Special Exhibition
Special Exhibition Commemorating the Enthronement of the Emperor Shosoin treasures revived —Tempyo techniques seen in reproductions—
Thursday, April 2022, 4 – Sunday, June 21, 2022
Thursday, April 21, 2022 – Sunday, June 12, 2022
Special Exhibition Gallery
The Shosoin Treasures are approximately 9,000 items that were handed down to the Shosoin Shosoin, a storehouse at Todaiji Temple in Nara. Many of the items were made during the Nara period, including items related to Emperor Shomu, and cover a wide range of categories, including furnishings, musical instruments, toys, weapons and armor, stationery, Buddhist altar implements, documents, and dyed and woven items. Some of the items are highly international, having been brought from the Western Regions and the Tang Dynasty, and they also provide insight into the exchange between East and West during the flourishing Tenpyo culture of the time. However, the Shosoin Treasures, which have survived for nearly 1,300 years, are extremely fragile and have rarely been made public, except for a portion that is exhibited at the Shosoin Exhibition held in Nara every autumn.
The production of replicas of Shosoin treasures began during the Meiji period, when the Nara Exposition was held at Todaiji Temple in Nara. From the latter half of the Meiji period, replica production was undertaken as an integrated project with repair work under the supervision of the Shosoin Imperial Property Management Section of the Imperial Household Ministry, but from 1972, the Shosoin Office of the Imperial Household Agency, which manages the treasures, began to produce replicas with an emphasis on faithfully reproducing the materials, techniques and structure of the treasures. Since then, many excellent works have been produced by combining the skilled techniques of Living National Treasures and other holders of traditional techniques with the latest research and study results.
This exhibition brings together a selection of the finest pieces from the hundreds of reproductions that have been made to date. We hope that visitors will be able to experience the beauty and craftsmanship of the Tenpyo period, as well as appreciate the significance of passing on traditional Japanese techniques.
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Imitation mother-of-pearl and rosewood five-stringed biwa (front) Shosoin Office Collection
*Only on display in the first period (until May 5th)Imitation mother-of-pearl and rosewood five-stringed biwa (front) Shosoin Office Collection
*Only on display in the first period (until May 5th) -
Replica mother-of-pearl and rosewood five-stringed biwa (back) Shosoin Office Collection
*Only on display in the first period (until May 5th)Replica mother-of-pearl and rosewood five-stringed biwa (back) Shosoin Office Collection
*Only on display in the first period (until May 5th) -
Imitation brass box, Shosoin Office CollectionImitation brass box, Shosoin Office Collection
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Replica lion mask, Shosoin Office CollectionReplica lion mask, Shosoin Office Collection
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Imitation Mother of Pearl Carving on a Rosewood Gogen Biwa
Provided by the Shosoin OfficeImitation Mother of Pearl Carving on a Rosewood Gogen Biwa
Provided by the Shosoin Office -
Imitation: The surface of a brass bowl being scraped off
Provided by the Shosoin OfficeImitation: The surface of a brass bowl being scraped off
Provided by the Shosoin Office -
Shosoin Shosoin (exterior)Shosoin Shosoin (exterior)
Information
- Session
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Thursday, April 2022, 4 – Sunday, June 21, 2022
Thursday, April 21, 2022 – Sunday, June 12, 2022 - Open
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9:00am to 17:00pm (no admission after 16:30pm)
- Closed
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Mondays (or the following weekday if Monday is a holiday), *However, open on May 5nd
- Venue
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Special Exhibition Gallery
- Sponsorship
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Imperial Household Agency Shosoin Office, Matsumoto City Museum of Art, Shinano Mainichi Newspapers, Asahi Shimbun, NHK Nagano Broadcasting
- Academic Cooperation
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Nara National Museum, Kyushu National Museum
- Sponsor
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Live Art Books
- Sponsorship
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Japan Crafts Association, Shimin Times, MG Press
- Cooperation
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AEON Mall Matsumoto
- Fees
Same-day tickets: Adults 1,500 yen (Advance tickets 1,300 yen)
University/high school students and Matsumoto residents aged 70 and over: 1,000 yen (800 yen advance ticket)- Advance tickets are on sale until April 4th
- Groups of 20 or more receive a 200 yen discount
- Free for junior high school students and younger, and free for those with a disability certificate and one carer
- University and high school students and Matsumoto residents aged 70 or older must present identification (student ID, driver's license, etc.) on the day of viewing.
Ticket agency [advance tickets only] / Inoue Department Store, Kobayashi Art Materials, Shinano Art Studio, Tezuka Shinkodo
Online tickets (advance tickets and same-day tickets) can be purchased from the link below.
However, tickets will not be available to Matsumoto residents aged 70 or older.*To reduce congestion, we recommend purchasing your tickets online in advance.
Related Events
Panel discussion: "Reproduction of Shosoin treasures"
The director of the Shosoin Office, the creator of the replica, and the director of Matsumoto City Museum of Art will give a clear explanation of the significance and purpose of making a replica of the Shosoin.
- Participants
- Akihiko Nishikawa (former director of the Imperial Household Agency's Shosoin Office), Norihiro Miyairi (swordsmith and re-producer of the boxwood sheath sword), Minoru Ogawa (director of the Matsumoto City Museum of Art)
- Date and Time
- 6 month 4 day (Saturday) 14: 00 ~ 15: 30
- Venue
- Auditorium
- Prices
- Free (However, a valid exhibition ticket for that day is required)
- Capacity
- 80 people
- application
- May 5th (Wed) from 11:9 AM Click here (external site) or call (00-0263-39)
Take on the artistic challenge! Welcome to the world of lacquer art
You will learn about the lacquer craft techniques used in the Shosoin treasures from artists active in the Chushin region.
① "Inlay and mother-of-pearl"
This is an experiential class where you can learn the "Made inlay" technique, in which cut-out thick shells are glued together with lacquer.
- lecturer
- Mr. Akira Fukai (Member of the Chushin Art Association and Traditional Craftsman)
- Date and Time
- 5 month 15 (day) 10: 00 ~ 16: 00
- Place
- Lecture room/Citizens' studio
- Entry fee
- 3,000 yen
- Belongings
- Clothes that you don't mind getting dirty, packed lunch
- Target
- Upper elementary school students to adults
- Capacity
- First 20 people
- application
- We reached capacity
② "Chinkin"
You will experience the technique of "Chinkin," which involves carving lacquerware and printing and fixing gold powder and lacquer.
- lecturer
- Aiko Ishimoto (Member of the Chushin Art Association, Contemporary Master Craftsman)
- Date and Time
- 5 month 22 (day) 13: 00 ~ 16: 00
- Venue
- Lecture room/Citizens' studio
- Entry fee
- 3,000 yen
- Belongings
- Clothes that you don't mind getting dirty
- Target
- Upper elementary school students to adults
- Capacity
- First 20 people
- application
Slide talk by Director Ogawa Minoru
Director Ogawa will use slides to talk about the highlights of the Shosoin treasures and how to enjoy the exhibitions.
- Date and Time
- May 5th (Thu), 12th (Thu), 19th (Thu) 26:14-00:15
- Venue
- Auditorium
- Prices
- Free
- Capacity
- Limited to the first 40 people per session (however, a valid exhibition ticket for that day is required)
- application