Among the most prized utensils used in the practice of tea (chanoyu) are ceramic tea containers known as a chaire (pronounced “cha-ee-reh”), used to hold powdered matcha. While these modest jar-shaped vessels are small in scale, they have a large presence at tea gatherings, ranking higher than fresh water containers (mizusashi) or even tea bowls (chawan). Some chaire are made in Japan (wamono), but even more prized are imported Chinese wares known as karamono. When appreciating tea containers, connoisseurs consider the location of the kiln, the form of the vessel, and the application of glazes. The silk drawstring pouches (shifuku) custom made for each container, the ivory lids, the inscriptions, and the accompanying trays are also distinguishing features. Which of the tea containers in this exhibition most appeals to you?

Shouldered (Katatsuki) Tea Container, Named "Zangetsu"(Lingering Moon)
China, Southern Song–Yuan dynasty, 13th–14th c.
Agency for Cultural Affairs

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.

The origins of the unglazed earthenware funerary objects known as haniwa (literally, “clay cylinders”) can be traced to the later part of the Yayoi period, circa the first through third century CE, when jars and their accompanying large-scale stands were left in and around burial mounds. In the latter half of the third century, jar-shaped, cylindrical, and trumpet-shaped haniwa began to appear. By the fourth century, haniwa were being made in the form of houses, sunshades, armor, and other weapons. From the fifth century, figures of horses and female shamans (miko) preceded the appearance of a vast array of humans and animals.
The forms of haniwa gradually diversified over time, and they came to represent a variety of tools and scenes thought to relate to burial rituals. This exhibition includes haniwa depicting not only humans and animals, but also a range of other forms.

Shield-Bearing Haniwa
Excavated in Tokushima
Kyoto National Museum

This exhibition explores the history of Japan through introducing a variety of archaeological relics. Many of these artifacts were excavated from ancient ruins. Some are special tools used in rituals and ceremonies, while others are objects used by people in their daily lives. Through exploring Japanese archaeology, we can gain a sense of the lives and experiences of people of the past.

Nearly 850 years ago, the priest Hōnen (1133–1212) founded Japan’s Pure Land sect of Buddhism, Jōdo Shū, in 1175. To commemorate this momentous anniversary, this year the Kyoto National Museum will host Hōnen and Pure Land Buddhism, a special exhibition tracing the history of the Pure Land sect, from October 8 to December 1. As a prelude to the upcoming exhibition, this gallery introduces a selection of rarely seen handscrolls from the Illustrated Biography of Master Hōnen (Hōnen Shōnin e-den). This National Treasure set, which belongs to the Jōdo Shū head temple of Chion-in, depicts Hōnen’s life in detail across forty-eight volumes. We invite you to attend the upcoming special exhibition to view even more scrolls from this extraordinary work.

National Treasure
Illustrated Biography of Master Hōnen, Vol. 44
Chion-in Temple, Kyoto

Esoteric Buddhism (J: mikkyō) has a great variety of rituals in order to pray for different things, each with distinct principal deities and protocols. Japanese monks learned the complex imagery and practices of Esoteric Buddhist ceremonies in China and brought these teachings back to Japan. There were various techniques by which copies of Buddhist paintings were made in the premodern age. They could be sketched through close observation of the original; alternatively, they could be traced onto a thin, semi-transparent sheet of paper placed on top of a painting. Regardless of the technique used, it was ultimately the elegance of the lines that defined a copy’s quality and set professional copyists apart from amateurs.

Important Art Object
Iconography for the Mansion of the External Vajra Section of the Womb-World Mandala
Kyoto National Museum

At the end of the twelfth century, the shogunate established Kamakura as the military capital of Japan. Consequently, with the support of the warrior elite Zen Buddhism and ink painting began to flourish not only in Kyoto, but also in the broader Kanto region (modern-day Tokyo and its surrounding prefectures) encompassing Kamakura. Although the shogunate relocated to Kyoto during the Muromachi period (1392–1573), Kamakura’s rich culture was sustained by warrior families and temples across the Kanto region. Ink paintings from Kanto, which constitute a considerable percentage of the medieval ink paintings that have survived to the present, have exhibited a distinct regional style throughout their long history. Dynamic artists such as Shōkei, Shikibu Terutada, and Sesson flourished under the patronage of powerful daimyo lords from the Uesugi, Satake, and Later Hōjō clans, ushering in a golden age of Japanese medieval ink painting during the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries.

Important Cultural Property
Qin Gao and Other Immortals
By Sesson
Kyoto National Museum

Since ancient times, societies and religions throughout the world have observed various customs for escorting the deceased to their burial places. Funerary rituals are not only a way to memorialize those who have passed, but also allow the living to regain a sense of closure and normalcy.
Similarly, paintings honoring the deceased serve a purpose for the living as well as for the dead. This exhibition introduces various depictions of funeral processions, including with two rare works from the Edo period (1615–1868).

Important Cultural Property
Vegetable Parinirvana (Parody of the Death of the Buddha)
By Itō Jakuchū
Gift of Fujiwara Chūichirō
Kyoto National Museum

One enjoyable aspect of viewing paintings is delving into the stories of the characters within them. By examining the expressions, actions, and attire of human figures, along with the “stage” created by their surroundings, viewers can imagine the lives of a painting’s subjects even if their story is unfamiliar. Immersing yourself in the narrative, the relationships between characters, or the overarching story brings the world within a painting to life.
This exhibition introduces a variety of figure paintings created in China, ranging from well-known scenes from Records of the Three Kingdoms and works based on the poetry of Li Bai (701–762) to depictions of beautiful women and realistic portraits.

Three Visits, One Meeting
By Sun Yi
Gift of Ueno Seiichi
Kyoto National Museum

The subjects represented within Japanese Buddhist sculptures can be broadly divided into buddhas, bodhisattvas, wisdom kings, and devas. Buddhas (tathāgatas) are beings who have attained enlightenment, such as the Historical Buddha Shakyamuni, the Buddha of Infinite Light Amida (Amitābha), and the Medicine Buddha Yakushi (Bhaisajyaguru). As buddhas have taken monastic vows, they are generally portrayed wearing a single garment representing a clerical robe.
Bodhisattvas are those on the path to attaining enlightenment. Instead of resembling monks, their appearances are more decorative, referencing ancient Indian royalty. Kannon (Avalokiteśvara) and Jizō (Kṣitigarbha) number among the many different bodhisattvas. Representations of Kannon alone include the Eleven-Headed Kannon, Thousand-Armed Kannon, Wish-Fulfilling Kannon, and many more, as Kannon is believed to manifest into various forms in order to adapt to different kinds of suffering and save all living beings. This exhibition explores the many representations of Buddhas and bodhisattvas.

Important Cultural Property
Standing Yakushi (Bhaiṣajyaguru) Buddha
Chōgen-ji Temple, Kyoto

This fifteenth-century Dōmaru Armor with Blue Lacing has long been renowned for its refined coloration and classical appeal, as evidenced by its inclusion in the book of celebrated artworks, Shūko jisshū (Collected Antiquities in Ten Categories), published in the year 1800 by the daimyo connoisseur Matsudaira Sadanobu. Armor is inherently a composite art form, comprising not only metal fittings, but also silk braided cords, woven silk textiles, lacquer, and leather. As some of these organic materials exhibited pronounced signs of degradation, the conservation of this armor was essential for it to be passed on to future generations. This special viewing commemorates the completion of its monumental conservation, made possible through the generous support of the Bank of America Art Conservation Project.

Important Cultural Property
Dōmaru Armor with Blue Lacing
Kyoto National Museum

Museums are tasked with the important duty of passing down cultural properties to future generations. Conservation, despite often going unnoticed, is crucial to carrying out this mission.
This exhibition highlights three fields of metalwork. Sword polishing allows us to explore forged works, while incense burners and lanterns provide insight into the scientific approaches and traditional techniques related to conserving cast metal objects. Finally, we trace the conservation of armor occurring from the Edo period (1615–1868) through modern times in tandem with the special viewing of the Important Cultural Property Dōmaru Armor with Blue Lacing. By examining these different realms of metalwork, this exhibition introduces the various materials and techniques used in cutting-edge conservation of cultural properties.

Important Cultural Property
Haramaki Armor
Amanosan Kongō-ji Temple, Osaka

When the trunk of a lacquer tree is cut, it secretes sap to heal the wound. This sap reacts to the oxygen contained in the humidity in the air and solidifies, becoming durable enough to be polished or carved into relief patterns. Humans have used this sturdy substance as a coating and adhesive for thousands of years. Polished lacquer has a distinctive deep luster; its glossy finish is particularly well-suited to renditions of designs of water and shoreline scenery (although some works have lost their original sheen over time). Please enjoy the refreshing waterside scenes depicted in these lacquer works.

Presentation Tray with Auspicious Shells and Stag Seaweed
By Yamamoto Rihee of Minoya
Gift of Inagaki Magoichirō
Kyoto National Museum

Among the most prized utensils used in the practice of tea (chanoyu) are ceramic tea containers known as a chaire (pronounced “cha-ee-reh”), used to hold powdered matcha. While these modest jar-shaped vessels are small in scale, they have a large presence at tea gatherings, ranking higher than fresh water containers (mizusashi) or even tea bowls (chawan). Some chaire are made in Japan (wamono), but even more prized are imported Chinese wares known as karamono. When appreciating tea containers, connoisseurs consider the location of the kiln, the form of the vessel, and the application of glazes. The silk drawstring pouches (shifuku) custom made for each container, the ivory lids, the inscriptions, and the accompanying trays are also distinguishing features. Which of the tea containers in this exhibition most appeals to you?

Shouldered (Katatsuki) Tea Container, Named "Zangetsu"(Lingering Moon)
China, Southern Song–Yuan dynasty, 13th–14th c.
Agency for Cultural Affairs

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.

The origins of the unglazed earthenware funerary objects known as haniwa (literally, “clay cylinders”) can be traced to the later part of the Yayoi period, circa the first through third century CE, when jars and their accompanying large-scale stands were left in and around burial mounds. In the latter half of the third century, jar-shaped, cylindrical, and trumpet-shaped haniwa began to appear. By the fourth century, haniwa were being made in the form of houses, sunshades, armor, and other weapons. From the fifth century, figures of horses and female shamans (miko) preceded the appearance of a vast array of humans and animals.
The forms of haniwa gradually diversified over time, and they came to represent a variety of tools and scenes thought to relate to burial rituals. This exhibition includes haniwa depicting not only humans and animals, but also a range of other forms.

Shield-Bearing Haniwa
Excavated in Tokushima
Kyoto National Museum

This exhibition explores the history of Japan through introducing a variety of archaeological relics. Many of these artifacts were excavated from ancient ruins. Some are special tools used in rituals and ceremonies, while others are objects used by people in their daily lives. Through exploring Japanese archaeology, we can gain a sense of the lives and experiences of people of the past.

Nearly 850 years ago, the priest Hōnen (1133–1212) founded Japan’s Pure Land sect of Buddhism, Jōdo Shū, in 1175. To commemorate this momentous anniversary, this year the Kyoto National Museum will host Hōnen and Pure Land Buddhism, a special exhibition tracing the history of the Pure Land sect, from October 8 to December 1. As a prelude to the upcoming exhibition, this gallery introduces a selection of rarely seen handscrolls from the Illustrated Biography of Master Hōnen (Hōnen Shōnin e-den). This National Treasure set, which belongs to the Jōdo Shū head temple of Chion-in, depicts Hōnen’s life in detail across forty-eight volumes. We invite you to attend the upcoming special exhibition to view even more scrolls from this extraordinary work.

National Treasure
Illustrated Biography of Master Hōnen, Vol. 44
Chion-in Temple, Kyoto

Esoteric Buddhism (J: mikkyō) has a great variety of rituals in order to pray for different things, each with distinct principal deities and protocols. Japanese monks learned the complex imagery and practices of Esoteric Buddhist ceremonies in China and brought these teachings back to Japan. There were various techniques by which copies of Buddhist paintings were made in the premodern age. They could be sketched through close observation of the original; alternatively, they could be traced onto a thin, semi-transparent sheet of paper placed on top of a painting. Regardless of the technique used, it was ultimately the elegance of the lines that defined a copy’s quality and set professional copyists apart from amateurs.

Important Art Object
Iconography for the Mansion of the External Vajra Section of the Womb-World Mandala
Kyoto National Museum

At the end of the twelfth century, the shogunate established Kamakura as the military capital of Japan. Consequently, with the support of the warrior elite Zen Buddhism and ink painting began to flourish not only in Kyoto, but also in the broader Kanto region (modern-day Tokyo and its surrounding prefectures) encompassing Kamakura. Although the shogunate relocated to Kyoto during the Muromachi period (1392–1573), Kamakura’s rich culture was sustained by warrior families and temples across the Kanto region. Ink paintings from Kanto, which constitute a considerable percentage of the medieval ink paintings that have survived to the present, have exhibited a distinct regional style throughout their long history. Dynamic artists such as Shōkei, Shikibu Terutada, and Sesson flourished under the patronage of powerful daimyo lords from the Uesugi, Satake, and Later Hōjō clans, ushering in a golden age of Japanese medieval ink painting during the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries.

Important Cultural Property
Qin Gao and Other Immortals
By Sesson
Kyoto National Museum

Since ancient times, societies and religions throughout the world have observed various customs for escorting the deceased to their burial places. Funerary rituals are not only a way to memorialize those who have passed, but also allow the living to regain a sense of closure and normalcy.
Similarly, paintings honoring the deceased serve a purpose for the living as well as for the dead. This exhibition introduces various depictions of funeral processions, including with two rare works from the Edo period (1615–1868).

Important Cultural Property
Vegetable Parinirvana (Parody of the Death of the Buddha)
By Itō Jakuchū
Gift of Fujiwara Chūichirō
Kyoto National Museum

One enjoyable aspect of viewing paintings is delving into the stories of the characters within them. By examining the expressions, actions, and attire of human figures, along with the “stage” created by their surroundings, viewers can imagine the lives of a painting’s subjects even if their story is unfamiliar. Immersing yourself in the narrative, the relationships between characters, or the overarching story brings the world within a painting to life.
This exhibition introduces a variety of figure paintings created in China, ranging from well-known scenes from Records of the Three Kingdoms and works based on the poetry of Li Bai (701–762) to depictions of beautiful women and realistic portraits.

Three Visits, One Meeting
By Sun Yi
Gift of Ueno Seiichi
Kyoto National Museum

The subjects represented within Japanese Buddhist sculptures can be broadly divided into buddhas, bodhisattvas, wisdom kings, and devas. Buddhas (tathāgatas) are beings who have attained enlightenment, such as the Historical Buddha Shakyamuni, the Buddha of Infinite Light Amida (Amitābha), and the Medicine Buddha Yakushi (Bhaisajyaguru). As buddhas have taken monastic vows, they are generally portrayed wearing a single garment representing a clerical robe.
Bodhisattvas are those on the path to attaining enlightenment. Instead of resembling monks, their appearances are more decorative, referencing ancient Indian royalty. Kannon (Avalokiteśvara) and Jizō (Kṣitigarbha) number among the many different bodhisattvas. Representations of Kannon alone include the Eleven-Headed Kannon, Thousand-Armed Kannon, Wish-Fulfilling Kannon, and many more, as Kannon is believed to manifest into various forms in order to adapt to different kinds of suffering and save all living beings. This exhibition explores the many representations of Buddhas and bodhisattvas.

Important Cultural Property
Standing Yakushi (Bhaiṣajyaguru) Buddha
Chōgen-ji Temple, Kyoto

This fifteenth-century Dōmaru Armor with Blue Lacing has long been renowned for its refined coloration and classical appeal, as evidenced by its inclusion in the book of celebrated artworks, Shūko jisshū (Collected Antiquities in Ten Categories), published in the year 1800 by the daimyo connoisseur Matsudaira Sadanobu. Armor is inherently a composite art form, comprising not only metal fittings, but also silk braided cords, woven silk textiles, lacquer, and leather. As some of these organic materials exhibited pronounced signs of degradation, the conservation of this armor was essential for it to be passed on to future generations. This special viewing commemorates the completion of its monumental conservation, made possible through the generous support of the Bank of America Art Conservation Project.

Important Cultural Property
Dōmaru Armor with Blue Lacing
Kyoto National Museum

Museums are tasked with the important duty of passing down cultural properties to future generations. Conservation, despite often going unnoticed, is crucial to carrying out this mission.
This exhibition highlights three fields of metalwork. Sword polishing allows us to explore forged works, while incense burners and lanterns provide insight into the scientific approaches and traditional techniques related to conserving cast metal objects. Finally, we trace the conservation of armor occurring from the Edo period (1615–1868) through modern times in tandem with the special viewing of the Important Cultural Property Dōmaru Armor with Blue Lacing. By examining these different realms of metalwork, this exhibition introduces the various materials and techniques used in cutting-edge conservation of cultural properties.

Important Cultural Property
Haramaki Armor
Amanosan Kongō-ji Temple, Osaka

When the trunk of a lacquer tree is cut, it secretes sap to heal the wound. This sap reacts to the oxygen contained in the humidity in the air and solidifies, becoming durable enough to be polished or carved into relief patterns. Humans have used this sturdy substance as a coating and adhesive for thousands of years. Polished lacquer has a distinctive deep luster; its glossy finish is particularly well-suited to renditions of designs of water and shoreline scenery (although some works have lost their original sheen over time). Please enjoy the refreshing waterside scenes depicted in these lacquer works.

