requires a machine known as a loom.
In response to demand for increasingly beautiful and luxurious textiles, looms have undergone continuous improvements, incorporating some of the most cutting-edge engineering and technology of their time. We can piece together how weaving techniques developed even when actual looms no longer exist by observing the structure of textiles—the intersections of warps and wefts and other factors.
This exhibition not only introduces various textiles and their weave structures but also traces the evolution of weaving techniques, contemplating both the ingenuity and shifting aesthetic tastes of our predecessors.

Noh Costume, Karaori Robe with Weeping Cherry Branches
Kyoto National Museum

The traditional tea event held during the New Year is known as Hatsugama, literally meaning “First Kettle.” The “kettle” referred to here is the tea kettle used to boil water during a tea gathering (chaji).
The tea kettle is often referred to as the “host of the tea room” due to its role as one of the most essential utensils for tea. The phrase “put on the kettle” (kama o kakeru) is best understood today as a euphemism for holding a tea gathering.
This exhibition presents tea kettles from the medieval period to the early modern era, many of which have been passed down over the centuries in Kyoto’s temples.

Incense Burner Appropriated as Kettle
Reitō-in Temple, Kyoto

In old Japan, the implements needed for writing—brush, inkstick, inkstone, water dropper, gimlet, and small knife for binding paper—would be stored together inside an inkstone case and displayed. Beautifully adorned inkstone cases were essential possessions for cultivated individuals, symbolizing their owner’s intellect and aesthetic sensitivity. Decorative themes favored by the educated included Chinese stories, Japanese literary classics such as Tales of Ise and The Tale of Genji, and other subjects understood by people of refinement. Each aesthetic quality—materials, decorative techniques, texture, and weight—was carefully selected. Such stationary implements were cherished in intellectual spaces along with cabinets for storing books, boxes to hold writing paper and letters, book stands, and desks. We invite you to enjoy the elegant accoutrements that have ornamented the lives of cultured individuals since ancient times.

Cosmetics Box-Shaped Inkstone Case with Pine, Bamboo, and Plum Blossoms
By Nishimura Goun and Fukui Hōsai
Kyoto National Museum

Ceramics are prized not only for their beauty but also for their uses as dishes and in other quotidian functions. East Asian ceramics have a particularly wide range of patterns, forms, colors, and applications. They can incorporate vastly different materials and techniques, resulting in wares as diverse as earthenware or porcelain, with distinguishing characteristics deriving from the types of clay, the glazes, the décor, and the firing techniques employed at the site of their production. This gallery features a variety of ceramics from Japan, China, and the Korean Peninsula, pieces exemplifying the distinctive qualities and assets of each kiln site.

Important Cultural Property
Decorative Nail Covers
Attributed to Nonomura Ninsei
Kyoto National Museum

This exhibition features works relating to the powerful aristocratic regent Fujiwara no Michinaga (966–1028) and his eldest daughter Empress Fujiwara no Shōshi (988–1074), which have survived from the Heian period (794–1185).
In 1007, the fourth year of the Kankō era, Michinaga buried a cylindrical gilt bronze sutra container (now a National Treasure) in the Kinpusen mountains of Yoshino, Nara. Shōshi later dedicated a sutra case plated in gold and silver (also a National Treasure) at the Nyohōdo Hall of Yokawa, Mount Hiei, in the year 1031.
This prominent father and daughter pair is closely associated with Murasaki Shikibu (c. 973–c. 1031), author of the literary classic The Tale of Genji, who served as a lady-in-waiting under Shōshi. At the time, it was popular to bury scriptures such as the Lotus Sutra in anticipation of the Bodhisattva Miroku (Maitreya)’s Buddhahood in the distant future.
This exhibition introduces objects excavated from sutra mounds dating from the eleventh and twelfth centuries, encapsulating the spirit of Heian-period prayers.

Important Cultural Property
Sutra Container
Excavated from Hanase Bessho Sutra Mound, Kyoto
Agency for Cultural Affairs

Engi-e are paintings that explore the legendary origins and miraculous events associated with specific temples and shrines. This exhibition presents engi-e handscrolls relating to Kyoto temples that were created in the Edo period (1615–1868). During this time, Buddhist sects underwent structural shifts due to the religious policies of the shogunate. The “benevolent rule” of the day promoted scholarship, so monks deepened their studies of religious doctrines, cultivated interests in religious and temple history, and compiled historical books and biographies of temple founders.
As industry and the economy developed in the Kansai region (Osaka and Kyoto) during the late seventeenth century, talented artists produced numerous handscrolls vividly depicting this new urban culture. For the people living during this peaceful era, these vibrant engi-e handscrolls brought the enduring history of temples to life.

