This article in Japan Today introduces the Gallery of Horyuji Treasures at the Tokyo National Museum, a little known gallery with lots to offer, including a new digital gallery. (Archived article published in Japan Today.)
Tag: museum
Ryushi Memorial Museum: little museum with big art
Tucked in a quiet corner of Tokyo's Ota Ward is a little treasure of Nihonga art. The Ryushi Memorial Museum is dedicated to the life and work of Nihonga artist Kawabata Ryushi (1885-1966). Ryushi (Japanese artists are usually known by their given names) began working the Nihonga style after encountering it at a Boston art … Continue reading Ryushi Memorial Museum: little museum with big art
Remembering Japan’s wartime occupation of Singapore
On the afternoon of February 15, 1942, Lieutenant-General Arthur Percival and members of his senior staff made their way under the Union Jack and a flag of truce from his headquarters at Singapore's Fort Canning to the headquarters of the Japanese Imperial Army at the Ford Factory on Bukit Timah hill. There, following a brief … Continue reading Remembering Japan’s wartime occupation of Singapore
Tokamachi City Museum – great on a rainy day, or when the sun shines
A few months ago I visited the Niigata town of Tokamachi with the intention of attending a local festival. Alas, the festival was rained out and it seemed there wasn't much to do after checking out the intriguing sculptures on the high street. Fortunately, I found that Tokamachi has a wonderful city museum that proved … Continue reading Tokamachi City Museum – great on a rainy day, or when the sun shines
Shakado Museum of Jomon Culture – really digging back in time
The valleys and mountains north of Mt. Fuji are full of remnants of the lives of some of Japan's earliest inhabitants--the Jomon hunters and gatherers of Japan's pre-agricultural period (traditionally dated between 14,000 and 300 BCE). But archaeologists have had to dig for it. Archaeology has only been undertaken in Japan for about 150 years, a … Continue reading Shakado Museum of Jomon Culture – really digging back in time
A big museum for a long history – the National Museum of Japanese History
Japan is fortunate to have several national museums spread across the country. The National Museum of Japanese History in Sakura City, Chiba (just over an hour outside of Tokyo), is enormous, with amazing exhibits featuring every age of Japanese history. It would probably take a full day, maybe even longer, to fully explore everything the … Continue reading A big museum for a long history – the National Museum of Japanese History
Ota-ku in art: scenes portrayed by writers and artists
There are so many wonderful museums across Tokyo and across Japan. Sometimes one finds the greatest treasures in the smallest of them. The current special exhibit at the Ota Folk Museum, "Ota-ku in art: scenes portrayed by writers and artists", is one such treasure. The exhibit, on the second floor of the museum, features woodblock … Continue reading Ota-ku in art: scenes portrayed by writers and artists
Art Deco’s Exoticism On Display
One could argue that Art Deco, which takes its name from the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes held in Paris in 1925, is a European--particularly French--style. But one of the distinctive features of Art Deco is the way in which it drew on influences from around the world, particularly Africa and the … Continue reading Art Deco’s Exoticism On Display
Nihonga: Distinctly Japanese Modern Art
"Modern" Japan dates from the Meiji Restoration of 1868. During the reign of the Emperor Meiji (1868-1912), Japan modernized and Westernized. This transformation included not only Japan's political, economic, and education systems, but also various aspects of fine arts. With respect to the latter, many feared that Japan's cultural identity might be lost in the … Continue reading Nihonga: Distinctly Japanese Modern Art
The colors of Ko-Imari: it’s all about the glaze
Stepping into the latest exhibition at Shibuya's Toguri Museum of Art, I felt as if I was in heaven. The exhibition, entitled "Beautiful Glazes in Ko-Imari Ware", features the glazes used on Ko-Imari ware, some of Japan's earliest refined porcelains, dating back to the 17th century. The pieces on display are exquisite. It was refugee … Continue reading The colors of Ko-Imari: it’s all about the glaze
Decoration and Art Deco
Tokyo has a few interesting older homes that are open to the public and many, many art museums. My favorite place that ticks both boxes is the Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum, colloquially known as Prince Asaka's palace, and I've written about it before. As a museum, Prince Asaka's palace sometimes closes while new exhibits … Continue reading Decoration and Art Deco
Exploring early industrialization in Izu
Japan's rapid industrialization during the Meiji Period (1868-1912), when the country was re-opened to international trade after more than 250 years of isolation, was nothing short of remarkable. The various achievements of the period were recognized by UNESCO in 2015 when it listed 23 components at 11 sites as "Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution: … Continue reading Exploring early industrialization in Izu
Jigsaw Japan 