Presentation Tray with Auspicious Shells and Stag Seaweed
By Yamamoto Rihee of Minoya
Gift of Inagaki Magoichirō
Kyoto National Museum

Among the most prized utensils used in the practice of tea (chanoyu) are ceramic tea containers known as a chaire (pronounced “cha-ee-reh”), used to hold powdered matcha. While these modest jar-shaped vessels are small in scale, they have a large presence at tea gatherings, ranking higher than fresh water containers (mizusashi) or even tea bowls (chawan). Some chaire are made in Japan (wamono), but even more prized are imported Chinese wares known as karamono. When appreciating tea containers, connoisseurs consider the location of the kiln, the form of the vessel, and the application of glazes. The silk drawstring pouches (shifuku) custom made for each container, the ivory lids, the inscriptions, and the accompanying trays are also distinguishing features. Which of the tea containers in this exhibition most appeals to you?

Shouldered (Katatsuki) Tea Container, Named "Zangetsu"(Lingering Moon)
China, Southern Song–Yuan dynasty, 13th–14th c.
Agency for Cultural Affairs

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.

The origins of the unglazed earthenware funerary objects known as haniwa (literally, “clay cylinders”) can be traced to the later part of the Yayoi period, circa the first through third century CE, when jars and their accompanying large-scale stands were left in and around burial mounds. In the latter half of the third century, jar-shaped, cylindrical, and trumpet-shaped haniwa began to appear. By the fourth century, haniwa were being made in the form of houses, sunshades, armor, and other weapons. From the fifth century, figures of horses and female shamans (miko) preceded the appearance of a vast array of humans and animals.
The forms of haniwa gradually diversified over time, and they came to represent a variety of tools and scenes thought to relate to burial rituals. This exhibition includes haniwa depicting not only humans and animals, but also a range of other forms.

Shield-Bearing Haniwa
Excavated in Tokushima
Kyoto National Museum

This exhibition explores the history of Japan through introducing a variety of archaeological relics. Many of these artifacts were excavated from ancient ruins. Some are special tools used in rituals and ceremonies, while others are objects used by people in their daily lives. Through exploring Japanese archaeology, we can gain a sense of the lives and experiences of people of the past.

Nearly 850 years ago, the priest Hōnen (1133–1212) founded Japan’s Pure Land sect of Buddhism, Jōdo Shū, in 1175. To commemorate this momentous anniversary, this year the Kyoto National Museum will host Hōnen and Pure Land Buddhism, a special exhibition tracing the history of the Pure Land sect, from October 8 to December 1. As a prelude to the upcoming exhibition, this gallery introduces a selection of rarely seen handscrolls from the Illustrated Biography of Master Hōnen (Hōnen Shōnin e-den). This National Treasure set, which belongs to the Jōdo Shū head temple of Chion-in, depicts Hōnen’s life in detail across forty-eight volumes. We invite you to attend the upcoming special exhibition to view even more scrolls from this extraordinary work.

National Treasure
Illustrated Biography of Master Hōnen, Vol. 44
Chion-in Temple, Kyoto

Esoteric Buddhism (J: mikkyō) has a great variety of rituals in order to pray for different things, each with distinct principal deities and protocols. Japanese monks learned the complex imagery and practices of Esoteric Buddhist ceremonies in China and brought these teachings back to Japan. There were various techniques by which copies of Buddhist paintings were made in the premodern age. They could be sketched through close observation of the original; alternatively, they could be traced onto a thin, semi-transparent sheet of paper placed on top of a painting. Regardless of the technique used, it was ultimately the elegance of the lines that defined a copy’s quality and set professional copyists apart from amateurs.

Important Art Object
Iconography for the Mansion of the External Vajra Section of the Womb-World Mandala
Kyoto National Museum

At the end of the twelfth century, the shogunate established Kamakura as the military capital of Japan. Consequently, with the support of the warrior elite Zen Buddhism and ink painting began to flourish not only in Kyoto, but also in the broader Kanto region (modern-day Tokyo and its surrounding prefectures) encompassing Kamakura. Although the shogunate relocated to Kyoto during the Muromachi period (1392–1573), Kamakura’s rich culture was sustained by warrior families and temples across the Kanto region. Ink paintings from Kanto, which constitute a considerable percentage of the medieval ink paintings that have survived to the present, have exhibited a distinct regional style throughout their long history. Dynamic artists such as Shōkei, Shikibu Terutada, and Sesson flourished under the patronage of powerful daimyo lords from the Uesugi, Satake, and Later Hōjō clans, ushering in a golden age of Japanese medieval ink painting during the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries.

Important Cultural Property
Qin Gao and Other Immortals
By Sesson
Kyoto National Museum

Since ancient times, societies and religions throughout the world have observed various customs for escorting the deceased to their burial places. Funerary rituals are not only a way to memorialize those who have passed, but also allow the living to regain a sense of closure and normalcy.
Similarly, paintings honoring the deceased serve a purpose for the living as well as for the dead. This exhibition introduces various depictions of funeral processions, including with two rare works from the Edo period (1615–1868).

Important Cultural Property
Vegetable Parinirvana (Parody of the Death of the Buddha)
By Itō Jakuchū
Gift of Fujiwara Chūichirō
Kyoto National Museum

One enjoyable aspect of viewing paintings is delving into the stories of the characters within them. By examining the expressions, actions, and attire of human figures, along with the “stage” created by their surroundings, viewers can imagine the lives of a painting’s subjects even if their story is unfamiliar. Immersing yourself in the narrative, the relationships between characters, or the overarching story brings the world within a painting to life.
This exhibition introduces a variety of figure paintings created in China, ranging from well-known scenes from Records of the Three Kingdoms and works based on the poetry of Li Bai (701–762) to depictions of beautiful women and realistic portraits.

Three Visits, One Meeting
By Sun Yi
Gift of Ueno Seiichi
Kyoto National Museum

The subjects represented within Japanese Buddhist sculptures can be broadly divided into buddhas, bodhisattvas, wisdom kings, and devas. Buddhas (tathāgatas) are beings who have attained enlightenment, such as the Historical Buddha Shakyamuni, the Buddha of Infinite Light Amida (Amitābha), and the Medicine Buddha Yakushi (Bhaisajyaguru). As buddhas have taken monastic vows, they are generally portrayed wearing a single garment representing a clerical robe.
Bodhisattvas are those on the path to attaining enlightenment. Instead of resembling monks, their appearances are more decorative, referencing ancient Indian royalty. Kannon (Avalokiteśvara) and Jizō (Kṣitigarbha) number among the many different bodhisattvas. Representations of Kannon alone include the Eleven-Headed Kannon, Thousand-Armed Kannon, Wish-Fulfilling Kannon, and many more, as Kannon is believed to manifest into various forms in order to adapt to different kinds of suffering and save all living beings. This exhibition explores the many representations of Buddhas and bodhisattvas.

Important Cultural Property
Standing Yakushi (Bhaiṣajyaguru) Buddha
Chōgen-ji Temple, Kyoto

This fifteenth-century Dōmaru Armor with Blue Lacing has long been renowned for its refined coloration and classical appeal, as evidenced by its inclusion in the book of celebrated artworks, Shūko jisshū (Collected Antiquities in Ten Categories), published in the year 1800 by the daimyo connoisseur Matsudaira Sadanobu. Armor is inherently a composite art form, comprising not only metal fittings, but also silk braided cords, woven silk textiles, lacquer, and leather. As some of these organic materials exhibited pronounced signs of degradation, the conservation of this armor was essential for it to be passed on to future generations. This special viewing commemorates the completion of its monumental conservation, made possible through the generous support of the Bank of America Art Conservation Project.

Important Cultural Property
Dōmaru Armor with Blue Lacing
Kyoto National Museum

Museums are tasked with the important duty of passing down cultural properties to future generations. Conservation, despite often going unnoticed, is crucial to carrying out this mission.
This exhibition highlights three fields of metalwork. Sword polishing allows us to explore forged works, while incense burners and lanterns provide insight into the scientific approaches and traditional techniques related to conserving cast metal objects. Finally, we trace the conservation of armor occurring from the Edo period (1615–1868) through modern times in tandem with the special viewing of the Important Cultural Property Dōmaru Armor with Blue Lacing. By examining these different realms of metalwork, this exhibition introduces the various materials and techniques used in cutting-edge conservation of cultural properties.

Important Cultural Property
Haramaki Armor
Amanosan Kongō-ji Temple, Osaka

When the trunk of a lacquer tree is cut, it secretes sap to heal the wound. This sap reacts to the oxygen contained in the humidity in the air and solidifies, becoming durable enough to be polished or carved into relief patterns. Humans have used this sturdy substance as a coating and adhesive for thousands of years. Polished lacquer has a distinctive deep luster; its glossy finish is particularly well-suited to renditions of designs of water and shoreline scenery (although some works have lost their original sheen over time). Please enjoy the refreshing waterside scenes depicted in these lacquer works.

Presentation Tray with Auspicious Shells and Stag Seaweed
By Yamamoto Rihee of Minoya
Gift of Inagaki Magoichirō
Kyoto National Museum

Among the most prized utensils used in the practice of tea (chanoyu) are ceramic tea containers known as a chaire (pronounced “cha-ee-reh”), used to hold powdered matcha. While these modest jar-shaped vessels are small in scale, they have a large presence at tea gatherings, ranking higher than fresh water containers (mizusashi) or even tea bowls (chawan). Some chaire are made in Japan (wamono), but even more prized are imported Chinese wares known as karamono. When appreciating tea containers, connoisseurs consider the location of the kiln, the form of the vessel, and the application of glazes. The silk drawstring pouches (shifuku) custom made for each container, the ivory lids, the inscriptions, and the accompanying trays are also distinguishing features. Which of the tea containers in this exhibition most appeals to you?

Shouldered (Katatsuki) Tea Container, Named "Zangetsu"(Lingering Moon)
China, Southern Song–Yuan dynasty, 13th–14th c.
Agency for Cultural Affairs

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.

The origins of the unglazed earthenware funerary objects known as haniwa (literally, “clay cylinders”) can be traced to the later part of the Yayoi period, circa the first through third century CE, when jars and their accompanying large-scale stands were left in and around burial mounds. In the latter half of the third century, jar-shaped, cylindrical, and trumpet-shaped haniwa began to appear. By the fourth century, haniwa were being made in the form of houses, sunshades, armor, and other weapons. From the fifth century, figures of horses and female shamans (miko) preceded the appearance of a vast array of humans and animals.
The forms of haniwa gradually diversified over time, and they came to represent a variety of tools and scenes thought to relate to burial rituals. This exhibition includes haniwa depicting not only humans and animals, but also a range of other forms.

Shield-Bearing Haniwa
Excavated in Tokushima
Kyoto National Museum

This exhibition explores the history of Japan through introducing a variety of archaeological relics. Many of these artifacts were excavated from ancient ruins. Some are special tools used in rituals and ceremonies, while others are objects used by people in their daily lives. Through exploring Japanese archaeology, we can gain a sense of the lives and experiences of people of the past.

Nearly 850 years ago, the priest Hōnen (1133–1212) founded Japan’s Pure Land sect of Buddhism, Jōdo Shū, in 1175. To commemorate this momentous anniversary, this year the Kyoto National Museum will host Hōnen and Pure Land Buddhism, a special exhibition tracing the history of the Pure Land sect, from October 8 to December 1. As a prelude to the upcoming exhibition, this gallery introduces a selection of rarely seen handscrolls from the Illustrated Biography of Master Hōnen (Hōnen Shōnin e-den). This National Treasure set, which belongs to the Jōdo Shū head temple of Chion-in, depicts Hōnen’s life in detail across forty-eight volumes. We invite you to attend the upcoming special exhibition to view even more scrolls from this extraordinary work.

National Treasure
Illustrated Biography of Master Hōnen, Vol. 44
Chion-in Temple, Kyoto

Esoteric Buddhism (J: mikkyō) has a great variety of rituals in order to pray for different things, each with distinct principal deities and protocols. Japanese monks learned the complex imagery and practices of Esoteric Buddhist ceremonies in China and brought these teachings back to Japan. There were various techniques by which copies of Buddhist paintings were made in the premodern age. They could be sketched through close observation of the original; alternatively, they could be traced onto a thin, semi-transparent sheet of paper placed on top of a painting. Regardless of the technique used, it was ultimately the elegance of the lines that defined a copy’s quality and set professional copyists apart from amateurs.

Important Art Object
Iconography for the Mansion of the External Vajra Section of the Womb-World Mandala
Kyoto National Museum

At the end of the twelfth century, the shogunate established Kamakura as the military capital of Japan. Consequently, with the support of the warrior elite Zen Buddhism and ink painting began to flourish not only in Kyoto, but also in the broader Kanto region (modern-day Tokyo and its surrounding prefectures) encompassing Kamakura. Although the shogunate relocated to Kyoto during the Muromachi period (1392–1573), Kamakura’s rich culture was sustained by warrior families and temples across the Kanto region. Ink paintings from Kanto, which constitute a considerable percentage of the medieval ink paintings that have survived to the present, have exhibited a distinct regional style throughout their long history. Dynamic artists such as Shōkei, Shikibu Terutada, and Sesson flourished under the patronage of powerful daimyo lords from the Uesugi, Satake, and Later Hōjō clans, ushering in a golden age of Japanese medieval ink painting during the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries.

Important Cultural Property
Qin Gao and Other Immortals
By Sesson
Kyoto National Museum

Since ancient times, societies and religions throughout the world have observed various customs for escorting the deceased to their burial places. Funerary rituals are not only a way to memorialize those who have passed, but also allow the living to regain a sense of closure and normalcy.
Similarly, paintings honoring the deceased serve a purpose for the living as well as for the dead. This exhibition introduces various depictions of funeral processions, including with two rare works from the Edo period (1615–1868).

Important Cultural Property
Vegetable Parinirvana (Parody of the Death of the Buddha)
By Itō Jakuchū
Gift of Fujiwara Chūichirō
Kyoto National Museum

One enjoyable aspect of viewing paintings is delving into the stories of the characters within them. By examining the expressions, actions, and attire of human figures, along with the “stage” created by their surroundings, viewers can imagine the lives of a painting’s subjects even if their story is unfamiliar. Immersing yourself in the narrative, the relationships between characters, or the overarching story brings the world within a painting to life.
This exhibition introduces a variety of figure paintings created in China, ranging from well-known scenes from Records of the Three Kingdoms and works based on the poetry of Li Bai (701–762) to depictions of beautiful women and realistic portraits.

Three Visits, One Meeting
By Sun Yi
Gift of Ueno Seiichi
Kyoto National Museum

The subjects represented within Japanese Buddhist sculptures can be broadly divided into buddhas, bodhisattvas, wisdom kings, and devas. Buddhas (tathāgatas) are beings who have attained enlightenment, such as the Historical Buddha Shakyamuni, the Buddha of Infinite Light Amida (Amitābha), and the Medicine Buddha Yakushi (Bhaisajyaguru). As buddhas have taken monastic vows, they are generally portrayed wearing a single garment representing a clerical robe.
Bodhisattvas are those on the path to attaining enlightenment. Instead of resembling monks, their appearances are more decorative, referencing ancient Indian royalty. Kannon (Avalokiteśvara) and Jizō (Kṣitigarbha) number among the many different bodhisattvas. Representations of Kannon alone include the Eleven-Headed Kannon, Thousand-Armed Kannon, Wish-Fulfilling Kannon, and many more, as Kannon is believed to manifest into various forms in order to adapt to different kinds of suffering and save all living beings. This exhibition explores the many representations of Buddhas and bodhisattvas.

Important Cultural Property
Standing Yakushi (Bhaiṣajyaguru) Buddha
Chōgen-ji Temple, Kyoto

This fifteenth-century Dōmaru Armor with Blue Lacing has long been renowned for its refined coloration and classical appeal, as evidenced by its inclusion in the book of celebrated artworks, Shūko jisshū (Collected Antiquities in Ten Categories), published in the year 1800 by the daimyo connoisseur Matsudaira Sadanobu. Armor is inherently a composite art form, comprising not only metal fittings, but also silk braided cords, woven silk textiles, lacquer, and leather. As some of these organic materials exhibited pronounced signs of degradation, the conservation of this armor was essential for it to be passed on to future generations. This special viewing commemorates the completion of its monumental conservation, made possible through the generous support of the Bank of America Art Conservation Project.

Important Cultural Property
Dōmaru Armor with Blue Lacing
Kyoto National Museum

Museums are tasked with the important duty of passing down cultural properties to future generations. Conservation, despite often going unnoticed, is crucial to carrying out this mission.
This exhibition highlights three fields of metalwork. Sword polishing allows us to explore forged works, while incense burners and lanterns provide insight into the scientific approaches and traditional techniques related to conserving cast metal objects. Finally, we trace the conservation of armor occurring from the Edo period (1615–1868) through modern times in tandem with the special viewing of the Important Cultural Property Dōmaru Armor with Blue Lacing. By examining these different realms of metalwork, this exhibition introduces the various materials and techniques used in cutting-edge conservation of cultural properties.

Important Cultural Property
Haramaki Armor
Amanosan Kongō-ji Temple, Osaka

When the trunk of a lacquer tree is cut, it secretes sap to heal the wound. This sap reacts to the oxygen contained in the humidity in the air and solidifies, becoming durable enough to be polished or carved into relief patterns. Humans have used this sturdy substance as a coating and adhesive for thousands of years. Polished lacquer has a distinctive deep luster; its glossy finish is particularly well-suited to renditions of designs of water and shoreline scenery (although some works have lost their original sheen over time). Please enjoy the refreshing waterside scenes depicted in these lacquer works.