Legends of Kōmyō-ji Temple, Volume 1
Kōmyō-ji Temple, Kyoto

Su Shi (also known as Su Dongpo, 1037–1101) was a prominent statesman during the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127). Renowned for his bold calligraphy, he was revered as one of the Four Song Masters, while his writing earned him a place among the Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song. In the realm of art, his lasting contributions include the theories and practices of “scholar painting” (shiren hua) and “ink play” (mo xi), which paved the way for the future development of literati painting.
Su Shi’s legacy has continued to capture the hearts of scholars and painters throughout the ages. Numerous depictions of him along with works inspired by his masterpiece “Ode on the Red Cliff” have survived to the present. Additionally, from the Qing dynasty (1644–1912) onwards, gatherings celebrating his birthday were held on the nineteenth day of the twelfth month of the old lunar calendar. This exhibition explores how admiration for Su Shi has catalyzed a rich variety of artistic activities.

Su Shi (Dongpo) Holding an Inkstone
By Huang Shen
Kyoto National Museum

The Heian period (794–1185) was one of the most transformative times within the history of Japanese sculpture. Buddhist statues were carved primarily in the capital city of Kyoto, but they were also produced throughout the provinces. While some statues have been lost due to wars and natural disasters, a great number of Heian Buddhist sculptures have survived to this day. In the latter half of the Heian period, Buddhist sculptures with serene expressions gained popularity in accordance with the tastes of the imperial court and aristocracy. Round faces, reminiscent of a full moon, and gently lowered eyes give such statues a gentle air. This facial expression—distinctive to Japanese sculpture—became known as wayō (“Japanese style”). One of the more prominent sculptors who embraced this style was Jōchō (d. 1057). This exhibition presents works primarily from the second half of the Heian period. We invite you to enjoy the graceful, tranquil forms of these ancient sculptures.

Important Cultural Property
Seated Shakyamuni Buddha
By Keihan and others
Kōzen-ji Temple, Osaka

Statues of Buddhist deities, along with temple halls evoking their worlds, are sumptuously adorned with a variety of decorations including altars, canopies, hanging votive plaques, beaded ornaments, and Buddhist banners. Similarly, sutras recording the teachings of the Buddha are not viewed as mere books but are revered as the manifest words of the Buddha himself. Designs might adorn the cover, frontispiece, tying cord, paper, or margin lines surrounding a sutra manuscript, as well as the text itself, or the roller knobs. These decorative sutras form a sharp contrast with scriptures written modestly in black ink on plain paper. Through these intricate designs, one can sense people’s profound faith in sutras and the words of the Buddha. We invite you to enjoy the beauty of ancient faith embedded in these sutras.

Important Cultural Property
Lotus Sutra with Characters on Lotus Pedestals, Chapter 21 “Supernatural Powers of the Thus Come One”
Kyoto National Museum

Throughout history, human beings have transformed the one-dimensional medium of thread into two-dimensional fabrics for clothing and textiles using such processes as interworking (plaiting or braiding), interlooping (knitting or crochet), and weaving. Among these, the technique of “weaving” in particular requires a machine known as a loom.
In response to demand for increasingly beautiful and luxurious textiles, looms have undergone continuous improvements, incorporating some of the most cutting-edge engineering and technology of their time. We can piece together how weaving techniques developed even when actual looms no longer exist by observing the structure of textiles—the intersections of warps and wefts and other factors.
This exhibition not only introduces various textiles and their weave structures but also traces the evolution of weaving techniques, contemplating both the ingenuity and shifting aesthetic tastes of our predecessors.

Noh Costume, Karaori Robe with Weeping Cherry Branches
Kyoto National Museum

The traditional tea event held during the New Year is known as Hatsugama, literally meaning “First Kettle.” The “kettle” referred to here is the tea kettle used to boil water during a tea gathering (chaji).
The tea kettle is often referred to as the “host of the tea room” due to its role as one of the most essential utensils for tea. The phrase “put on the kettle” (kama o kakeru) is best understood today as a euphemism for holding a tea gathering.
This exhibition presents tea kettles from the medieval period to the early modern era, many of which have been passed down over the centuries in Kyoto’s temples.

