Shōsōin repository held nine thousand artifacts from China, Southeast Asia, Iran, and the Middle East—connecting ancient Japan to the cultural trade of the Eurasian continent.
Japan
Discover what was found inside this 13th century sculpture
Prince Shōtoku at Age Two
In this example of ukiyo-e, the artist represents a modern woman in the guise of Komachi, a legendary poetess.
Utagawa Kunisada I, Visiting Komachi, from the ...
Originally a sliding wall, these golden panels use bamboo, a Chinese motif, to illustrate a Japanese poetic trope.
Bamboo in the Four Seasons: painting and ...
This boyish bodhisattva reminds us that through humble bearing, we can spiritually blossom—like a lotus flower.
Jizō Bosatsu
From printed books and fan paintings to screens and sliding doors, two-dimensional art took many forms in Japan.
Japanese art: the formats of two-dimensional works
This atmospheric space awakens the eye, heightens the senses, and prepares the path for enlightenment.
Ryōanji (Peaceful Dragon Temple)
Complete mayhem! The violent scenes of this remarkable handscroll meld grisly horror with morbid humor.
Night Attack on the Sanjô Palace
Combining metallic curls with mottled color, Kôrin’s screens capture the pulsing vitality of early spring.
Ogata Kōrin, Red and White Plum Blossoms
This delicate red vessel resembles patinated metal, but it’s made from wood that’s lacquered (coated with sap).
Muromachi to Momoyama period Negoro ware ewer
These expressive funerary objects evolved from simple clay cylinders into animal, human, and building forms.
Haniwa Warrior
This massive temple was built to impress—twice. Its monumental timber frame required a veritable cypress forest.
Tōdai-ji
In her immersive dreamscapes, Mori transforms the celestial attendants of Buddhist art into pastel-colored aliens.
Mariko Mori, Pure Land
Perhaps the most iconic image in Japanese art, this woodblock print inspired many Western artists—including Monet.