Presentation Tray with Auspicious Shells and Stag Seaweed
By Yamamoto Rihee of Minoya
Gift of Inagaki Magoichirō
Kyoto National Museum

Among the most prized utensils used in the practice of tea (chanoyu) are ceramic tea containers known as a chaire (pronounced “cha-ee-reh”), used to hold powdered matcha. While these modest jar-shaped vessels are small in scale, they have a large presence at tea gatherings, ranking higher than fresh water containers (mizusashi) or even tea bowls (chawan). Some chaire are made in Japan (wamono), but even more prized are imported Chinese wares known as karamono. When appreciating tea containers, connoisseurs consider the location of the kiln, the form of the vessel, and the application of glazes. The silk drawstring pouches (shifuku) custom made for each container, the ivory lids, the inscriptions, and the accompanying trays are also distinguishing features. Which of the tea containers in this exhibition most appeals to you?

Shouldered (Katatsuki) Tea Container, Named "Zangetsu"(Lingering Moon)
China, Southern Song–Yuan dynasty, 13th–14th c.
Agency for Cultural Affairs

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.

The origins of the unglazed earthenware funerary objects known as haniwa (literally, “clay cylinders”) can be traced to the later part of the Yayoi period, circa the first through third century CE, when jars and their accompanying large-scale stands were left in and around burial mounds. In the latter half of the third century, jar-shaped, cylindrical, and trumpet-shaped haniwa began to appear. By the fourth century, haniwa were being made in the form of houses, sunshades, armor, and other weapons. From the fifth century, figures of horses and female shamans (miko) preceded the appearance of a vast array of humans and animals.
The forms of haniwa gradually diversified over time, and they came to represent a variety of tools and scenes thought to relate to burial rituals. This exhibition includes haniwa depicting not only humans and animals, but also a range of other forms.

Shield-Bearing Haniwa
Excavated in Tokushima
Kyoto National Museum

This exhibition explores the history of Japan through introducing a variety of archaeological relics. Many of these artifacts were excavated from ancient ruins. Some are special tools used in rituals and ceremonies, while others are objects used by people in their daily lives. Through exploring Japanese archaeology, we can gain a sense of the lives and experiences of people of the past.

Nearly 850 years ago, the priest Hōnen (1133–1212) founded Japan’s Pure Land sect of Buddhism, Jōdo Shū, in 1175. To commemorate this momentous anniversary, this year the Kyoto National Museum will host Hōnen and Pure Land Buddhism, a special exhibition tracing the history of the Pure Land sect, from October 8 to December 1. As a prelude to the upcoming exhibition, this gallery introduces a selection of rarely seen handscrolls from the Illustrated Biography of Master Hōnen (Hōnen Shōnin e-den). This National Treasure set, which belongs to the Jōdo Shū head temple of Chion-in, depicts Hōnen’s life in detail across forty-eight volumes. We invite you to attend the upcoming special exhibition to view even more scrolls from this extraordinary work.

National Treasure
Illustrated Biography of Master Hōnen, Vol. 44
Chion-in Temple, Kyoto

Esoteric Buddhism (J: mikkyō) has a great variety of rituals in order to pray for different things, each with distinct principal deities and protocols. Japanese monks learned the complex imagery and practices of Esoteric Buddhist ceremonies in China and brought these teachings back to Japan. There were various techniques by which copies of Buddhist paintings were made in the premodern age. They could be sketched through close observation of the original; alternatively, they could be traced onto a thin, semi-transparent sheet of paper placed on top of a painting. Regardless of the technique used, it was ultimately the elegance of the lines that defined a copy’s quality and set professional copyists apart from amateurs.

Important Art Object
Iconography for the Mansion of the External Vajra Section of the Womb-World Mandala
Kyoto National Museum

At the end of the twelfth century, the shogunate established Kamakura as the military capital of Japan. Consequently, with the support of the warrior elite Zen Buddhism and ink painting began to flourish not only in Kyoto, but also in the broader Kanto region (modern-day Tokyo and its surrounding prefectures) encompassing Kamakura. Although the shogunate relocated to Kyoto during the Muromachi period (1392–1573), Kamakura’s rich culture was sustained by warrior families and temples across the Kanto region. Ink paintings from Kanto, which constitute a considerable percentage of the medieval ink paintings that have survived to the present, have exhibited a distinct regional style throughout their long history. Dynamic artists such as Shōkei, Shikibu Terutada, and Sesson flourished under the patronage of powerful daimyo lords from the Uesugi, Satake, and Later Hōjō clans, ushering in a golden age of Japanese medieval ink painting during the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries.

Important Cultural Property
Qin Gao and Other Immortals
By Sesson
Kyoto National Museum

Since ancient times, societies and religions throughout the world have observed various customs for escorting the deceased to their burial places. Funerary rituals are not only a way to memorialize those who have passed, but also allow the living to regain a sense of closure and normalcy.
Similarly, paintings honoring the deceased serve a purpose for the living as well as for the dead. This exhibition introduces various depictions of funeral processions, including with two rare works from the Edo period (1615–1868).

Important Cultural Property
Vegetable Parinirvana (Parody of the Death of the Buddha)
By Itō Jakuchū
Gift of Fujiwara Chūichirō
Kyoto National Museum

One enjoyable aspect of viewing paintings is delving into the stories of the characters within them. By examining the expressions, actions, and attire of human figures, along with the “stage” created by their surroundings, viewers can imagine the lives of a painting’s subjects even if their story is unfamiliar. Immersing yourself in the narrative, the relationships between characters, or the overarching story brings the world within a painting to life.
This exhibition introduces a variety of figure paintings created in China, ranging from well-known scenes from Records of the Three Kingdoms and works based on the poetry of Li Bai (701–762) to depictions of beautiful women and realistic portraits.

Three Visits, One Meeting
By Sun Yi
Gift of Ueno Seiichi
Kyoto National Museum

The subjects represented within Japanese Buddhist sculptures can be broadly divided into buddhas, bodhisattvas, wisdom kings, and devas. Buddhas (tathāgatas) are beings who have attained enlightenment, such as the Historical Buddha Shakyamuni, the Buddha of Infinite Light Amida (Amitābha), and the Medicine Buddha Yakushi (Bhaisajyaguru). As buddhas have taken monastic vows, they are generally portrayed wearing a single garment representing a clerical robe.
Bodhisattvas are those on the path to attaining enlightenment. Instead of resembling monks, their appearances are more decorative, referencing ancient Indian royalty. Kannon (Avalokiteśvara) and Jizō (Kṣitigarbha) number among the many different bodhisattvas. Representations of Kannon alone include the Eleven-Headed Kannon, Thousand-Armed Kannon, Wish-Fulfilling Kannon, and many more, as Kannon is believed to manifest into various forms in order to adapt to different kinds of suffering and save all living beings. This exhibition explores the many representations of Buddhas and bodhisattvas.

Important Cultural Property
Standing Yakushi (Bhaiṣajyaguru) Buddha
Chōgen-ji Temple, Kyoto

When the trunk of a lacquer tree is cut, it secretes sap to heal the wound. This sap reacts to the oxygen contained in the humidity in the air and solidifies, becoming durable enough to be polished or carved into relief patterns. Humans have used this sturdy substance as a coating and adhesive for thousands of years. Polished lacquer has a distinctive deep luster; its glossy finish is particularly well-suited to renditions of designs of water and shoreline scenery (although some works have lost their original sheen over time). Please enjoy the refreshing waterside scenes depicted in these lacquer works.

Presentation Tray with Auspicious Shells and Stag Seaweed
By Yamamoto Rihee of Minoya
Gift of Inagaki Magoichirō
Kyoto National Museum

Among the most prized utensils used in the practice of tea (chanoyu) are ceramic tea containers known as a chaire (pronounced “cha-ee-reh”), used to hold powdered matcha. While these modest jar-shaped vessels are small in scale, they have a large presence at tea gatherings, ranking higher than fresh water containers (mizusashi) or even tea bowls (chawan). Some chaire are made in Japan (wamono), but even more prized are imported Chinese wares known as karamono. When appreciating tea containers, connoisseurs consider the location of the kiln, the form of the vessel, and the application of glazes. The silk drawstring pouches (shifuku) custom made for each container, the ivory lids, the inscriptions, and the accompanying trays are also distinguishing features. Which of the tea containers in this exhibition most appeals to you?

Shouldered (Katatsuki) Tea Container, Named "Zangetsu"(Lingering Moon)
China, Southern Song–Yuan dynasty, 13th–14th c.
Agency for Cultural Affairs

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.

The origins of the unglazed earthenware funerary objects known as haniwa (literally, “clay cylinders”) can be traced to the later part of the Yayoi period, circa the first through third century CE, when jars and their accompanying large-scale stands were left in and around burial mounds. In the latter half of the third century, jar-shaped, cylindrical, and trumpet-shaped haniwa began to appear. By the fourth century, haniwa were being made in the form of houses, sunshades, armor, and other weapons. From the fifth century, figures of horses and female shamans (miko) preceded the appearance of a vast array of humans and animals.
The forms of haniwa gradually diversified over time, and they came to represent a variety of tools and scenes thought to relate to burial rituals. This exhibition includes haniwa depicting not only humans and animals, but also a range of other forms.

Shield-Bearing Haniwa
Excavated in Tokushima
Kyoto National Museum

This exhibition explores the history of Japan through introducing a variety of archaeological relics. Many of these artifacts were excavated from ancient ruins. Some are special tools used in rituals and ceremonies, while others are objects used by people in their daily lives. Through exploring Japanese archaeology, we can gain a sense of the lives and experiences of people of the past.

Nearly 850 years ago, the priest Hōnen (1133–1212) founded Japan’s Pure Land sect of Buddhism, Jōdo Shū, in 1175. To commemorate this momentous anniversary, this year the Kyoto National Museum will host Hōnen and Pure Land Buddhism, a special exhibition tracing the history of the Pure Land sect, from October 8 to December 1. As a prelude to the upcoming exhibition, this gallery introduces a selection of rarely seen handscrolls from the Illustrated Biography of Master Hōnen (Hōnen Shōnin e-den). This National Treasure set, which belongs to the Jōdo Shū head temple of Chion-in, depicts Hōnen’s life in detail across forty-eight volumes. We invite you to attend the upcoming special exhibition to view even more scrolls from this extraordinary work.

National Treasure
Illustrated Biography of Master Hōnen, Vol. 44
Chion-in Temple, Kyoto

Esoteric Buddhism (J: mikkyō) has a great variety of rituals in order to pray for different things, each with distinct principal deities and protocols. Japanese monks learned the complex imagery and practices of Esoteric Buddhist ceremonies in China and brought these teachings back to Japan. There were various techniques by which copies of Buddhist paintings were made in the premodern age. They could be sketched through close observation of the original; alternatively, they could be traced onto a thin, semi-transparent sheet of paper placed on top of a painting. Regardless of the technique used, it was ultimately the elegance of the lines that defined a copy’s quality and set professional copyists apart from amateurs.

Important Art Object
Iconography for the Mansion of the External Vajra Section of the Womb-World Mandala
Kyoto National Museum

At the end of the twelfth century, the shogunate established Kamakura as the military capital of Japan. Consequently, with the support of the warrior elite Zen Buddhism and ink painting began to flourish not only in Kyoto, but also in the broader Kanto region (modern-day Tokyo and its surrounding prefectures) encompassing Kamakura. Although the shogunate relocated to Kyoto during the Muromachi period (1392–1573), Kamakura’s rich culture was sustained by warrior families and temples across the Kanto region. Ink paintings from Kanto, which constitute a considerable percentage of the medieval ink paintings that have survived to the present, have exhibited a distinct regional style throughout their long history. Dynamic artists such as Shōkei, Shikibu Terutada, and Sesson flourished under the patronage of powerful daimyo lords from the Uesugi, Satake, and Later Hōjō clans, ushering in a golden age of Japanese medieval ink painting during the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries.

Important Cultural Property
Qin Gao and Other Immortals
By Sesson
Kyoto National Museum

Since ancient times, societies and religions throughout the world have observed various customs for escorting the deceased to their burial places. Funerary rituals are not only a way to memorialize those who have passed, but also allow the living to regain a sense of closure and normalcy.
Similarly, paintings honoring the deceased serve a purpose for the living as well as for the dead. This exhibition introduces various depictions of funeral processions, including with two rare works from the Edo period (1615–1868).

Important Cultural Property
Vegetable Parinirvana (Parody of the Death of the Buddha)
By Itō Jakuchū
Gift of Fujiwara Chūichirō
Kyoto National Museum

One enjoyable aspect of viewing paintings is delving into the stories of the characters within them. By examining the expressions, actions, and attire of human figures, along with the “stage” created by their surroundings, viewers can imagine the lives of a painting’s subjects even if their story is unfamiliar. Immersing yourself in the narrative, the relationships between characters, or the overarching story brings the world within a painting to life.
This exhibition introduces a variety of figure paintings created in China, ranging from well-known scenes from Records of the Three Kingdoms and works based on the poetry of Li Bai (701–762) to depictions of beautiful women and realistic portraits.

Three Visits, One Meeting
By Sun Yi
Gift of Ueno Seiichi
Kyoto National Museum

The subjects represented within Japanese Buddhist sculptures can be broadly divided into buddhas, bodhisattvas, wisdom kings, and devas. Buddhas (tathāgatas) are beings who have attained enlightenment, such as the Historical Buddha Shakyamuni, the Buddha of Infinite Light Amida (Amitābha), and the Medicine Buddha Yakushi (Bhaisajyaguru). As buddhas have taken monastic vows, they are generally portrayed wearing a single garment representing a clerical robe.
Bodhisattvas are those on the path to attaining enlightenment. Instead of resembling monks, their appearances are more decorative, referencing ancient Indian royalty. Kannon (Avalokiteśvara) and Jizō (Kṣitigarbha) number among the many different bodhisattvas. Representations of Kannon alone include the Eleven-Headed Kannon, Thousand-Armed Kannon, Wish-Fulfilling Kannon, and many more, as Kannon is believed to manifest into various forms in order to adapt to different kinds of suffering and save all living beings. This exhibition explores the many representations of Buddhas and bodhisattvas.

Important Cultural Property
Standing Yakushi (Bhaiṣajyaguru) Buddha
Chōgen-ji Temple, Kyoto

The Japanese classical theater traditions of Bugaku and Noh have been preserved over the centuries thanks to the patronage of the imperial court, the shogunate, and shrines and temples. Bugaku is an ancient, imported form of music accompanied by dance. It was passed down as a part of ceremonies performed at the imperial court, at shrines, or at temples. Noh, a form of drama incorporating both singing and dancing, originated in the Muromachi period (1392–1573) and eventually became a ritual form of performance for the samurai class during the Edo period (1615–1868). This exhibition introduces various costumes used in these elegant forms of theater, showcasing the finest textiles from each period.

Noh Costume, Nuihaku with Sandbanks and Flowers
From the Maekuma Collection of Noh Materials
Agency for Cultural Affairs

Cloisonné (J: shippō or shippō yaki) is a decorative technique in which vitreous enamels, often edged with wire, are baked onto metal to form colorful glassy designs. Cloisonné production dates back over two millennia, extending across a vast area including Ancient Egypt, the Near and Middle East, Europe, and China. Cloisonné was also produced in Japan in ancient times, influenced by imports from the mainland, but fell into decline by the eighth century. In China, however, the technique continued to be utilized. Beginning in the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), many Chinese cloisonné objects were imported to Japan and acquired by consumers with continental tastes. Over time, Japanese artisans began to copy these Chinese metalworks, leading to a revival of domestic cloisonné production during the Edo period (1615–1868). Please enjoy the colorful array of cloisonné works in this exhibition.

Rimmed Basin with Birds and Flowers
Gift of Hiromi Haruki
Kyoto National Museum

When the trunk of a lacquer tree is cut, it secretes sap to heal the wound. This sap reacts to the oxygen contained in the humidity in the air and solidifies, becoming durable enough to be polished or carved into relief patterns. Humans have used this sturdy substance as a coating and adhesive for thousands of years. Polished lacquer has a distinctive deep luster; its glossy finish is particularly well-suited to renditions of designs of water and shoreline scenery (although some works have lost their original sheen over time). Please enjoy the refreshing waterside scenes depicted in these lacquer works.

Presentation Tray with Auspicious Shells and Stag Seaweed
By Yamamoto Rihee of Minoya
Gift of Inagaki Magoichirō
Kyoto National Museum

Among the most prized utensils used in the practice of tea (chanoyu) are ceramic tea containers known as a chaire (pronounced “cha-ee-reh”), used to hold powdered matcha. While these modest jar-shaped vessels are small in scale, they have a large presence at tea gatherings, ranking higher than fresh water containers (mizusashi) or even tea bowls (chawan). Some chaire are made in Japan (wamono), but even more prized are imported Chinese wares known as karamono. When appreciating tea containers, connoisseurs consider the location of the kiln, the form of the vessel, and the application of glazes. The silk drawstring pouches (shifuku) custom made for each container, the ivory lids, the inscriptions, and the accompanying trays are also distinguishing features. Which of the tea containers in this exhibition most appeals to you?

Shouldered (Katatsuki) Tea Container, Named "Zangetsu"(Lingering Moon)
China, Southern Song–Yuan dynasty, 13th–14th c.
Agency for Cultural Affairs

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.