Incense Burner Appropriated as Kettle
Reitō-in Temple, Kyoto

In old Japan, the implements needed for writing—brush, inkstick, inkstone, water dropper, gimlet, and small knife for binding paper—would be stored together inside an inkstone case and displayed. Beautifully adorned inkstone cases were essential possessions for cultivated individuals, symbolizing their owner’s intellect and aesthetic sensitivity. Decorative themes favored by the educated included Chinese stories, Japanese literary classics such as Tales of Ise and The Tale of Genji, and other subjects understood by people of refinement. Each aesthetic quality—materials, decorative techniques, texture, and weight—was carefully selected. Such stationary implements were cherished in intellectual spaces along with cabinets for storing books, boxes to hold writing paper and letters, book stands, and desks. We invite you to enjoy the elegant accoutrements that have ornamented the lives of cultured individuals since ancient times.

Cosmetics Box-Shaped Inkstone Case with Pine, Bamboo, and Plum Blossoms
By Nishimura Goun and Fukui Hōsai
Kyoto National Museum

Ceramics are prized not only for their beauty but also for their uses as dishes and in other quotidian functions. East Asian ceramics have a particularly wide range of patterns, forms, colors, and applications. They can incorporate vastly different materials and techniques, resulting in wares as diverse as earthenware or porcelain, with distinguishing characteristics deriving from the types of clay, the glazes, the décor, and the firing techniques employed at the site of their production. This gallery features a variety of ceramics from Japan, China, and the Korean Peninsula, pieces exemplifying the distinctive qualities and assets of each kiln site.

Important Cultural Property
Decorative Nail Covers
Attributed to Nonomura Ninsei
Kyoto National Museum

This exhibition features works relating to the powerful aristocratic regent Fujiwara no Michinaga (966–1028) and his eldest daughter Empress Fujiwara no Shōshi (988–1074), which have survived from the Heian period (794–1185).
In 1007, the fourth year of the Kankō era, Michinaga buried a cylindrical gilt bronze sutra container (now a National Treasure) in the Kinpusen mountains of Yoshino, Nara. Shōshi later dedicated a sutra case plated in gold and silver (also a National Treasure) at the Nyohōdo Hall of Yokawa, Mount Hiei, in the year 1031.
This prominent father and daughter pair is closely associated with Murasaki Shikibu (c. 973–c. 1031), author of the literary classic The Tale of Genji, who served as a lady-in-waiting under Shōshi. At the time, it was popular to bury scriptures such as the Lotus Sutra in anticipation of the Bodhisattva Miroku (Maitreya)’s Buddhahood in the distant future.
This exhibition introduces objects excavated from sutra mounds dating from the eleventh and twelfth centuries, encapsulating the spirit of Heian-period prayers.

Important Cultural Property
Sutra Container
Excavated from Hanase Bessho Sutra Mound, Kyoto
Agency for Cultural Affairs

Engi-e are paintings that explore the legendary origins and miraculous events associated with specific temples and shrines. This exhibition presents engi-e handscrolls relating to Kyoto temples that were created in the Edo period (1615–1868). During this time, Buddhist sects underwent structural shifts due to the religious policies of the shogunate. The “benevolent rule” of the day promoted scholarship, so monks deepened their studies of religious doctrines, cultivated interests in religious and temple history, and compiled historical books and biographies of temple founders.
As industry and the economy developed in the Kansai region (Osaka and Kyoto) during the late seventeenth century, talented artists produced numerous handscrolls vividly depicting this new urban culture. For the people living during this peaceful era, these vibrant engi-e handscrolls brought the enduring history of temples to life.

Legends of Kōmyō-ji Temple, Volume 1
Kōmyō-ji Temple, Kyoto

Su Shi (also known as Su Dongpo, 1037–1101) was a prominent statesman during the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127). Renowned for his bold calligraphy, he was revered as one of the Four Song Masters, while his writing earned him a place among the Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song. In the realm of art, his lasting contributions include the theories and practices of “scholar painting” (shiren hua) and “ink play” (mo xi), which paved the way for the future development of literati painting.
Su Shi’s legacy has continued to capture the hearts of scholars and painters throughout the ages. Numerous depictions of him along with works inspired by his masterpiece “Ode on the Red Cliff” have survived to the present. Additionally, from the Qing dynasty (1644–1912) onwards, gatherings celebrating his birthday were held on the nineteenth day of the twelfth month of the old lunar calendar. This exhibition explores how admiration for Su Shi has catalyzed a rich variety of artistic activities.