The origins of the unglazed earthenware funerary objects known as haniwa (literally, “clay cylinders”) can be traced to the later part of the Yayoi period, circa the first through third century CE, when jars and their accompanying large-scale stands were left in and around burial mounds. In the latter half of the third century, jar-shaped, cylindrical, and trumpet-shaped haniwa began to appear. By the fourth century, haniwa were being made in the form of houses, sunshades, armor, and other weapons. From the fifth century, figures of horses and female shamans (miko) preceded the appearance of a vast array of humans and animals.
The forms of haniwa gradually diversified over time, and they came to represent a variety of tools and scenes thought to relate to burial rituals. This exhibition includes haniwa depicting not only humans and animals, but also a range of other forms.

Shield-Bearing Haniwa
Excavated in Tokushima
Kyoto National Museum

This exhibition explores the history of Japan through introducing a variety of archaeological relics. Many of these artifacts were excavated from ancient ruins. Some are special tools used in rituals and ceremonies, while others are objects used by people in their daily lives. Through exploring Japanese archaeology, we can gain a sense of the lives and experiences of people of the past.

Nearly 850 years ago, the priest Hōnen (1133–1212) founded Japan’s Pure Land sect of Buddhism, Jōdo Shū, in 1175. To commemorate this momentous anniversary, this year the Kyoto National Museum will host Hōnen and Pure Land Buddhism, a special exhibition tracing the history of the Pure Land sect, from October 8 to December 1. As a prelude to the upcoming exhibition, this gallery introduces a selection of rarely seen handscrolls from the Illustrated Biography of Master Hōnen (Hōnen Shōnin e-den). This National Treasure set, which belongs to the Jōdo Shū head temple of Chion-in, depicts Hōnen’s life in detail across forty-eight volumes. We invite you to attend the upcoming special exhibition to view even more scrolls from this extraordinary work.

National Treasure
Illustrated Biography of Master Hōnen, Vol. 44
Chion-in Temple, Kyoto

Esoteric Buddhism (J: mikkyō) has a great variety of rituals in order to pray for different things, each with distinct principal deities and protocols. Japanese monks learned the complex imagery and practices of Esoteric Buddhist ceremonies in China and brought these teachings back to Japan. There were various techniques by which copies of Buddhist paintings were made in the premodern age. They could be sketched through close observation of the original; alternatively, they could be traced onto a thin, semi-transparent sheet of paper placed on top of a painting. Regardless of the technique used, it was ultimately the elegance of the lines that defined a copy’s quality and set professional copyists apart from amateurs.

Important Art Object
Iconography for the Mansion of the External Vajra Section of the Womb-World Mandala
Kyoto National Museum

At the end of the twelfth century, the shogunate established Kamakura as the military capital of Japan. Consequently, with the support of the warrior elite Zen Buddhism and ink painting began to flourish not only in Kyoto, but also in the broader Kanto region (modern-day Tokyo and its surrounding prefectures) encompassing Kamakura. Although the shogunate relocated to Kyoto during the Muromachi period (1392–1573), Kamakura’s rich culture was sustained by warrior families and temples across the Kanto region. Ink paintings from Kanto, which constitute a considerable percentage of the medieval ink paintings that have survived to the present, have exhibited a distinct regional style throughout their long history. Dynamic artists such as Shōkei, Shikibu Terutada, and Sesson flourished under the patronage of powerful daimyo lords from the Uesugi, Satake, and Later Hōjō clans, ushering in a golden age of Japanese medieval ink painting during the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries.

Important Cultural Property
Qin Gao and Other Immortals
By Sesson
Kyoto National Museum

Since ancient times, societies and religions throughout the world have observed various customs for escorting the deceased to their burial places. Funerary rituals are not only a way to memorialize those who have passed, but also allow the living to regain a sense of closure and normalcy.
Similarly, paintings honoring the deceased serve a purpose for the living as well as for the dead. This exhibition introduces various depictions of funeral processions, including with two rare works from the Edo period (1615–1868).

Important Cultural Property
Vegetable Parinirvana (Parody of the Death of the Buddha)
By Itō Jakuchū
Gift of Fujiwara Chūichirō
Kyoto National Museum

One enjoyable aspect of viewing paintings is delving into the stories of the characters within them. By examining the expressions, actions, and attire of human figures, along with the “stage” created by their surroundings, viewers can imagine the lives of a painting’s subjects even if their story is unfamiliar. Immersing yourself in the narrative, the relationships between characters, or the overarching story brings the world within a painting to life.
This exhibition introduces a variety of figure paintings created in China, ranging from well-known scenes from Records of the Three Kingdoms and works based on the poetry of Li Bai (701–762) to depictions of beautiful women and realistic portraits.

Three Visits, One Meeting
By Sun Yi
Gift of Ueno Seiichi
Kyoto National Museum

The subjects represented within Japanese Buddhist sculptures can be broadly divided into buddhas, bodhisattvas, wisdom kings, and devas. Buddhas (tathāgatas) are beings who have attained enlightenment, such as the Historical Buddha Shakyamuni, the Buddha of Infinite Light Amida (Amitābha), and the Medicine Buddha Yakushi (Bhaisajyaguru). As buddhas have taken monastic vows, they are generally portrayed wearing a single garment representing a clerical robe.
Bodhisattvas are those on the path to attaining enlightenment. Instead of resembling monks, their appearances are more decorative, referencing ancient Indian royalty. Kannon (Avalokiteśvara) and Jizō (Kṣitigarbha) number among the many different bodhisattvas. Representations of Kannon alone include the Eleven-Headed Kannon, Thousand-Armed Kannon, Wish-Fulfilling Kannon, and many more, as Kannon is believed to manifest into various forms in order to adapt to different kinds of suffering and save all living beings. This exhibition explores the many representations of Buddhas and bodhisattvas.

Important Cultural Property
Standing Yakushi (Bhaiṣajyaguru) Buddha
Chōgen-ji Temple, Kyoto

The Japanese classical theater traditions of Bugaku and Noh have been preserved over the centuries thanks to the patronage of the imperial court, the shogunate, and shrines and temples. Bugaku is an ancient, imported form of music accompanied by dance. It was passed down as a part of ceremonies performed at the imperial court, at shrines, or at temples. Noh, a form of drama incorporating both singing and dancing, originated in the Muromachi period (1392–1573) and eventually became a ritual form of performance for the samurai class during the Edo period (1615–1868). This exhibition introduces various costumes used in these elegant forms of theater, showcasing the finest textiles from each period.

Noh Costume, Nuihaku with Sandbanks and Flowers
From the Maekuma Collection of Noh Materials
Agency for Cultural Affairs

Cloisonné (J: shippō or shippō yaki) is a decorative technique in which vitreous enamels, often edged with wire, are baked onto metal to form colorful glassy designs. Cloisonné production dates back over two millennia, extending across a vast area including Ancient Egypt, the Near and Middle East, Europe, and China. Cloisonné was also produced in Japan in ancient times, influenced by imports from the mainland, but fell into decline by the eighth century. In China, however, the technique continued to be utilized. Beginning in the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), many Chinese cloisonné objects were imported to Japan and acquired by consumers with continental tastes. Over time, Japanese artisans began to copy these Chinese metalworks, leading to a revival of domestic cloisonné production during the Edo period (1615–1868). Please enjoy the colorful array of cloisonné works in this exhibition.

Rimmed Basin with Birds and Flowers
Gift of Hiromi Haruki
Kyoto National Museum

When the trunk of a lacquer tree is cut, it secretes sap to heal the wound. This sap reacts to the oxygen contained in the humidity in the air and solidifies, becoming durable enough to be polished or carved into relief patterns. Humans have used this sturdy substance as a coating and adhesive for thousands of years. Polished lacquer has a distinctive deep luster; its glossy finish is particularly well-suited to renditions of designs of water and shoreline scenery (although some works have lost their original sheen over time). Please enjoy the refreshing waterside scenes depicted in these lacquer works.

Presentation Tray with Auspicious Shells and Stag Seaweed
By Yamamoto Rihee of Minoya
Gift of Inagaki Magoichirō
Kyoto National Museum

Among the most prized utensils used in the practice of tea (chanoyu) are ceramic tea containers known as a chaire (pronounced “cha-ee-reh”), used to hold powdered matcha. While these modest jar-shaped vessels are small in scale, they have a large presence at tea gatherings, ranking higher than fresh water containers (mizusashi) or even tea bowls (chawan). Some chaire are made in Japan (wamono), but even more prized are imported Chinese wares known as karamono. When appreciating tea containers, connoisseurs consider the location of the kiln, the form of the vessel, and the application of glazes. The silk drawstring pouches (shifuku) custom made for each container, the ivory lids, the inscriptions, and the accompanying trays are also distinguishing features. Which of the tea containers in this exhibition most appeals to you?

Shouldered (Katatsuki) Tea Container, Named "Zangetsu"(Lingering Moon)
China, Southern Song–Yuan dynasty, 13th–14th c.
Agency for Cultural Affairs

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.

The origins of the unglazed earthenware funerary objects known as haniwa (literally, “clay cylinders”) can be traced to the later part of the Yayoi period, circa the first through third century CE, when jars and their accompanying large-scale stands were left in and around burial mounds. In the latter half of the third century, jar-shaped, cylindrical, and trumpet-shaped haniwa began to appear. By the fourth century, haniwa were being made in the form of houses, sunshades, armor, and other weapons. From the fifth century, figures of horses and female shamans (miko) preceded the appearance of a vast array of humans and animals.
The forms of haniwa gradually diversified over time, and they came to represent a variety of tools and scenes thought to relate to burial rituals. This exhibition includes haniwa depicting not only humans and animals, but also a range of other forms.

Shield-Bearing Haniwa
Excavated in Tokushima
Kyoto National Museum

This exhibition explores the history of Japan through introducing a variety of archaeological relics. Many of these artifacts were excavated from ancient ruins. Some are special tools used in rituals and ceremonies, while others are objects used by people in their daily lives. Through exploring Japanese archaeology, we can gain a sense of the lives and experiences of people of the past.

Nearly 850 years ago, the priest Hōnen (1133–1212) founded Japan’s Pure Land sect of Buddhism, Jōdo Shū, in 1175. To commemorate this momentous anniversary, this year the Kyoto National Museum will host Hōnen and Pure Land Buddhism, a special exhibition tracing the history of the Pure Land sect, from October 8 to December 1. As a prelude to the upcoming exhibition, this gallery introduces a selection of rarely seen handscrolls from the Illustrated Biography of Master Hōnen (Hōnen Shōnin e-den). This National Treasure set, which belongs to the Jōdo Shū head temple of Chion-in, depicts Hōnen’s life in detail across forty-eight volumes. We invite you to attend the upcoming special exhibition to view even more scrolls from this extraordinary work.

National Treasure
Illustrated Biography of Master Hōnen, Vol. 44
Chion-in Temple, Kyoto

Esoteric Buddhism (J: mikkyō) has a great variety of rituals in order to pray for different things, each with distinct principal deities and protocols. Japanese monks learned the complex imagery and practices of Esoteric Buddhist ceremonies in China and brought these teachings back to Japan. There were various techniques by which copies of Buddhist paintings were made in the premodern age. They could be sketched through close observation of the original; alternatively, they could be traced onto a thin, semi-transparent sheet of paper placed on top of a painting. Regardless of the technique used, it was ultimately the elegance of the lines that defined a copy’s quality and set professional copyists apart from amateurs.

Important Art Object
Iconography for the Mansion of the External Vajra Section of the Womb-World Mandala
Kyoto National Museum

At the end of the twelfth century, the shogunate established Kamakura as the military capital of Japan. Consequently, with the support of the warrior elite Zen Buddhism and ink painting began to flourish not only in Kyoto, but also in the broader Kanto region (modern-day Tokyo and its surrounding prefectures) encompassing Kamakura. Although the shogunate relocated to Kyoto during the Muromachi period (1392–1573), Kamakura’s rich culture was sustained by warrior families and temples across the Kanto region. Ink paintings from Kanto, which constitute a considerable percentage of the medieval ink paintings that have survived to the present, have exhibited a distinct regional style throughout their long history. Dynamic artists such as Shōkei, Shikibu Terutada, and Sesson flourished under the patronage of powerful daimyo lords from the Uesugi, Satake, and Later Hōjō clans, ushering in a golden age of Japanese medieval ink painting during the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries.

Important Cultural Property
Qin Gao and Other Immortals
By Sesson
Kyoto National Museum

Since ancient times, societies and religions throughout the world have observed various customs for escorting the deceased to their burial places. Funerary rituals are not only a way to memorialize those who have passed, but also allow the living to regain a sense of closure and normalcy.
Similarly, paintings honoring the deceased serve a purpose for the living as well as for the dead. This exhibition introduces various depictions of funeral processions, including with two rare works from the Edo period (1615–1868).

Important Cultural Property
Vegetable Parinirvana (Parody of the Death of the Buddha)
By Itō Jakuchū
Gift of Fujiwara Chūichirō
Kyoto National Museum

One enjoyable aspect of viewing paintings is delving into the stories of the characters within them. By examining the expressions, actions, and attire of human figures, along with the “stage” created by their surroundings, viewers can imagine the lives of a painting’s subjects even if their story is unfamiliar. Immersing yourself in the narrative, the relationships between characters, or the overarching story brings the world within a painting to life.
This exhibition introduces a variety of figure paintings created in China, ranging from well-known scenes from Records of the Three Kingdoms and works based on the poetry of Li Bai (701–762) to depictions of beautiful women and realistic portraits.

Three Visits, One Meeting
By Sun Yi
Gift of Ueno Seiichi
Kyoto National Museum

The subjects represented within Japanese Buddhist sculptures can be broadly divided into buddhas, bodhisattvas, wisdom kings, and devas. Buddhas (tathāgatas) are beings who have attained enlightenment, such as the Historical Buddha Shakyamuni, the Buddha of Infinite Light Amida (Amitābha), and the Medicine Buddha Yakushi (Bhaisajyaguru). As buddhas have taken monastic vows, they are generally portrayed wearing a single garment representing a clerical robe.
Bodhisattvas are those on the path to attaining enlightenment. Instead of resembling monks, their appearances are more decorative, referencing ancient Indian royalty. Kannon (Avalokiteśvara) and Jizō (Kṣitigarbha) number among the many different bodhisattvas. Representations of Kannon alone include the Eleven-Headed Kannon, Thousand-Armed Kannon, Wish-Fulfilling Kannon, and many more, as Kannon is believed to manifest into various forms in order to adapt to different kinds of suffering and save all living beings. This exhibition explores the many representations of Buddhas and bodhisattvas.

Important Cultural Property
Standing Yakushi (Bhaiṣajyaguru) Buddha
Chōgen-ji Temple, Kyoto

The Japanese classical theater traditions of Bugaku and Noh have been preserved over the centuries thanks to the patronage of the imperial court, the shogunate, and shrines and temples. Bugaku is an ancient, imported form of music accompanied by dance. It was passed down as a part of ceremonies performed at the imperial court, at shrines, or at temples. Noh, a form of drama incorporating both singing and dancing, originated in the Muromachi period (1392–1573) and eventually became a ritual form of performance for the samurai class during the Edo period (1615–1868). This exhibition introduces various costumes used in these elegant forms of theater, showcasing the finest textiles from each period.

Noh Costume, Nuihaku with Sandbanks and Flowers
From the Maekuma Collection of Noh Materials
Agency for Cultural Affairs

Cloisonné (J: shippō or shippō yaki) is a decorative technique in which vitreous enamels, often edged with wire, are baked onto metal to form colorful glassy designs. Cloisonné production dates back over two millennia, extending across a vast area including Ancient Egypt, the Near and Middle East, Europe, and China. Cloisonné was also produced in Japan in ancient times, influenced by imports from the mainland, but fell into decline by the eighth century. In China, however, the technique continued to be utilized. Beginning in the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), many Chinese cloisonné objects were imported to Japan and acquired by consumers with continental tastes. Over time, Japanese artisans began to copy these Chinese metalworks, leading to a revival of domestic cloisonné production during the Edo period (1615–1868). Please enjoy the colorful array of cloisonné works in this exhibition.

Rimmed Basin with Birds and Flowers
Gift of Hiromi Haruki
Kyoto National Museum

When the trunk of a lacquer tree is cut, it secretes sap to heal the wound. This sap reacts to the oxygen contained in the humidity in the air and solidifies, becoming durable enough to be polished or carved into relief patterns. Humans have used this sturdy substance as a coating and adhesive for thousands of years. Polished lacquer has a distinctive deep luster; its glossy finish is particularly well-suited to renditions of designs of water and shoreline scenery (although some works have lost their original sheen over time). Please enjoy the refreshing waterside scenes depicted in these lacquer works.

Presentation Tray with Auspicious Shells and Stag Seaweed
By Yamamoto Rihee of Minoya
Gift of Inagaki Magoichirō
Kyoto National Museum

Among the most prized utensils used in the practice of tea (chanoyu) are ceramic tea containers known as a chaire (pronounced “cha-ee-reh”), used to hold powdered matcha. While these modest jar-shaped vessels are small in scale, they have a large presence at tea gatherings, ranking higher than fresh water containers (mizusashi) or even tea bowls (chawan). Some chaire are made in Japan (wamono), but even more prized are imported Chinese wares known as karamono. When appreciating tea containers, connoisseurs consider the location of the kiln, the form of the vessel, and the application of glazes. The silk drawstring pouches (shifuku) custom made for each container, the ivory lids, the inscriptions, and the accompanying trays are also distinguishing features. Which of the tea containers in this exhibition most appeals to you?

Shouldered (Katatsuki) Tea Container, Named "Zangetsu"(Lingering Moon)
China, Southern Song–Yuan dynasty, 13th–14th c.
Agency for Cultural Affairs

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.

The origins of the unglazed earthenware funerary objects known as haniwa (literally, “clay cylinders”) can be traced to the later part of the Yayoi period, circa the first through third century CE, when jars and their accompanying large-scale stands were left in and around burial mounds. In the latter half of the third century, jar-shaped, cylindrical, and trumpet-shaped haniwa began to appear. By the fourth century, haniwa were being made in the form of houses, sunshades, armor, and other weapons. From the fifth century, figures of horses and female shamans (miko) preceded the appearance of a vast array of humans and animals.
The forms of haniwa gradually diversified over time, and they came to represent a variety of tools and scenes thought to relate to burial rituals. This exhibition includes haniwa depicting not only humans and animals, but also a range of other forms.

Shield-Bearing Haniwa
Excavated in Tokushima
Kyoto National Museum

This exhibition explores the history of Japan through introducing a variety of archaeological relics. Many of these artifacts were excavated from ancient ruins. Some are special tools used in rituals and ceremonies, while others are objects used by people in their daily lives. Through exploring Japanese archaeology, we can gain a sense of the lives and experiences of people of the past.

Nearly 850 years ago, the priest Hōnen (1133–1212) founded Japan’s Pure Land sect of Buddhism, Jōdo Shū, in 1175. To commemorate this momentous anniversary, this year the Kyoto National Museum will host Hōnen and Pure Land Buddhism, a special exhibition tracing the history of the Pure Land sect, from October 8 to December 1. As a prelude to the upcoming exhibition, this gallery introduces a selection of rarely seen handscrolls from the Illustrated Biography of Master Hōnen (Hōnen Shōnin e-den). This National Treasure set, which belongs to the Jōdo Shū head temple of Chion-in, depicts Hōnen’s life in detail across forty-eight volumes. We invite you to attend the upcoming special exhibition to view even more scrolls from this extraordinary work.

National Treasure
Illustrated Biography of Master Hōnen, Vol. 44
Chion-in Temple, Kyoto

Esoteric Buddhism (J: mikkyō) has a great variety of rituals in order to pray for different things, each with distinct principal deities and protocols. Japanese monks learned the complex imagery and practices of Esoteric Buddhist ceremonies in China and brought these teachings back to Japan. There were various techniques by which copies of Buddhist paintings were made in the premodern age. They could be sketched through close observation of the original; alternatively, they could be traced onto a thin, semi-transparent sheet of paper placed on top of a painting. Regardless of the technique used, it was ultimately the elegance of the lines that defined a copy’s quality and set professional copyists apart from amateurs.

Important Art Object
Iconography for the Mansion of the External Vajra Section of the Womb-World Mandala
Kyoto National Museum

At the end of the twelfth century, the shogunate established Kamakura as the military capital of Japan. Consequently, with the support of the warrior elite Zen Buddhism and ink painting began to flourish not only in Kyoto, but also in the broader Kanto region (modern-day Tokyo and its surrounding prefectures) encompassing Kamakura. Although the shogunate relocated to Kyoto during the Muromachi period (1392–1573), Kamakura’s rich culture was sustained by warrior families and temples across the Kanto region. Ink paintings from Kanto, which constitute a considerable percentage of the medieval ink paintings that have survived to the present, have exhibited a distinct regional style throughout their long history. Dynamic artists such as Shōkei, Shikibu Terutada, and Sesson flourished under the patronage of powerful daimyo lords from the Uesugi, Satake, and Later Hōjō clans, ushering in a golden age of Japanese medieval ink painting during the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries.

Important Cultural Property
Qin Gao and Other Immortals
By Sesson
Kyoto National Museum

Since ancient times, societies and religions throughout the world have observed various customs for escorting the deceased to their burial places. Funerary rituals are not only a way to memorialize those who have passed, but also allow the living to regain a sense of closure and normalcy.
Similarly, paintings honoring the deceased serve a purpose for the living as well as for the dead. This exhibition introduces various depictions of funeral processions, including with two rare works from the Edo period (1615–1868).

Important Cultural Property
Vegetable Parinirvana (Parody of the Death of the Buddha)
By Itō Jakuchū
Gift of Fujiwara Chūichirō
Kyoto National Museum

One enjoyable aspect of viewing paintings is delving into the stories of the characters within them. By examining the expressions, actions, and attire of human figures, along with the “stage” created by their surroundings, viewers can imagine the lives of a painting’s subjects even if their story is unfamiliar. Immersing yourself in the narrative, the relationships between characters, or the overarching story brings the world within a painting to life.
This exhibition introduces a variety of figure paintings created in China, ranging from well-known scenes from Records of the Three Kingdoms and works based on the poetry of Li Bai (701–762) to depictions of beautiful women and realistic portraits.

Three Visits, One Meeting
By Sun Yi
Gift of Ueno Seiichi
Kyoto National Museum

The subjects represented within Japanese Buddhist sculptures can be broadly divided into buddhas, bodhisattvas, wisdom kings, and devas. Buddhas (tathāgatas) are beings who have attained enlightenment, such as the Historical Buddha Shakyamuni, the Buddha of Infinite Light Amida (Amitābha), and the Medicine Buddha Yakushi (Bhaisajyaguru). As buddhas have taken monastic vows, they are generally portrayed wearing a single garment representing a clerical robe.
Bodhisattvas are those on the path to attaining enlightenment. Instead of resembling monks, their appearances are more decorative, referencing ancient Indian royalty. Kannon (Avalokiteśvara) and Jizō (Kṣitigarbha) number among the many different bodhisattvas. Representations of Kannon alone include the Eleven-Headed Kannon, Thousand-Armed Kannon, Wish-Fulfilling Kannon, and many more, as Kannon is believed to manifest into various forms in order to adapt to different kinds of suffering and save all living beings. This exhibition explores the many representations of Buddhas and bodhisattvas.

Important Cultural Property
Standing Yakushi (Bhaiṣajyaguru) Buddha
Chōgen-ji Temple, Kyoto

The Japanese classical theater traditions of Bugaku and Noh have been preserved over the centuries thanks to the patronage of the imperial court, the shogunate, and shrines and temples. Bugaku is an ancient, imported form of music accompanied by dance. It was passed down as a part of ceremonies performed at the imperial court, at shrines, or at temples. Noh, a form of drama incorporating both singing and dancing, originated in the Muromachi period (1392–1573) and eventually became a ritual form of performance for the samurai class during the Edo period (1615–1868). This exhibition introduces various costumes used in these elegant forms of theater, showcasing the finest textiles from each period.

Noh Costume, Nuihaku with Sandbanks and Flowers
From the Maekuma Collection of Noh Materials
Agency for Cultural Affairs

Cloisonné (J: shippō or shippō yaki) is a decorative technique in which vitreous enamels, often edged with wire, are baked onto metal to form colorful glassy designs. Cloisonné production dates back over two millennia, extending across a vast area including Ancient Egypt, the Near and Middle East, Europe, and China. Cloisonné was also produced in Japan in ancient times, influenced by imports from the mainland, but fell into decline by the eighth century. In China, however, the technique continued to be utilized. Beginning in the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), many Chinese cloisonné objects were imported to Japan and acquired by consumers with continental tastes. Over time, Japanese artisans began to copy these Chinese metalworks, leading to a revival of domestic cloisonné production during the Edo period (1615–1868). Please enjoy the colorful array of cloisonné works in this exhibition.

Rimmed Basin with Birds and Flowers
Gift of Hiromi Haruki
Kyoto National Museum

When the trunk of a lacquer tree is cut, it secretes sap to heal the wound. This sap reacts to the oxygen contained in the humidity in the air and solidifies, becoming durable enough to be polished or carved into relief patterns. Humans have used this sturdy substance as a coating and adhesive for thousands of years. Polished lacquer has a distinctive deep luster; its glossy finish is particularly well-suited to renditions of designs of water and shoreline scenery (although some works have lost their original sheen over time). Please enjoy the refreshing waterside scenes depicted in these lacquer works.

Presentation Tray with Auspicious Shells and Stag Seaweed
By Yamamoto Rihee of Minoya
Gift of Inagaki Magoichirō
Kyoto National Museum

Among the most prized utensils used in the practice of tea (chanoyu) are ceramic tea containers known as a chaire (pronounced “cha-ee-reh”), used to hold powdered matcha. While these modest jar-shaped vessels are small in scale, they have a large presence at tea gatherings, ranking higher than fresh water containers (mizusashi) or even tea bowls (chawan). Some chaire are made in Japan (wamono), but even more prized are imported Chinese wares known as karamono. When appreciating tea containers, connoisseurs consider the location of the kiln, the form of the vessel, and the application of glazes. The silk drawstring pouches (shifuku) custom made for each container, the ivory lids, the inscriptions, and the accompanying trays are also distinguishing features. Which of the tea containers in this exhibition most appeals to you?

Shouldered (Katatsuki) Tea Container, Named "Zangetsu"(Lingering Moon)
China, Southern Song–Yuan dynasty, 13th–14th c.
Agency for Cultural Affairs

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.

The origins of the unglazed earthenware funerary objects known as haniwa (literally, “clay cylinders”) can be traced to the later part of the Yayoi period, circa the first through third century CE, when jars and their accompanying large-scale stands were left in and around burial mounds. In the latter half of the third century, jar-shaped, cylindrical, and trumpet-shaped haniwa began to appear. By the fourth century, haniwa were being made in the form of houses, sunshades, armor, and other weapons. From the fifth century, figures of horses and female shamans (miko) preceded the appearance of a vast array of humans and animals.
The forms of haniwa gradually diversified over time, and they came to represent a variety of tools and scenes thought to relate to burial rituals. This exhibition includes haniwa depicting not only humans and animals, but also a range of other forms.

Shield-Bearing Haniwa
Excavated in Tokushima
Kyoto National Museum

This exhibition explores the history of Japan through introducing a variety of archaeological relics. Many of these artifacts were excavated from ancient ruins. Some are special tools used in rituals and ceremonies, while others are objects used by people in their daily lives. Through exploring Japanese archaeology, we can gain a sense of the lives and experiences of people of the past.

Nearly 850 years ago, the priest Hōnen (1133–1212) founded Japan’s Pure Land sect of Buddhism, Jōdo Shū, in 1175. To commemorate this momentous anniversary, this year the Kyoto National Museum will host Hōnen and Pure Land Buddhism, a special exhibition tracing the history of the Pure Land sect, from October 8 to December 1. As a prelude to the upcoming exhibition, this gallery introduces a selection of rarely seen handscrolls from the Illustrated Biography of Master Hōnen (Hōnen Shōnin e-den). This National Treasure set, which belongs to the Jōdo Shū head temple of Chion-in, depicts Hōnen’s life in detail across forty-eight volumes. We invite you to attend the upcoming special exhibition to view even more scrolls from this extraordinary work.

National Treasure
Illustrated Biography of Master Hōnen, Vol. 44
Chion-in Temple, Kyoto

Esoteric Buddhism (J: mikkyō) has a great variety of rituals in order to pray for different things, each with distinct principal deities and protocols. Japanese monks learned the complex imagery and practices of Esoteric Buddhist ceremonies in China and brought these teachings back to Japan. There were various techniques by which copies of Buddhist paintings were made in the premodern age. They could be sketched through close observation of the original; alternatively, they could be traced onto a thin, semi-transparent sheet of paper placed on top of a painting. Regardless of the technique used, it was ultimately the elegance of the lines that defined a copy’s quality and set professional copyists apart from amateurs.

Important Art Object
Iconography for the Mansion of the External Vajra Section of the Womb-World Mandala
Kyoto National Museum

At the end of the twelfth century, the shogunate established Kamakura as the military capital of Japan. Consequently, with the support of the warrior elite Zen Buddhism and ink painting began to flourish not only in Kyoto, but also in the broader Kanto region (modern-day Tokyo and its surrounding prefectures) encompassing Kamakura. Although the shogunate relocated to Kyoto during the Muromachi period (1392–1573), Kamakura’s rich culture was sustained by warrior families and temples across the Kanto region. Ink paintings from Kanto, which constitute a considerable percentage of the medieval ink paintings that have survived to the present, have exhibited a distinct regional style throughout their long history. Dynamic artists such as Shōkei, Shikibu Terutada, and Sesson flourished under the patronage of powerful daimyo lords from the Uesugi, Satake, and Later Hōjō clans, ushering in a golden age of Japanese medieval ink painting during the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries.

Important Cultural Property
Qin Gao and Other Immortals
By Sesson
Kyoto National Museum

Since ancient times, societies and religions throughout the world have observed various customs for escorting the deceased to their burial places. Funerary rituals are not only a way to memorialize those who have passed, but also allow the living to regain a sense of closure and normalcy.
Similarly, paintings honoring the deceased serve a purpose for the living as well as for the dead. This exhibition introduces various depictions of funeral processions, including with two rare works from the Edo period (1615–1868).

Important Cultural Property
Vegetable Parinirvana (Parody of the Death of the Buddha)
By Itō Jakuchū
Gift of Fujiwara Chūichirō
Kyoto National Museum

One enjoyable aspect of viewing paintings is delving into the stories of the characters within them. By examining the expressions, actions, and attire of human figures, along with the “stage” created by their surroundings, viewers can imagine the lives of a painting’s subjects even if their story is unfamiliar. Immersing yourself in the narrative, the relationships between characters, or the overarching story brings the world within a painting to life.
This exhibition introduces a variety of figure paintings created in China, ranging from well-known scenes from Records of the Three Kingdoms and works based on the poetry of Li Bai (701–762) to depictions of beautiful women and realistic portraits.

Three Visits, One Meeting
By Sun Yi
Gift of Ueno Seiichi
Kyoto National Museum

The subjects represented within Japanese Buddhist sculptures can be broadly divided into buddhas, bodhisattvas, wisdom kings, and devas. Buddhas (tathāgatas) are beings who have attained enlightenment, such as the Historical Buddha Shakyamuni, the Buddha of Infinite Light Amida (Amitābha), and the Medicine Buddha Yakushi (Bhaisajyaguru). As buddhas have taken monastic vows, they are generally portrayed wearing a single garment representing a clerical robe.
Bodhisattvas are those on the path to attaining enlightenment. Instead of resembling monks, their appearances are more decorative, referencing ancient Indian royalty. Kannon (Avalokiteśvara) and Jizō (Kṣitigarbha) number among the many different bodhisattvas. Representations of Kannon alone include the Eleven-Headed Kannon, Thousand-Armed Kannon, Wish-Fulfilling Kannon, and many more, as Kannon is believed to manifest into various forms in order to adapt to different kinds of suffering and save all living beings. This exhibition explores the many representations of Buddhas and bodhisattvas.

Important Cultural Property
Standing Yakushi (Bhaiṣajyaguru) Buddha
Chōgen-ji Temple, Kyoto

The Japanese classical theater traditions of Bugaku and Noh have been preserved over the centuries thanks to the patronage of the imperial court, the shogunate, and shrines and temples. Bugaku is an ancient, imported form of music accompanied by dance. It was passed down as a part of ceremonies performed at the imperial court, at shrines, or at temples. Noh, a form of drama incorporating both singing and dancing, originated in the Muromachi period (1392–1573) and eventually became a ritual form of performance for the samurai class during the Edo period (1615–1868). This exhibition introduces various costumes used in these elegant forms of theater, showcasing the finest textiles from each period.

Noh Costume, Nuihaku with Sandbanks and Flowers
From the Maekuma Collection of Noh Materials
Agency for Cultural Affairs

Cloisonné (J: shippō or shippō yaki) is a decorative technique in which vitreous enamels, often edged with wire, are baked onto metal to form colorful glassy designs. Cloisonné production dates back over two millennia, extending across a vast area including Ancient Egypt, the Near and Middle East, Europe, and China. Cloisonné was also produced in Japan in ancient times, influenced by imports from the mainland, but fell into decline by the eighth century. In China, however, the technique continued to be utilized. Beginning in the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), many Chinese cloisonné objects were imported to Japan and acquired by consumers with continental tastes. Over time, Japanese artisans began to copy these Chinese metalworks, leading to a revival of domestic cloisonné production during the Edo period (1615–1868). Please enjoy the colorful array of cloisonné works in this exhibition.

Rimmed Basin with Birds and Flowers
Gift of Hiromi Haruki
Kyoto National Museum

When the trunk of a lacquer tree is cut, it secretes sap to heal the wound. This sap reacts to the oxygen contained in the humidity in the air and solidifies, becoming durable enough to be polished or carved into relief patterns. Humans have used this sturdy substance as a coating and adhesive for thousands of years. Polished lacquer has a distinctive deep luster; its glossy finish is particularly well-suited to renditions of designs of water and shoreline scenery (although some works have lost their original sheen over time). Please enjoy the refreshing waterside scenes depicted in these lacquer works.

Presentation Tray with Auspicious Shells and Stag Seaweed
By Yamamoto Rihee of Minoya
Gift of Inagaki Magoichirō
Kyoto National Museum

Among the most prized utensils used in the practice of tea (chanoyu) are ceramic tea containers known as a chaire (pronounced “cha-ee-reh”), used to hold powdered matcha. While these modest jar-shaped vessels are small in scale, they have a large presence at tea gatherings, ranking higher than fresh water containers (mizusashi) or even tea bowls (chawan). Some chaire are made in Japan (wamono), but even more prized are imported Chinese wares known as karamono. When appreciating tea containers, connoisseurs consider the location of the kiln, the form of the vessel, and the application of glazes. The silk drawstring pouches (shifuku) custom made for each container, the ivory lids, the inscriptions, and the accompanying trays are also distinguishing features. Which of the tea containers in this exhibition most appeals to you?