Su Shi (Dongpo) Holding an Inkstone
By Huang Shen
Kyoto National Museum

The Heian period (794–1185) was one of the most transformative times within the history of Japanese sculpture. Buddhist statues were carved primarily in the capital city of Kyoto, but they were also produced throughout the provinces. While some statues have been lost due to wars and natural disasters, a great number of Heian Buddhist sculptures have survived to this day. In the latter half of the Heian period, Buddhist sculptures with serene expressions gained popularity in accordance with the tastes of the imperial court and aristocracy. Round faces, reminiscent of a full moon, and gently lowered eyes give such statues a gentle air. This facial expression—distinctive to Japanese sculpture—became known as wayō (“Japanese style”). One of the more prominent sculptors who embraced this style was Jōchō (d. 1057). This exhibition presents works primarily from the second half of the Heian period. We invite you to enjoy the graceful, tranquil forms of these ancient sculptures.

Important Cultural Property
Seated Shakyamuni Buddha
By Keihan and others
Kōzen-ji Temple, Osaka

Statues of Buddhist deities, along with temple halls evoking their worlds, are sumptuously adorned with a variety of decorations including altars, canopies, hanging votive plaques, beaded ornaments, and Buddhist banners. Similarly, sutras recording the teachings of the Buddha are not viewed as mere books but are revered as the manifest words of the Buddha himself. Designs might adorn the cover, frontispiece, tying cord, paper, or margin lines surrounding a sutra manuscript, as well as the text itself, or the roller knobs. These decorative sutras form a sharp contrast with scriptures written modestly in black ink on plain paper. Through these intricate designs, one can sense people’s profound faith in sutras and the words of the Buddha. We invite you to enjoy the beauty of ancient faith embedded in these sutras.

Important Cultural Property
Lotus Sutra with Characters on Lotus Pedestals, Chapter 21 “Supernatural Powers of the Thus Come One”
Kyoto National Museum

Throughout history, human beings have transformed the one-dimensional medium of thread into two-dimensional fabrics for clothing and textiles using such processes as interworking (plaiting or braiding), interlooping (knitting or crochet), and weaving. Among these, the technique of “weaving” in particular requires a machine known as a loom.
In response to demand for increasingly beautiful and luxurious textiles, looms have undergone continuous improvements, incorporating some of the most cutting-edge engineering and technology of their time. We can piece together how weaving techniques developed even when actual looms no longer exist by observing the structure of textiles—the intersections of warps and wefts and other factors.
This exhibition not only introduces various textiles and their weave structures but also traces the evolution of weaving techniques, contemplating both the ingenuity and shifting aesthetic tastes of our predecessors.

Noh Costume, Karaori Robe with Weeping Cherry Branches
Kyoto National Museum

The traditional tea event held during the New Year is known as Hatsugama, literally meaning “First Kettle.” The “kettle” referred to here is the tea kettle used to boil water during a tea gathering (chaji).
The tea kettle is often referred to as the “host of the tea room” due to its role as one of the most essential utensils for tea. The phrase “put on the kettle” (kama o kakeru) is best understood today as a euphemism for holding a tea gathering.
This exhibition presents tea kettles from the medieval period to the early modern era, many of which have been passed down over the centuries in Kyoto’s temples.

Incense Burner Appropriated as Kettle
Reitō-in Temple, Kyoto

In old Japan, the implements needed for writing—brush, inkstick, inkstone, water dropper, gimlet, and small knife for binding paper—would be stored together inside an inkstone case and displayed. Beautifully adorned inkstone cases were essential possessions for cultivated individuals, symbolizing their owner’s intellect and aesthetic sensitivity. Decorative themes favored by the educated included Chinese stories, Japanese literary classics such as Tales of Ise and The Tale of Genji, and other subjects understood by people of refinement. Each aesthetic quality—materials, decorative techniques, texture, and weight—was carefully selected. Such stationary implements were cherished in intellectual spaces along with cabinets for storing books, boxes to hold writing paper and letters, book stands, and desks. We invite you to enjoy the elegant accoutrements that have ornamented the lives of cultured individuals since ancient times.