Shouldered (Katatsuki) Tea Container, Named "Zangetsu"(Lingering Moon)
China, Southern Song–Yuan dynasty, 13th–14th c.
Agency for Cultural Affairs

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.

The origins of the unglazed earthenware funerary objects known as haniwa (literally, “clay cylinders”) can be traced to the later part of the Yayoi period, circa the first through third century CE, when jars and their accompanying large-scale stands were left in and around burial mounds. In the latter half of the third century, jar-shaped, cylindrical, and trumpet-shaped haniwa began to appear. By the fourth century, haniwa were being made in the form of houses, sunshades, armor, and other weapons. From the fifth century, figures of horses and female shamans (miko) preceded the appearance of a vast array of humans and animals.
The forms of haniwa gradually diversified over time, and they came to represent a variety of tools and scenes thought to relate to burial rituals. This exhibition includes haniwa depicting not only humans and animals, but also a range of other forms.

Shield-Bearing Haniwa
Excavated in Tokushima
Kyoto National Museum

This exhibition explores the history of Japan through introducing a variety of archaeological relics. Many of these artifacts were excavated from ancient ruins. Some are special tools used in rituals and ceremonies, while others are objects used by people in their daily lives. Through exploring Japanese archaeology, we can gain a sense of the lives and experiences of people of the past.

Nearly 850 years ago, the priest Hōnen (1133–1212) founded Japan’s Pure Land sect of Buddhism, Jōdo Shū, in 1175. To commemorate this momentous anniversary, this year the Kyoto National Museum will host Hōnen and Pure Land Buddhism, a special exhibition tracing the history of the Pure Land sect, from October 8 to December 1. As a prelude to the upcoming exhibition, this gallery introduces a selection of rarely seen handscrolls from the Illustrated Biography of Master Hōnen (Hōnen Shōnin e-den). This National Treasure set, which belongs to the Jōdo Shū head temple of Chion-in, depicts Hōnen’s life in detail across forty-eight volumes. We invite you to attend the upcoming special exhibition to view even more scrolls from this extraordinary work.

National Treasure
Illustrated Biography of Master Hōnen, Vol. 44
Chion-in Temple, Kyoto

Esoteric Buddhism (J: mikkyō) has a great variety of rituals in order to pray for different things, each with distinct principal deities and protocols. Japanese monks learned the complex imagery and practices of Esoteric Buddhist ceremonies in China and brought these teachings back to Japan. There were various techniques by which copies of Buddhist paintings were made in the premodern age. They could be sketched through close observation of the original; alternatively, they could be traced onto a thin, semi-transparent sheet of paper placed on top of a painting. Regardless of the technique used, it was ultimately the elegance of the lines that defined a copy’s quality and set professional copyists apart from amateurs.

Important Art Object
Iconography for the Mansion of the External Vajra Section of the Womb-World Mandala
Kyoto National Museum

At the end of the twelfth century, the shogunate established Kamakura as the military capital of Japan. Consequently, with the support of the warrior elite Zen Buddhism and ink painting began to flourish not only in Kyoto, but also in the broader Kanto region (modern-day Tokyo and its surrounding prefectures) encompassing Kamakura. Although the shogunate relocated to Kyoto during the Muromachi period (1392–1573), Kamakura’s rich culture was sustained by warrior families and temples across the Kanto region. Ink paintings from Kanto, which constitute a considerable percentage of the medieval ink paintings that have survived to the present, have exhibited a distinct regional style throughout their long history. Dynamic artists such as Shōkei, Shikibu Terutada, and Sesson flourished under the patronage of powerful daimyo lords from the Uesugi, Satake, and Later Hōjō clans, ushering in a golden age of Japanese medieval ink painting during the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries.

Important Cultural Property
Qin Gao and Other Immortals
By Sesson
Kyoto National Museum

Since ancient times, societies and religions throughout the world have observed various customs for escorting the deceased to their burial places. Funerary rituals are not only a way to memorialize those who have passed, but also allow the living to regain a sense of closure and normalcy.
Similarly, paintings honoring the deceased serve a purpose for the living as well as for the dead. This exhibition introduces various depictions of funeral processions, including with two rare works from the Edo period (1615–1868).

Important Cultural Property
Vegetable Parinirvana (Parody of the Death of the Buddha)
By Itō Jakuchū
Gift of Fujiwara Chūichirō
Kyoto National Museum

One enjoyable aspect of viewing paintings is delving into the stories of the characters within them. By examining the expressions, actions, and attire of human figures, along with the “stage” created by their surroundings, viewers can imagine the lives of a painting’s subjects even if their story is unfamiliar. Immersing yourself in the narrative, the relationships between characters, or the overarching story brings the world within a painting to life.
This exhibition introduces a variety of figure paintings created in China, ranging from well-known scenes from Records of the Three Kingdoms and works based on the poetry of Li Bai (701–762) to depictions of beautiful women and realistic portraits.

Three Visits, One Meeting
By Sun Yi
Gift of Ueno Seiichi
Kyoto National Museum

The subjects represented within Japanese Buddhist sculptures can be broadly divided into buddhas, bodhisattvas, wisdom kings, and devas. Buddhas (tathāgatas) are beings who have attained enlightenment, such as the Historical Buddha Shakyamuni, the Buddha of Infinite Light Amida (Amitābha), and the Medicine Buddha Yakushi (Bhaisajyaguru). As buddhas have taken monastic vows, they are generally portrayed wearing a single garment representing a clerical robe.
Bodhisattvas are those on the path to attaining enlightenment. Instead of resembling monks, their appearances are more decorative, referencing ancient Indian royalty. Kannon (Avalokiteśvara) and Jizō (Kṣitigarbha) number among the many different bodhisattvas. Representations of Kannon alone include the Eleven-Headed Kannon, Thousand-Armed Kannon, Wish-Fulfilling Kannon, and many more, as Kannon is believed to manifest into various forms in order to adapt to different kinds of suffering and save all living beings. This exhibition explores the many representations of Buddhas and bodhisattvas.

Important Cultural Property
Standing Yakushi (Bhaiṣajyaguru) Buddha
Chōgen-ji Temple, Kyoto

The Japanese classical theater traditions of Bugaku and Noh have been preserved over the centuries thanks to the patronage of the imperial court, the shogunate, and shrines and temples. Bugaku is an ancient, imported form of music accompanied by dance. It was passed down as a part of ceremonies performed at the imperial court, at shrines, or at temples. Noh, a form of drama incorporating both singing and dancing, originated in the Muromachi period (1392–1573) and eventually became a ritual form of performance for the samurai class during the Edo period (1615–1868). This exhibition introduces various costumes used in these elegant forms of theater, showcasing the finest textiles from each period.

Noh Costume, Nuihaku with Sandbanks and Flowers
From the Maekuma Collection of Noh Materials
Agency for Cultural Affairs

Cloisonné (J: shippō or shippō yaki) is a decorative technique in which vitreous enamels, often edged with wire, are baked onto metal to form colorful glassy designs. Cloisonné production dates back over two millennia, extending across a vast area including Ancient Egypt, the Near and Middle East, Europe, and China. Cloisonné was also produced in Japan in ancient times, influenced by imports from the mainland, but fell into decline by the eighth century. In China, however, the technique continued to be utilized. Beginning in the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), many Chinese cloisonné objects were imported to Japan and acquired by consumers with continental tastes. Over time, Japanese artisans began to copy these Chinese metalworks, leading to a revival of domestic cloisonné production during the Edo period (1615–1868). Please enjoy the colorful array of cloisonné works in this exhibition.

Rimmed Basin with Birds and Flowers
Gift of Hiromi Haruki
Kyoto National Museum

When the trunk of a lacquer tree is cut, it secretes sap to heal the wound. This sap reacts to the oxygen contained in the humidity in the air and solidifies, becoming durable enough to be polished or carved into relief patterns. Humans have used this sturdy substance as a coating and adhesive for thousands of years. Polished lacquer has a distinctive deep luster; its glossy finish is particularly well-suited to renditions of designs of water and shoreline scenery (although some works have lost their original sheen over time). Please enjoy the refreshing waterside scenes depicted in these lacquer works.

Presentation Tray with Auspicious Shells and Stag Seaweed
By Yamamoto Rihee of Minoya
Gift of Inagaki Magoichirō
Kyoto National Museum

Among the most prized utensils used in the practice of tea (chanoyu) are ceramic tea containers known as a chaire (pronounced “cha-ee-reh”), used to hold powdered matcha. While these modest jar-shaped vessels are small in scale, they have a large presence at tea gatherings, ranking higher than fresh water containers (mizusashi) or even tea bowls (chawan). Some chaire are made in Japan (wamono), but even more prized are imported Chinese wares known as karamono. When appreciating tea containers, connoisseurs consider the location of the kiln, the form of the vessel, and the application of glazes. The silk drawstring pouches (shifuku) custom made for each container, the ivory lids, the inscriptions, and the accompanying trays are also distinguishing features. Which of the tea containers in this exhibition most appeals to you?

Shouldered (Katatsuki) Tea Container, Named "Zangetsu"(Lingering Moon)
China, Southern Song–Yuan dynasty, 13th–14th c.
Agency for Cultural Affairs

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.

The origins of the unglazed earthenware funerary objects known as haniwa (literally, “clay cylinders”) can be traced to the later part of the Yayoi period, circa the first through third century CE, when jars and their accompanying large-scale stands were left in and around burial mounds. In the latter half of the third century, jar-shaped, cylindrical, and trumpet-shaped haniwa began to appear. By the fourth century, haniwa were being made in the form of houses, sunshades, armor, and other weapons. From the fifth century, figures of horses and female shamans (miko) preceded the appearance of a vast array of humans and animals.
The forms of haniwa gradually diversified over time, and they came to represent a variety of tools and scenes thought to relate to burial rituals. This exhibition includes haniwa depicting not only humans and animals, but also a range of other forms.

Shield-Bearing Haniwa
Excavated in Tokushima
Kyoto National Museum

This exhibition explores the history of Japan through introducing a variety of archaeological relics. Many of these artifacts were excavated from ancient ruins. Some are special tools used in rituals and ceremonies, while others are objects used by people in their daily lives. Through exploring Japanese archaeology, we can gain a sense of the lives and experiences of people of the past.

Nearly 850 years ago, the priest Hōnen (1133–1212) founded Japan’s Pure Land sect of Buddhism, Jōdo Shū, in 1175. To commemorate this momentous anniversary, this year the Kyoto National Museum will host Hōnen and Pure Land Buddhism, a special exhibition tracing the history of the Pure Land sect, from October 8 to December 1. As a prelude to the upcoming exhibition, this gallery introduces a selection of rarely seen handscrolls from the Illustrated Biography of Master Hōnen (Hōnen Shōnin e-den). This National Treasure set, which belongs to the Jōdo Shū head temple of Chion-in, depicts Hōnen’s life in detail across forty-eight volumes. We invite you to attend the upcoming special exhibition to view even more scrolls from this extraordinary work.

National Treasure
Illustrated Biography of Master Hōnen, Vol. 44
Chion-in Temple, Kyoto

Esoteric Buddhism (J: mikkyō) has a great variety of rituals in order to pray for different things, each with distinct principal deities and protocols. Japanese monks learned the complex imagery and practices of Esoteric Buddhist ceremonies in China and brought these teachings back to Japan. There were various techniques by which copies of Buddhist paintings were made in the premodern age. They could be sketched through close observation of the original; alternatively, they could be traced onto a thin, semi-transparent sheet of paper placed on top of a painting. Regardless of the technique used, it was ultimately the elegance of the lines that defined a copy’s quality and set professional copyists apart from amateurs.

Important Art Object
Iconography for the Mansion of the External Vajra Section of the Womb-World Mandala
Kyoto National Museum

At the end of the twelfth century, the shogunate established Kamakura as the military capital of Japan. Consequently, with the support of the warrior elite Zen Buddhism and ink painting began to flourish not only in Kyoto, but also in the broader Kanto region (modern-day Tokyo and its surrounding prefectures) encompassing Kamakura. Although the shogunate relocated to Kyoto during the Muromachi period (1392–1573), Kamakura’s rich culture was sustained by warrior families and temples across the Kanto region. Ink paintings from Kanto, which constitute a considerable percentage of the medieval ink paintings that have survived to the present, have exhibited a distinct regional style throughout their long history. Dynamic artists such as Shōkei, Shikibu Terutada, and Sesson flourished under the patronage of powerful daimyo lords from the Uesugi, Satake, and Later Hōjō clans, ushering in a golden age of Japanese medieval ink painting during the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries.

Important Cultural Property
Qin Gao and Other Immortals
By Sesson
Kyoto National Museum

Since ancient times, societies and religions throughout the world have observed various customs for escorting the deceased to their burial places. Funerary rituals are not only a way to memorialize those who have passed, but also allow the living to regain a sense of closure and normalcy.
Similarly, paintings honoring the deceased serve a purpose for the living as well as for the dead. This exhibition introduces various depictions of funeral processions, including with two rare works from the Edo period (1615–1868).

Important Cultural Property
Vegetable Parinirvana (Parody of the Death of the Buddha)
By Itō Jakuchū
Gift of Fujiwara Chūichirō
Kyoto National Museum

One enjoyable aspect of viewing paintings is delving into the stories of the characters within them. By examining the expressions, actions, and attire of human figures, along with the “stage” created by their surroundings, viewers can imagine the lives of a painting’s subjects even if their story is unfamiliar. Immersing yourself in the narrative, the relationships between characters, or the overarching story brings the world within a painting to life.
This exhibition introduces a variety of figure paintings created in China, ranging from well-known scenes from Records of the Three Kingdoms and works based on the poetry of Li Bai (701–762) to depictions of beautiful women and realistic portraits.

Three Visits, One Meeting
By Sun Yi
Gift of Ueno Seiichi
Kyoto National Museum

The subjects represented within Japanese Buddhist sculptures can be broadly divided into buddhas, bodhisattvas, wisdom kings, and devas. Buddhas (tathāgatas) are beings who have attained enlightenment, such as the Historical Buddha Shakyamuni, the Buddha of Infinite Light Amida (Amitābha), and the Medicine Buddha Yakushi (Bhaisajyaguru). As buddhas have taken monastic vows, they are generally portrayed wearing a single garment representing a clerical robe.
Bodhisattvas are those on the path to attaining enlightenment. Instead of resembling monks, their appearances are more decorative, referencing ancient Indian royalty. Kannon (Avalokiteśvara) and Jizō (Kṣitigarbha) number among the many different bodhisattvas. Representations of Kannon alone include the Eleven-Headed Kannon, Thousand-Armed Kannon, Wish-Fulfilling Kannon, and many more, as Kannon is believed to manifest into various forms in order to adapt to different kinds of suffering and save all living beings. This exhibition explores the many representations of Buddhas and bodhisattvas.

Important Cultural Property
Standing Yakushi (Bhaiṣajyaguru) Buddha
Chōgen-ji Temple, Kyoto

The Japanese classical theater traditions of Bugaku and Noh have been preserved over the centuries thanks to the patronage of the imperial court, the shogunate, and shrines and temples. Bugaku is an ancient, imported form of music accompanied by dance. It was passed down as a part of ceremonies performed at the imperial court, at shrines, or at temples. Noh, a form of drama incorporating both singing and dancing, originated in the Muromachi period (1392–1573) and eventually became a ritual form of performance for the samurai class during the Edo period (1615–1868). This exhibition introduces various costumes used in these elegant forms of theater, showcasing the finest textiles from each period.

Noh Costume, Nuihaku with Sandbanks and Flowers
From the Maekuma Collection of Noh Materials
Agency for Cultural Affairs

Cloisonné (J: shippō or shippō yaki) is a decorative technique in which vitreous enamels, often edged with wire, are baked onto metal to form colorful glassy designs. Cloisonné production dates back over two millennia, extending across a vast area including Ancient Egypt, the Near and Middle East, Europe, and China. Cloisonné was also produced in Japan in ancient times, influenced by imports from the mainland, but fell into decline by the eighth century. In China, however, the technique continued to be utilized. Beginning in the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), many Chinese cloisonné objects were imported to Japan and acquired by consumers with continental tastes. Over time, Japanese artisans began to copy these Chinese metalworks, leading to a revival of domestic cloisonné production during the Edo period (1615–1868). Please enjoy the colorful array of cloisonné works in this exhibition.

Rimmed Basin with Birds and Flowers
Gift of Hiromi Haruki
Kyoto National Museum

When the trunk of a lacquer tree is cut, it secretes sap to heal the wound. This sap reacts to the oxygen contained in the humidity in the air and solidifies, becoming durable enough to be polished or carved into relief patterns. Humans have used this sturdy substance as a coating and adhesive for thousands of years. Polished lacquer has a distinctive deep luster; its glossy finish is particularly well-suited to renditions of designs of water and shoreline scenery (although some works have lost their original sheen over time). Please enjoy the refreshing waterside scenes depicted in these lacquer works.

Presentation Tray with Auspicious Shells and Stag Seaweed
By Yamamoto Rihee of Minoya
Gift of Inagaki Magoichirō
Kyoto National Museum

Among the most prized utensils used in the practice of tea (chanoyu) are ceramic tea containers known as a chaire (pronounced “cha-ee-reh”), used to hold powdered matcha. While these modest jar-shaped vessels are small in scale, they have a large presence at tea gatherings, ranking higher than fresh water containers (mizusashi) or even tea bowls (chawan). Some chaire are made in Japan (wamono), but even more prized are imported Chinese wares known as karamono. When appreciating tea containers, connoisseurs consider the location of the kiln, the form of the vessel, and the application of glazes. The silk drawstring pouches (shifuku) custom made for each container, the ivory lids, the inscriptions, and the accompanying trays are also distinguishing features. Which of the tea containers in this exhibition most appeals to you?