Cosmetics Box-Shaped Inkstone Case with Pine, Bamboo, and Plum Blossoms
By Nishimura Goun and Fukui Hōsai
Kyoto National Museum

Ceramics are prized not only for their beauty but also for their uses as dishes and in other quotidian functions. East Asian ceramics have a particularly wide range of patterns, forms, colors, and applications. They can incorporate vastly different materials and techniques, resulting in wares as diverse as earthenware or porcelain, with distinguishing characteristics deriving from the types of clay, the glazes, the décor, and the firing techniques employed at the site of their production. This gallery features a variety of ceramics from Japan, China, and the Korean Peninsula, pieces exemplifying the distinctive qualities and assets of each kiln site.

Important Cultural Property
Decorative Nail Covers
Attributed to Nonomura Ninsei
Kyoto National Museum

This exhibition features works relating to the powerful aristocratic regent Fujiwara no Michinaga (966–1028) and his eldest daughter Empress Fujiwara no Shōshi (988–1074), which have survived from the Heian period (794–1185).
In 1007, the fourth year of the Kankō era, Michinaga buried a cylindrical gilt bronze sutra container (now a National Treasure) in the Kinpusen mountains of Yoshino, Nara. Shōshi later dedicated a sutra case plated in gold and silver (also a National Treasure) at the Nyohōdo Hall of Yokawa, Mount Hiei, in the year 1031.
This prominent father and daughter pair is closely associated with Murasaki Shikibu (c. 973–c. 1031), author of the literary classic The Tale of Genji, who served as a lady-in-waiting under Shōshi. At the time, it was popular to bury scriptures such as the Lotus Sutra in anticipation of the Bodhisattva Miroku (Maitreya)’s Buddhahood in the distant future.
This exhibition introduces objects excavated from sutra mounds dating from the eleventh and twelfth centuries, encapsulating the spirit of Heian-period prayers.

Important Cultural Property
Sutra Container
Excavated from Hanase Bessho Sutra Mound, Kyoto
Agency for Cultural Affairs

Engi-e are paintings that explore the legendary origins and miraculous events associated with specific temples and shrines. This exhibition presents engi-e handscrolls relating to Kyoto temples that were created in the Edo period (1615–1868). During this time, Buddhist sects underwent structural shifts due to the religious policies of the shogunate. The “benevolent rule” of the day promoted scholarship, so monks deepened their studies of religious doctrines, cultivated interests in religious and temple history, and compiled historical books and biographies of temple founders.
As industry and the economy developed in the Kansai region (Osaka and Kyoto) during the late seventeenth century, talented artists produced numerous handscrolls vividly depicting this new urban culture. For the people living during this peaceful era, these vibrant engi-e handscrolls brought the enduring history of temples to life.

Legends of Kōmyō-ji Temple, Volume 1
Kōmyō-ji Temple, Kyoto

Su Shi (also known as Su Dongpo, 1037–1101) was a prominent statesman during the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127). Renowned for his bold calligraphy, he was revered as one of the Four Song Masters, while his writing earned him a place among the Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song. In the realm of art, his lasting contributions include the theories and practices of “scholar painting” (shiren hua) and “ink play” (mo xi), which paved the way for the future development of literati painting.
Su Shi’s legacy has continued to capture the hearts of scholars and painters throughout the ages. Numerous depictions of him along with works inspired by his masterpiece “Ode on the Red Cliff” have survived to the present. Additionally, from the Qing dynasty (1644–1912) onwards, gatherings celebrating his birthday were held on the nineteenth day of the twelfth month of the old lunar calendar. This exhibition explores how admiration for Su Shi has catalyzed a rich variety of artistic activities.

Su Shi (Dongpo) Holding an Inkstone
By Huang Shen
Kyoto National Museum

The Heian period (794–1185) was one of the most transformative times within the history of Japanese sculpture. Buddhist statues were carved primarily in the capital city of Kyoto, but they were also produced throughout the provinces. While some statues have been lost due to wars and natural disasters, a great number of Heian Buddhist sculptures have survived to this day. In the latter half of the Heian period, Buddhist sculptures with serene expressions gained popularity in accordance with the tastes of the imperial court and aristocracy. Round faces, reminiscent of a full moon, and gently lowered eyes give such statues a gentle air. This facial expression—distinctive to Japanese sculpture—became known as wayō (“Japanese style”). One of the more prominent sculptors who embraced this style was Jōchō (d. 1057). This exhibition presents works primarily from the second half of the Heian period. We invite you to enjoy the graceful, tranquil forms of these ancient sculptures.