Shouldered (Katatsuki) Tea Container, Named "Zangetsu"(Lingering Moon)
China, Southern Song–Yuan dynasty, 13th–14th c.
Agency for Cultural Affairs

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.

The origins of the unglazed earthenware funerary objects known as haniwa (literally, “clay cylinders”) can be traced to the later part of the Yayoi period, circa the first through third century CE, when jars and their accompanying large-scale stands were left in and around burial mounds. In the latter half of the third century, jar-shaped, cylindrical, and trumpet-shaped haniwa began to appear. By the fourth century, haniwa were being made in the form of houses, sunshades, armor, and other weapons. From the fifth century, figures of horses and female shamans (miko) preceded the appearance of a vast array of humans and animals.
The forms of haniwa gradually diversified over time, and they came to represent a variety of tools and scenes thought to relate to burial rituals. This exhibition includes haniwa depicting not only humans and animals, but also a range of other forms.

Shield-Bearing Haniwa
Excavated in Tokushima
Kyoto National Museum

This exhibition explores the history of Japan through introducing a variety of archaeological relics. Many of these artifacts were excavated from ancient ruins. Some are special tools used in rituals and ceremonies, while others are objects used by people in their daily lives. Through exploring Japanese archaeology, we can gain a sense of the lives and experiences of people of the past.

Nearly 850 years ago, the priest Hōnen (1133–1212) founded Japan’s Pure Land sect of Buddhism, Jōdo Shū, in 1175. To commemorate this momentous anniversary, this year the Kyoto National Museum will host Hōnen and Pure Land Buddhism, a special exhibition tracing the history of the Pure Land sect, from October 8 to December 1. As a prelude to the upcoming exhibition, this gallery introduces a selection of rarely seen handscrolls from the Illustrated Biography of Master Hōnen (Hōnen Shōnin e-den). This National Treasure set, which belongs to the Jōdo Shū head temple of Chion-in, depicts Hōnen’s life in detail across forty-eight volumes. We invite you to attend the upcoming special exhibition to view even more scrolls from this extraordinary work.

National Treasure
Illustrated Biography of Master Hōnen, Vol. 44
Chion-in Temple, Kyoto

Esoteric Buddhism (J: mikkyō) has a great variety of rituals in order to pray for different things, each with distinct principal deities and protocols. Japanese monks learned the complex imagery and practices of Esoteric Buddhist ceremonies in China and brought these teachings back to Japan. There were various techniques by which copies of Buddhist paintings were made in the premodern age. They could be sketched through close observation of the original; alternatively, they could be traced onto a thin, semi-transparent sheet of paper placed on top of a painting. Regardless of the technique used, it was ultimately the elegance of the lines that defined a copy’s quality and set professional copyists apart from amateurs.

Important Art Object
Iconography for the Mansion of the External Vajra Section of the Womb-World Mandala
Kyoto National Museum

At the end of the twelfth century, the shogunate established Kamakura as the military capital of Japan. Consequently, with the support of the warrior elite Zen Buddhism and ink painting began to flourish not only in Kyoto, but also in the broader Kanto region (modern-day Tokyo and its surrounding prefectures) encompassing Kamakura. Although the shogunate relocated to Kyoto during the Muromachi period (1392–1573), Kamakura’s rich culture was sustained by warrior families and temples across the Kanto region. Ink paintings from Kanto, which constitute a considerable percentage of the medieval ink paintings that have survived to the present, have exhibited a distinct regional style throughout their long history. Dynamic artists such as Shōkei, Shikibu Terutada, and Sesson flourished under the patronage of powerful daimyo lords from the Uesugi, Satake, and Later Hōjō clans, ushering in a golden age of Japanese medieval ink painting during the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries.

Important Cultural Property
Qin Gao and Other Immortals
By Sesson
Kyoto National Museum

Since ancient times, societies and religions throughout the world have observed various customs for escorting the deceased to their burial places. Funerary rituals are not only a way to memorialize those who have passed, but also allow the living to regain a sense of closure and normalcy.
Similarly, paintings honoring the deceased serve a purpose for the living as well as for the dead. This exhibition introduces various depictions of funeral processions, including with two rare works from the Edo period (1615–1868).

Important Cultural Property
Vegetable Parinirvana (Parody of the Death of the Buddha)
By Itō Jakuchū
Gift of Fujiwara Chūichirō
Kyoto National Museum

One enjoyable aspect of viewing paintings is delving into the stories of the characters within them. By examining the expressions, actions, and attire of human figures, along with the “stage” created by their surroundings, viewers can imagine the lives of a painting’s subjects even if their story is unfamiliar. Immersing yourself in the narrative, the relationships between characters, or the overarching story brings the world within a painting to life.
This exhibition introduces a variety of figure paintings created in China, ranging from well-known scenes from Records of the Three Kingdoms and works based on the poetry of Li Bai (701–762) to depictions of beautiful women and realistic portraits.

Three Visits, One Meeting
By Sun Yi
Gift of Ueno Seiichi
Kyoto National Museum

The subjects represented within Japanese Buddhist sculptures can be broadly divided into buddhas, bodhisattvas, wisdom kings, and devas. Buddhas (tathāgatas) are beings who have attained enlightenment, such as the Historical Buddha Shakyamuni, the Buddha of Infinite Light Amida (Amitābha), and the Medicine Buddha Yakushi (Bhaisajyaguru). As buddhas have taken monastic vows, they are generally portrayed wearing a single garment representing a clerical robe.
Bodhisattvas are those on the path to attaining enlightenment. Instead of resembling monks, their appearances are more decorative, referencing ancient Indian royalty. Kannon (Avalokiteśvara) and Jizō (Kṣitigarbha) number among the many different bodhisattvas. Representations of Kannon alone include the Eleven-Headed Kannon, Thousand-Armed Kannon, Wish-Fulfilling Kannon, and many more, as Kannon is believed to manifest into various forms in order to adapt to different kinds of suffering and save all living beings. This exhibition explores the many representations of Buddhas and bodhisattvas.

Important Cultural Property
Standing Yakushi (Bhaiṣajyaguru) Buddha
Chōgen-ji Temple, Kyoto

The Japanese classical theater traditions of Bugaku and Noh have been preserved over the centuries thanks to the patronage of the imperial court, the shogunate, and shrines and temples. Bugaku is an ancient, imported form of music accompanied by dance. It was passed down as a part of ceremonies performed at the imperial court, at shrines, or at temples. Noh, a form of drama incorporating both singing and dancing, originated in the Muromachi period (1392–1573) and eventually became a ritual form of performance for the samurai class during the Edo period (1615–1868). This exhibition introduces various costumes used in these elegant forms of theater, showcasing the finest textiles from each period.

Noh Costume, Nuihaku with Sandbanks and Flowers
From the Maekuma Collection of Noh Materials
Agency for Cultural Affairs

Cloisonné (J: shippō or shippō yaki) is a decorative technique in which vitreous enamels, often edged with wire, are baked onto metal to form colorful glassy designs. Cloisonné production dates back over two millennia, extending across a vast area including Ancient Egypt, the Near and Middle East, Europe, and China. Cloisonné was also produced in Japan in ancient times, influenced by imports from the mainland, but fell into decline by the eighth century. In China, however, the technique continued to be utilized. Beginning in the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), many Chinese cloisonné objects were imported to Japan and acquired by consumers with continental tastes. Over time, Japanese artisans began to copy these Chinese metalworks, leading to a revival of domestic cloisonné production during the Edo period (1615–1868). Please enjoy the colorful array of cloisonné works in this exhibition.

Rimmed Basin with Birds and Flowers
Gift of Hiromi Haruki
Kyoto National Museum

When the trunk of a lacquer tree is cut, it secretes sap to heal the wound. This sap reacts to the oxygen contained in the humidity in the air and solidifies, becoming durable enough to be polished or carved into relief patterns. Humans have used this sturdy substance as a coating and adhesive for thousands of years. Polished lacquer has a distinctive deep luster; its glossy finish is particularly well-suited to renditions of designs of water and shoreline scenery (although some works have lost their original sheen over time). Please enjoy the refreshing waterside scenes depicted in these lacquer works.

Presentation Tray with Auspicious Shells and Stag Seaweed
By Yamamoto Rihee of Minoya
Gift of Inagaki Magoichirō
Kyoto National Museum

Among the most prized utensils used in the practice of tea (chanoyu) are ceramic tea containers known as a chaire (pronounced “cha-ee-reh”), used to hold powdered matcha. While these modest jar-shaped vessels are small in scale, they have a large presence at tea gatherings, ranking higher than fresh water containers (mizusashi) or even tea bowls (chawan). Some chaire are made in Japan (wamono), but even more prized are imported Chinese wares known as karamono. When appreciating tea containers, connoisseurs consider the location of the kiln, the form of the vessel, and the application of glazes. The silk drawstring pouches (shifuku) custom made for each container, the ivory lids, the inscriptions, and the accompanying trays are also distinguishing features. Which of the tea containers in this exhibition most appeals to you?

Shouldered (Katatsuki) Tea Container, Named "Zangetsu"(Lingering Moon)
China, Southern Song–Yuan dynasty, 13th–14th c.
Agency for Cultural Affairs

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.

The origins of the unglazed earthenware funerary objects known as haniwa (literally, “clay cylinders”) can be traced to the later part of the Yayoi period, circa the first through third century CE, when jars and their accompanying large-scale stands were left in and around burial mounds. In the latter half of the third century, jar-shaped, cylindrical, and trumpet-shaped haniwa began to appear. By the fourth century, haniwa were being made in the form of houses, sunshades, armor, and other weapons. From the fifth century, figures of horses and female shamans (miko) preceded the appearance of a vast array of humans and animals.
The forms of haniwa gradually diversified over time, and they came to represent a variety of tools and scenes thought to relate to burial rituals. This exhibition includes haniwa depicting not only humans and animals, but also a range of other forms.

Shield-Bearing Haniwa
Excavated in Tokushima
Kyoto National Museum

This exhibition explores the history of Japan through introducing a variety of archaeological relics. Many of these artifacts were excavated from ancient ruins. Some are special tools used in rituals and ceremonies, while others are objects used by people in their daily lives. Through exploring Japanese archaeology, we can gain a sense of the lives and experiences of people of the past.

Nearly 850 years ago, the priest Hōnen (1133–1212) founded Japan’s Pure Land sect of Buddhism, Jōdo Shū, in 1175. To commemorate this momentous anniversary, this year the Kyoto National Museum will host Hōnen and Pure Land Buddhism, a special exhibition tracing the history of the Pure Land sect, from October 8 to December 1. As a prelude to the upcoming exhibition, this gallery introduces a selection of rarely seen handscrolls from the Illustrated Biography of Master Hōnen (Hōnen Shōnin e-den). This National Treasure set, which belongs to the Jōdo Shū head temple of Chion-in, depicts Hōnen’s life in detail across forty-eight volumes. We invite you to attend the upcoming special exhibition to view even more scrolls from this extraordinary work.

National Treasure
Illustrated Biography of Master Hōnen, Vol. 44
Chion-in Temple, Kyoto

Esoteric Buddhism (J: mikkyō) has a great variety of rituals in order to pray for different things, each with distinct principal deities and protocols. Japanese monks learned the complex imagery and practices of Esoteric Buddhist ceremonies in China and brought these teachings back to Japan. There were various techniques by which copies of Buddhist paintings were made in the premodern age. They could be sketched through close observation of the original; alternatively, they could be traced onto a thin, semi-transparent sheet of paper placed on top of a painting. Regardless of the technique used, it was ultimately the elegance of the lines that defined a copy’s quality and set professional copyists apart from amateurs.

Important Art Object
Iconography for the Mansion of the External Vajra Section of the Womb-World Mandala
Kyoto National Museum

At the end of the twelfth century, the shogunate established Kamakura as the military capital of Japan. Consequently, with the support of the warrior elite Zen Buddhism and ink painting began to flourish not only in Kyoto, but also in the broader Kanto region (modern-day Tokyo and its surrounding prefectures) encompassing Kamakura. Although the shogunate relocated to Kyoto during the Muromachi period (1392–1573), Kamakura’s rich culture was sustained by warrior families and temples across the Kanto region. Ink paintings from Kanto, which constitute a considerable percentage of the medieval ink paintings that have survived to the present, have exhibited a distinct regional style throughout their long history. Dynamic artists such as Shōkei, Shikibu Terutada, and Sesson flourished under the patronage of powerful daimyo lords from the Uesugi, Satake, and Later Hōjō clans, ushering in a golden age of Japanese medieval ink painting during the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries.

Important Cultural Property
Qin Gao and Other Immortals
By Sesson
Kyoto National Museum

Since ancient times, societies and religions throughout the world have observed various customs for escorting the deceased to their burial places. Funerary rituals are not only a way to memorialize those who have passed, but also allow the living to regain a sense of closure and normalcy.
Similarly, paintings honoring the deceased serve a purpose for the living as well as for the dead. This exhibition introduces various depictions of funeral processions, including with two rare works from the Edo period (1615–1868).

Important Cultural Property
Vegetable Parinirvana (Parody of the Death of the Buddha)
By Itō Jakuchū
Gift of Fujiwara Chūichirō
Kyoto National Museum

One enjoyable aspect of viewing paintings is delving into the stories of the characters within them. By examining the expressions, actions, and attire of human figures, along with the “stage” created by their surroundings, viewers can imagine the lives of a painting’s subjects even if their story is unfamiliar. Immersing yourself in the narrative, the relationships between characters, or the overarching story brings the world within a painting to life.
This exhibition introduces a variety of figure paintings created in China, ranging from well-known scenes from Records of the Three Kingdoms and works based on the poetry of Li Bai (701–762) to depictions of beautiful women and realistic portraits.

Three Visits, One Meeting
By Sun Yi
Gift of Ueno Seiichi
Kyoto National Museum

The subjects represented within Japanese Buddhist sculptures can be broadly divided into buddhas, bodhisattvas, wisdom kings, and devas. Buddhas (tathāgatas) are beings who have attained enlightenment, such as the Historical Buddha Shakyamuni, the Buddha of Infinite Light Amida (Amitābha), and the Medicine Buddha Yakushi (Bhaisajyaguru). As buddhas have taken monastic vows, they are generally portrayed wearing a single garment representing a clerical robe.
Bodhisattvas are those on the path to attaining enlightenment. Instead of resembling monks, their appearances are more decorative, referencing ancient Indian royalty. Kannon (Avalokiteśvara) and Jizō (Kṣitigarbha) number among the many different bodhisattvas. Representations of Kannon alone include the Eleven-Headed Kannon, Thousand-Armed Kannon, Wish-Fulfilling Kannon, and many more, as Kannon is believed to manifest into various forms in order to adapt to different kinds of suffering and save all living beings. This exhibition explores the many representations of Buddhas and bodhisattvas.

Important Cultural Property
Standing Yakushi (Bhaiṣajyaguru) Buddha
Chōgen-ji Temple, Kyoto

The Japanese classical theater traditions of Bugaku and Noh have been preserved over the centuries thanks to the patronage of the imperial court, the shogunate, and shrines and temples. Bugaku is an ancient, imported form of music accompanied by dance. It was passed down as a part of ceremonies performed at the imperial court, at shrines, or at temples. Noh, a form of drama incorporating both singing and dancing, originated in the Muromachi period (1392–1573) and eventually became a ritual form of performance for the samurai class during the Edo period (1615–1868). This exhibition introduces various costumes used in these elegant forms of theater, showcasing the finest textiles from each period.

Noh Costume, Nuihaku with Sandbanks and Flowers
From the Maekuma Collection of Noh Materials
Agency for Cultural Affairs

Cloisonné (J: shippō or shippō yaki) is a decorative technique in which vitreous enamels, often edged with wire, are baked onto metal to form colorful glassy designs. Cloisonné production dates back over two millennia, extending across a vast area including Ancient Egypt, the Near and Middle East, Europe, and China. Cloisonné was also produced in Japan in ancient times, influenced by imports from the mainland, but fell into decline by the eighth century. In China, however, the technique continued to be utilized. Beginning in the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), many Chinese cloisonné objects were imported to Japan and acquired by consumers with continental tastes. Over time, Japanese artisans began to copy these Chinese metalworks, leading to a revival of domestic cloisonné production during the Edo period (1615–1868). Please enjoy the colorful array of cloisonné works in this exhibition.

Rimmed Basin with Birds and Flowers
Gift of Hiromi Haruki
Kyoto National Museum

When the trunk of a lacquer tree is cut, it secretes sap to heal the wound. This sap reacts to the oxygen contained in the humidity in the air and solidifies, becoming durable enough to be polished or carved into relief patterns. Humans have used this sturdy substance as a coating and adhesive for thousands of years. Polished lacquer has a distinctive deep luster; its glossy finish is particularly well-suited to renditions of designs of water and shoreline scenery (although some works have lost their original sheen over time). Please enjoy the refreshing waterside scenes depicted in these lacquer works.

Presentation Tray with Auspicious Shells and Stag Seaweed
By Yamamoto Rihee of Minoya
Gift of Inagaki Magoichirō
Kyoto National Museum

Among the most prized utensils used in the practice of tea (chanoyu) are ceramic tea containers known as a chaire (pronounced “cha-ee-reh”), used to hold powdered matcha. While these modest jar-shaped vessels are small in scale, they have a large presence at tea gatherings, ranking higher than fresh water containers (mizusashi) or even tea bowls (chawan). Some chaire are made in Japan (wamono), but even more prized are imported Chinese wares known as karamono. When appreciating tea containers, connoisseurs consider the location of the kiln, the form of the vessel, and the application of glazes. The silk drawstring pouches (shifuku) custom made for each container, the ivory lids, the inscriptions, and the accompanying trays are also distinguishing features. Which of the tea containers in this exhibition most appeals to you?

Shouldered (Katatsuki) Tea Container, Named "Zangetsu"(Lingering Moon)
China, Southern Song–Yuan dynasty, 13th–14th c.
Agency for Cultural Affairs

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.

The origins of the unglazed earthenware funerary objects known as haniwa (literally, “clay cylinders”) can be traced to the later part of the Yayoi period, circa the first through third century CE, when jars and their accompanying large-scale stands were left in and around burial mounds. In the latter half of the third century, jar-shaped, cylindrical, and trumpet-shaped haniwa began to appear. By the fourth century, haniwa were being made in the form of houses, sunshades, armor, and other weapons. From the fifth century, figures of horses and female shamans (miko) preceded the appearance of a vast array of humans and animals.
The forms of haniwa gradually diversified over time, and they came to represent a variety of tools and scenes thought to relate to burial rituals. This exhibition includes haniwa depicting not only humans and animals, but also a range of other forms.

Shield-Bearing Haniwa
Excavated in Tokushima
Kyoto National Museum

This exhibition explores the history of Japan through introducing a variety of archaeological relics. Many of these artifacts were excavated from ancient ruins. Some are special tools used in rituals and ceremonies, while others are objects used by people in their daily lives. Through exploring Japanese archaeology, we can gain a sense of the lives and experiences of people of the past.

Nearly 850 years ago, the priest Hōnen (1133–1212) founded Japan’s Pure Land sect of Buddhism, Jōdo Shū, in 1175. To commemorate this momentous anniversary, this year the Kyoto National Museum will host Hōnen and Pure Land Buddhism, a special exhibition tracing the history of the Pure Land sect, from October 8 to December 1. As a prelude to the upcoming exhibition, this gallery introduces a selection of rarely seen handscrolls from the Illustrated Biography of Master Hōnen (Hōnen Shōnin e-den). This National Treasure set, which belongs to the Jōdo Shū head temple of Chion-in, depicts Hōnen’s life in detail across forty-eight volumes. We invite you to attend the upcoming special exhibition to view even more scrolls from this extraordinary work.

National Treasure
Illustrated Biography of Master Hōnen, Vol. 44
Chion-in Temple, Kyoto

Esoteric Buddhism (J: mikkyō) has a great variety of rituals in order to pray for different things, each with distinct principal deities and protocols. Japanese monks learned the complex imagery and practices of Esoteric Buddhist ceremonies in China and brought these teachings back to Japan. There were various techniques by which copies of Buddhist paintings were made in the premodern age. They could be sketched through close observation of the original; alternatively, they could be traced onto a thin, semi-transparent sheet of paper placed on top of a painting. Regardless of the technique used, it was ultimately the elegance of the lines that defined a copy’s quality and set professional copyists apart from amateurs.

Important Art Object
Iconography for the Mansion of the External Vajra Section of the Womb-World Mandala
Kyoto National Museum

At the end of the twelfth century, the shogunate established Kamakura as the military capital of Japan. Consequently, with the support of the warrior elite Zen Buddhism and ink painting began to flourish not only in Kyoto, but also in the broader Kanto region (modern-day Tokyo and its surrounding prefectures) encompassing Kamakura. Although the shogunate relocated to Kyoto during the Muromachi period (1392–1573), Kamakura’s rich culture was sustained by warrior families and temples across the Kanto region. Ink paintings from Kanto, which constitute a considerable percentage of the medieval ink paintings that have survived to the present, have exhibited a distinct regional style throughout their long history. Dynamic artists such as Shōkei, Shikibu Terutada, and Sesson flourished under the patronage of powerful daimyo lords from the Uesugi, Satake, and Later Hōjō clans, ushering in a golden age of Japanese medieval ink painting during the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries.

Important Cultural Property
Qin Gao and Other Immortals
By Sesson
Kyoto National Museum

Since ancient times, societies and religions throughout the world have observed various customs for escorting the deceased to their burial places. Funerary rituals are not only a way to memorialize those who have passed, but also allow the living to regain a sense of closure and normalcy.
Similarly, paintings honoring the deceased serve a purpose for the living as well as for the dead. This exhibition introduces various depictions of funeral processions, including with two rare works from the Edo period (1615–1868).

Important Cultural Property
Vegetable Parinirvana (Parody of the Death of the Buddha)
By Itō Jakuchū
Gift of Fujiwara Chūichirō
Kyoto National Museum

One enjoyable aspect of viewing paintings is delving into the stories of the characters within them. By examining the expressions, actions, and attire of human figures, along with the “stage” created by their surroundings, viewers can imagine the lives of a painting’s subjects even if their story is unfamiliar. Immersing yourself in the narrative, the relationships between characters, or the overarching story brings the world within a painting to life.
This exhibition introduces a variety of figure paintings created in China, ranging from well-known scenes from Records of the Three Kingdoms and works based on the poetry of Li Bai (701–762) to depictions of beautiful women and realistic portraits.

Three Visits, One Meeting
By Sun Yi
Gift of Ueno Seiichi
Kyoto National Museum

The subjects represented within Japanese Buddhist sculptures can be broadly divided into buddhas, bodhisattvas, wisdom kings, and devas. Buddhas (tathāgatas) are beings who have attained enlightenment, such as the Historical Buddha Shakyamuni, the Buddha of Infinite Light Amida (Amitābha), and the Medicine Buddha Yakushi (Bhaisajyaguru). As buddhas have taken monastic vows, they are generally portrayed wearing a single garment representing a clerical robe.
Bodhisattvas are those on the path to attaining enlightenment. Instead of resembling monks, their appearances are more decorative, referencing ancient Indian royalty. Kannon (Avalokiteśvara) and Jizō (Kṣitigarbha) number among the many different bodhisattvas. Representations of Kannon alone include the Eleven-Headed Kannon, Thousand-Armed Kannon, Wish-Fulfilling Kannon, and many more, as Kannon is believed to manifest into various forms in order to adapt to different kinds of suffering and save all living beings. This exhibition explores the many representations of Buddhas and bodhisattvas.

Important Cultural Property
Standing Yakushi (Bhaiṣajyaguru) Buddha
Chōgen-ji Temple, Kyoto

The Japanese classical theater traditions of Bugaku and Noh have been preserved over the centuries thanks to the patronage of the imperial court, the shogunate, and shrines and temples. Bugaku is an ancient, imported form of music accompanied by dance. It was passed down as a part of ceremonies performed at the imperial court, at shrines, or at temples. Noh, a form of drama incorporating both singing and dancing, originated in the Muromachi period (1392–1573) and eventually became a ritual form of performance for the samurai class during the Edo period (1615–1868). This exhibition introduces various costumes used in these elegant forms of theater, showcasing the finest textiles from each period.

Noh Costume, Nuihaku with Sandbanks and Flowers
From the Maekuma Collection of Noh Materials
Agency for Cultural Affairs

Cloisonné (J: shippō or shippō yaki) is a decorative technique in which vitreous enamels, often edged with wire, are baked onto metal to form colorful glassy designs. Cloisonné production dates back over two millennia, extending across a vast area including Ancient Egypt, the Near and Middle East, Europe, and China. Cloisonné was also produced in Japan in ancient times, influenced by imports from the mainland, but fell into decline by the eighth century. In China, however, the technique continued to be utilized. Beginning in the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), many Chinese cloisonné objects were imported to Japan and acquired by consumers with continental tastes. Over time, Japanese artisans began to copy these Chinese metalworks, leading to a revival of domestic cloisonné production during the Edo period (1615–1868). Please enjoy the colorful array of cloisonné works in this exhibition.

Rimmed Basin with Birds and Flowers
Gift of Hiromi Haruki
Kyoto National Museum

When the trunk of a lacquer tree is cut, it secretes sap to heal the wound. This sap reacts to the oxygen contained in the humidity in the air and solidifies, becoming durable enough to be polished or carved into relief patterns. Humans have used this sturdy substance as a coating and adhesive for thousands of years. Polished lacquer has a distinctive deep luster; its glossy finish is particularly well-suited to renditions of designs of water and shoreline scenery (although some works have lost their original sheen over time). Please enjoy the refreshing waterside scenes depicted in these lacquer works.

Presentation Tray with Auspicious Shells and Stag Seaweed
By Yamamoto Rihee of Minoya
Gift of Inagaki Magoichirō
Kyoto National Museum

Among the most prized utensils used in the practice of tea (chanoyu) are ceramic tea containers known as a chaire (pronounced “cha-ee-reh”), used to hold powdered matcha. While these modest jar-shaped vessels are small in scale, they have a large presence at tea gatherings, ranking higher than fresh water containers (mizusashi) or even tea bowls (chawan). Some chaire are made in Japan (wamono), but even more prized are imported Chinese wares known as karamono. When appreciating tea containers, connoisseurs consider the location of the kiln, the form of the vessel, and the application of glazes. The silk drawstring pouches (shifuku) custom made for each container, the ivory lids, the inscriptions, and the accompanying trays are also distinguishing features. Which of the tea containers in this exhibition most appeals to you?

Shouldered (Katatsuki) Tea Container, Named "Zangetsu"(Lingering Moon)
China, Southern Song–Yuan dynasty, 13th–14th c.
Agency for Cultural Affairs

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.

The origins of the unglazed earthenware funerary objects known as haniwa (literally, “clay cylinders”) can be traced to the later part of the Yayoi period, circa the first through third century CE, when jars and their accompanying large-scale stands were left in and around burial mounds. In the latter half of the third century, jar-shaped, cylindrical, and trumpet-shaped haniwa began to appear. By the fourth century, haniwa were being made in the form of houses, sunshades, armor, and other weapons. From the fifth century, figures of horses and female shamans (miko) preceded the appearance of a vast array of humans and animals.
The forms of haniwa gradually diversified over time, and they came to represent a variety of tools and scenes thought to relate to burial rituals. This exhibition includes haniwa depicting not only humans and animals, but also a range of other forms.

Shield-Bearing Haniwa
Excavated in Tokushima
Kyoto National Museum

This exhibition explores the history of Japan through introducing a variety of archaeological relics. Many of these artifacts were excavated from ancient ruins. Some are special tools used in rituals and ceremonies, while others are objects used by people in their daily lives. Through exploring Japanese archaeology, we can gain a sense of the lives and experiences of people of the past.

Nearly 850 years ago, the priest Hōnen (1133–1212) founded Japan’s Pure Land sect of Buddhism, Jōdo Shū, in 1175. To commemorate this momentous anniversary, this year the Kyoto National Museum will host Hōnen and Pure Land Buddhism, a special exhibition tracing the history of the Pure Land sect, from October 8 to December 1. As a prelude to the upcoming exhibition, this gallery introduces a selection of rarely seen handscrolls from the Illustrated Biography of Master Hōnen (Hōnen Shōnin e-den). This National Treasure set, which belongs to the Jōdo Shū head temple of Chion-in, depicts Hōnen’s life in detail across forty-eight volumes. We invite you to attend the upcoming special exhibition to view even more scrolls from this extraordinary work.

National Treasure
Illustrated Biography of Master Hōnen, Vol. 44
Chion-in Temple, Kyoto

Esoteric Buddhism (J: mikkyō) has a great variety of rituals in order to pray for different things, each with distinct principal deities and protocols. Japanese monks learned the complex imagery and practices of Esoteric Buddhist ceremonies in China and brought these teachings back to Japan. There were various techniques by which copies of Buddhist paintings were made in the premodern age. They could be sketched through close observation of the original; alternatively, they could be traced onto a thin, semi-transparent sheet of paper placed on top of a painting. Regardless of the technique used, it was ultimately the elegance of the lines that defined a copy’s quality and set professional copyists apart from amateurs.

Important Art Object
Iconography for the Mansion of the External Vajra Section of the Womb-World Mandala
Kyoto National Museum

At the end of the twelfth century, the shogunate established Kamakura as the military capital of Japan. Consequently, with the support of the warrior elite Zen Buddhism and ink painting began to flourish not only in Kyoto, but also in the broader Kanto region (modern-day Tokyo and its surrounding prefectures) encompassing Kamakura. Although the shogunate relocated to Kyoto during the Muromachi period (1392–1573), Kamakura’s rich culture was sustained by warrior families and temples across the Kanto region. Ink paintings from Kanto, which constitute a considerable percentage of the medieval ink paintings that have survived to the present, have exhibited a distinct regional style throughout their long history. Dynamic artists such as Shōkei, Shikibu Terutada, and Sesson flourished under the patronage of powerful daimyo lords from the Uesugi, Satake, and Later Hōjō clans, ushering in a golden age of Japanese medieval ink painting during the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries.

Important Cultural Property
Qin Gao and Other Immortals
By Sesson
Kyoto National Museum

Since ancient times, societies and religions throughout the world have observed various customs for escorting the deceased to their burial places. Funerary rituals are not only a way to memorialize those who have passed, but also allow the living to regain a sense of closure and normalcy.
Similarly, paintings honoring the deceased serve a purpose for the living as well as for the dead. This exhibition introduces various depictions of funeral processions, including with two rare works from the Edo period (1615–1868).

Important Cultural Property
Vegetable Parinirvana (Parody of the Death of the Buddha)
By Itō Jakuchū
Gift of Fujiwara Chūichirō
Kyoto National Museum

One enjoyable aspect of viewing paintings is delving into the stories of the characters within them. By examining the expressions, actions, and attire of human figures, along with the “stage” created by their surroundings, viewers can imagine the lives of a painting’s subjects even if their story is unfamiliar. Immersing yourself in the narrative, the relationships between characters, or the overarching story brings the world within a painting to life.
This exhibition introduces a variety of figure paintings created in China, ranging from well-known scenes from Records of the Three Kingdoms and works based on the poetry of Li Bai (701–762) to depictions of beautiful women and realistic portraits.

Three Visits, One Meeting
By Sun Yi
Gift of Ueno Seiichi
Kyoto National Museum

The subjects represented within Japanese Buddhist sculptures can be broadly divided into buddhas, bodhisattvas, wisdom kings, and devas. Buddhas (tathāgatas) are beings who have attained enlightenment, such as the Historical Buddha Shakyamuni, the Buddha of Infinite Light Amida (Amitābha), and the Medicine Buddha Yakushi (Bhaisajyaguru). As buddhas have taken monastic vows, they are generally portrayed wearing a single garment representing a clerical robe.
Bodhisattvas are those on the path to attaining enlightenment. Instead of resembling monks, their appearances are more decorative, referencing ancient Indian royalty. Kannon (Avalokiteśvara) and Jizō (Kṣitigarbha) number among the many different bodhisattvas. Representations of Kannon alone include the Eleven-Headed Kannon, Thousand-Armed Kannon, Wish-Fulfilling Kannon, and many more, as Kannon is believed to manifest into various forms in order to adapt to different kinds of suffering and save all living beings. This exhibition explores the many representations of Buddhas and bodhisattvas.

Important Cultural Property
Standing Yakushi (Bhaiṣajyaguru) Buddha
Chōgen-ji Temple, Kyoto

The Japanese classical theater traditions of Bugaku and Noh have been preserved over the centuries thanks to the patronage of the imperial court, the shogunate, and shrines and temples. Bugaku is an ancient, imported form of music accompanied by dance. It was passed down as a part of ceremonies performed at the imperial court, at shrines, or at temples. Noh, a form of drama incorporating both singing and dancing, originated in the Muromachi period (1392–1573) and eventually became a ritual form of performance for the samurai class during the Edo period (1615–1868). This exhibition introduces various costumes used in these elegant forms of theater, showcasing the finest textiles from each period.

Noh Costume, Nuihaku with Sandbanks and Flowers
From the Maekuma Collection of Noh Materials
Agency for Cultural Affairs

Cloisonné (J: shippō or shippō yaki) is a decorative technique in which vitreous enamels, often edged with wire, are baked onto metal to form colorful glassy designs. Cloisonné production dates back over two millennia, extending across a vast area including Ancient Egypt, the Near and Middle East, Europe, and China. Cloisonné was also produced in Japan in ancient times, influenced by imports from the mainland, but fell into decline by the eighth century. In China, however, the technique continued to be utilized. Beginning in the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), many Chinese cloisonné objects were imported to Japan and acquired by consumers with continental tastes. Over time, Japanese artisans began to copy these Chinese metalworks, leading to a revival of domestic cloisonné production during the Edo period (1615–1868). Please enjoy the colorful array of cloisonné works in this exhibition.

Rimmed Basin with Birds and Flowers
Gift of Hiromi Haruki
Kyoto National Museum

When the trunk of a lacquer tree is cut, it secretes sap to heal the wound. This sap reacts to the oxygen contained in the humidity in the air and solidifies, becoming durable enough to be polished or carved into relief patterns. Humans have used this sturdy substance as a coating and adhesive for thousands of years. Polished lacquer has a distinctive deep luster; its glossy finish is particularly well-suited to renditions of designs of water and shoreline scenery (although some works have lost their original sheen over time). Please enjoy the refreshing waterside scenes depicted in these lacquer works.

Presentation Tray with Auspicious Shells and Stag Seaweed
By Yamamoto Rihee of Minoya
Gift of Inagaki Magoichirō
Kyoto National Museum