Important Cultural Property
Seated Shakyamuni Buddha
By Keihan and others
Kōzen-ji Temple, Osaka

Statues of Buddhist deities, along with temple halls evoking their worlds, are sumptuously adorned with a variety of decorations including altars, canopies, hanging votive plaques, beaded ornaments, and Buddhist banners. Similarly, sutras recording the teachings of the Buddha are not viewed as mere books but are revered as the manifest words of the Buddha himself. Designs might adorn the cover, frontispiece, tying cord, paper, or margin lines surrounding a sutra manuscript, as well as the text itself, or the roller knobs. These decorative sutras form a sharp contrast with scriptures written modestly in black ink on plain paper. Through these intricate designs, one can sense people’s profound faith in sutras and the words of the Buddha. We invite you to enjoy the beauty of ancient faith embedded in these sutras.

Important Cultural Property
Lotus Sutra with Characters on Lotus Pedestals, Chapter 21 “Supernatural Powers of the Thus Come One”
Kyoto National Museum

Throughout history, human beings have transformed the one-dimensional medium of thread into two-dimensional fabrics for clothing and textiles using such processes as interworking (plaiting or braiding), interlooping (knitting or crochet), and weaving. Among these, the technique of “weaving” in particular requires a machine known as a loom.
In response to demand for increasingly beautiful and luxurious textiles, looms have undergone continuous improvements, incorporating some of the most cutting-edge engineering and technology of their time. We can piece together how weaving techniques developed even when actual looms no longer exist by observing the structure of textiles—the intersections of warps and wefts and other factors.
This exhibition not only introduces various textiles and their weave structures but also traces the evolution of weaving techniques, contemplating both the ingenuity and shifting aesthetic tastes of our predecessors.

Noh Costume, Karaori Robe with Weeping Cherry Branches
Kyoto National Museum

The traditional tea event held during the New Year is known as Hatsugama, literally meaning “First Kettle.” The “kettle” referred to here is the tea kettle used to boil water during a tea gathering (chaji).
The tea kettle is often referred to as the “host of the tea room” due to its role as one of the most essential utensils for tea. The phrase “put on the kettle” (kama o kakeru) is best understood today as a euphemism for holding a tea gathering.
This exhibition presents tea kettles from the medieval period to the early modern era, many of which have been passed down over the centuries in Kyoto’s temples.

Incense Burner Appropriated as Kettle
Reitō-in Temple, Kyoto

In old Japan, the implements needed for writing—brush, inkstick, inkstone, water dropper, gimlet, and small knife for binding paper—would be stored together inside an inkstone case and displayed. Beautifully adorned inkstone cases were essential possessions for cultivated individuals, symbolizing their owner’s intellect and aesthetic sensitivity. Decorative themes favored by the educated included Chinese stories, Japanese literary classics such as Tales of Ise and The Tale of Genji, and other subjects understood by people of refinement. Each aesthetic quality—materials, decorative techniques, texture, and weight—was carefully selected. Such stationary implements were cherished in intellectual spaces along with cabinets for storing books, boxes to hold writing paper and letters, book stands, and desks. We invite you to enjoy the elegant accoutrements that have ornamented the lives of cultured individuals since ancient times.

Cosmetics Box-Shaped Inkstone Case with Pine, Bamboo, and Plum Blossoms
By Nishimura Goun and Fukui Hōsai
Kyoto National Museum

Ceramics are prized not only for their beauty but also for their uses as dishes and in other quotidian functions. East Asian ceramics have a particularly wide range of patterns, forms, colors, and applications. They can incorporate vastly different materials and techniques, resulting in wares as diverse as earthenware or porcelain, with distinguishing characteristics deriving from the types of clay, the glazes, the décor, and the firing techniques employed at the site of their production. This gallery features a variety of ceramics from Japan, China, and the Korean Peninsula, pieces exemplifying the distinctive qualities and assets of each kiln site.

Important Cultural Property
Decorative Nail Covers
Attributed to Nonomura Ninsei
Kyoto National Museum

This exhibition features works relating to the powerful aristocratic regent Fujiwara no Michinaga (966–1028) and his eldest daughter Empress Fujiwara no Shōshi (988–1074), which have survived from the Heian period (794–1185).
In 1007, the fourth year of the Kankō era, Michinaga buried a cylindrical gilt bronze sutra container (now a National Treasure) in the Kinpusen mountains of Yoshino, Nara. Shōshi later dedicated a sutra case plated in gold and silver (also a National Treasure) at the Nyohōdo Hall of Yokawa, Mount Hiei, in the year 1031.
This prominent father and daughter pair is closely associated with Murasaki Shikibu (c. 973–c. 1031), author of the literary classic The Tale of Genji, who served as a lady-in-waiting under Shōshi. At the time, it was popular to bury scriptures such as the Lotus Sutra in anticipation of the Bodhisattva Miroku (Maitreya)’s Buddhahood in the distant future.
This exhibition introduces objects excavated from sutra mounds dating from the eleventh and twelfth centuries, encapsulating the spirit of Heian-period prayers.

Important Cultural Property
Sutra Container
Excavated from Hanase Bessho Sutra Mound, Kyoto
Agency for Cultural Affairs

Engi-e are paintings that explore the legendary origins and miraculous events associated with specific temples and shrines. This exhibition presents engi-e handscrolls relating to Kyoto temples that were created in the Edo period (1615–1868). During this time, Buddhist sects underwent structural shifts due to the religious policies of the shogunate. The “benevolent rule” of the day promoted scholarship, so monks deepened their studies of religious doctrines, cultivated interests in religious and temple history, and compiled historical books and biographies of temple founders.
As industry and the economy developed in the Kansai region (Osaka and Kyoto) during the late seventeenth century, talented artists produced numerous handscrolls vividly depicting this new urban culture. For the people living during this peaceful era, these vibrant engi-e handscrolls brought the enduring history of temples to life.

Legends of Kōmyō-ji Temple, Volume 1
Kōmyō-ji Temple, Kyoto

Su Shi (also known as Su Dongpo, 1037–1101) was a prominent statesman during the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127). Renowned for his bold calligraphy, he was revered as one of the Four Song Masters, while his writing earned him a place among the Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song. In the realm of art, his lasting contributions include the theories and practices of “scholar painting” (shiren hua) and “ink play” (mo xi), which paved the way for the future development of literati painting.
Su Shi’s legacy has continued to capture the hearts of scholars and painters throughout the ages. Numerous depictions of him along with works inspired by his masterpiece “Ode on the Red Cliff” have survived to the present. Additionally, from the Qing dynasty (1644–1912) onwards, gatherings celebrating his birthday were held on the nineteenth day of the twelfth month of the old lunar calendar. This exhibition explores how admiration for Su Shi has catalyzed a rich variety of artistic activities.

Su Shi (Dongpo) Holding an Inkstone
By Huang Shen
Kyoto National Museum

The Heian period (794–1185) was one of the most transformative times within the history of Japanese sculpture. Buddhist statues were carved primarily in the capital city of Kyoto, but they were also produced throughout the provinces. While some statues have been lost due to wars and natural disasters, a great number of Heian Buddhist sculptures have survived to this day. In the latter half of the Heian period, Buddhist sculptures with serene expressions gained popularity in accordance with the tastes of the imperial court and aristocracy. Round faces, reminiscent of a full moon, and gently lowered eyes give such statues a gentle air. This facial expression—distinctive to Japanese sculpture—became known as wayō (“Japanese style”). One of the more prominent sculptors who embraced this style was Jōchō (d. 1057). This exhibition presents works primarily from the second half of the Heian period. We invite you to enjoy the graceful, tranquil forms of these ancient sculptures.

Important Cultural Property
Seated Shakyamuni Buddha
By Keihan and others
Kōzen-ji Temple, Osaka

Statues of Buddhist deities, along with temple halls evoking their worlds, are sumptuously adorned with a variety of decorations including altars, canopies, hanging votive plaques, beaded ornaments, and Buddhist banners. Similarly, sutras recording the teachings of the Buddha are not viewed as mere books but are revered as the manifest words of the Buddha himself. Designs might adorn the cover, frontispiece, tying cord, paper, or margin lines surrounding a sutra manuscript, as well as the text itself, or the roller knobs. These decorative sutras form a sharp contrast with scriptures written modestly in black ink on plain paper. Through these intricate designs, one can sense people’s profound faith in sutras and the words of the Buddha. We invite you to enjoy the beauty of ancient faith embedded in these sutras.

Important Cultural Property
Lotus Sutra with Characters on Lotus Pedestals, Chapter 21 “Supernatural Powers of the Thus Come One”
Kyoto National Museum

Throughout history, human beings have transformed the one-dimensional medium of thread into two-dimensional fabrics for clothing and textiles using such processes as interworking (plaiting or braiding), interlooping (knitting or crochet), and weaving. Among these, the technique of “weaving” in particular requires a machine known as a loom.
In response to demand for increasingly beautiful and luxurious textiles, looms have undergone continuous improvements, incorporating some of the most cutting-edge engineering and technology of their time. We can piece together how weaving techniques developed even when actual looms no longer exist by observing the structure of textiles—the intersections of warps and wefts and other factors.
This exhibition not only introduces various textiles and their weave structures but also traces the evolution of weaving techniques, contemplating both the ingenuity and shifting aesthetic tastes of our predecessors.

Noh Costume, Karaori Robe with Weeping Cherry Branches
Kyoto National Museum

The traditional tea event held during the New Year is known as Hatsugama, literally meaning “First Kettle.” The “kettle” referred to here is the tea kettle used to boil water during a tea gathering (chaji).
The tea kettle is often referred to as the “host of the tea room” due to its role as one of the most essential utensils for tea. The phrase “put on the kettle” (kama o kakeru) is best understood today as a euphemism for holding a tea gathering.
This exhibition presents tea kettles from the medieval period to the early modern era, many of which have been passed down over the centuries in Kyoto’s temples.

Incense Burner Appropriated as Kettle
Reitō-in Temple, Kyoto

In old Japan, the implements needed for writing—brush, inkstick, inkstone, water dropper, gimlet, and small knife for binding paper—would be stored together inside an inkstone case and displayed. Beautifully adorned inkstone cases were essential possessions for cultivated individuals, symbolizing their owner’s intellect and aesthetic sensitivity. Decorative themes favored by the educated included Chinese stories, Japanese literary classics such as Tales of Ise and The Tale of Genji, and other subjects understood by people of refinement. Each aesthetic quality—materials, decorative techniques, texture, and weight—was carefully selected. Such stationary implements were cherished in intellectual spaces along with cabinets for storing books, boxes to hold writing paper and letters, book stands, and desks. We invite you to enjoy the elegant accoutrements that have ornamented the lives of cultured individuals since ancient times.

Cosmetics Box-Shaped Inkstone Case with Pine, Bamboo, and Plum Blossoms
By Nishimura Goun and Fukui Hōsai
Kyoto National Museum

Ceramics are prized not only for their beauty but also for their uses as dishes and in other quotidian functions. East Asian ceramics have a particularly wide range of patterns, forms, colors, and applications. They can incorporate vastly different materials and techniques, resulting in wares as diverse as earthenware or porcelain, with distinguishing characteristics deriving from the types of clay, the glazes, the décor, and the firing techniques employed at the site of their production. This gallery features a variety of ceramics from Japan, China, and the Korean Peninsula, pieces exemplifying the distinctive qualities and assets of each kiln site.

Important Cultural Property
Decorative Nail Covers
Attributed to Nonomura Ninsei
Kyoto National Museum

This exhibition features works relating to the powerful aristocratic regent Fujiwara no Michinaga (966–1028) and his eldest daughter Empress Fujiwara no Shōshi (988–1074), which have survived from the Heian period (794–1185).
In 1007, the fourth year of the Kankō era, Michinaga buried a cylindrical gilt bronze sutra container (now a National Treasure) in the Kinpusen mountains of Yoshino, Nara. Shōshi later dedicated a sutra case plated in gold and silver (also a National Treasure) at the Nyohōdo Hall of Yokawa, Mount Hiei, in the year 1031.
This prominent father and daughter pair is closely associated with Murasaki Shikibu (c. 973–c. 1031), author of the literary classic The Tale of Genji, who served as a lady-in-waiting under Shōshi. At the time, it was popular to bury scriptures such as the Lotus Sutra in anticipation of the Bodhisattva Miroku (Maitreya)’s Buddhahood in the distant future.
This exhibition introduces objects excavated from sutra mounds dating from the eleventh and twelfth centuries, encapsulating the spirit of Heian-period prayers.

Important Cultural Property
Sutra Container
Excavated from Hanase Bessho Sutra Mound, Kyoto
Agency for Cultural Affairs