Special
Exhibition
The Reproduction of Shosoin Treasures
Encountering Tenpyo Craftsmanship through the Recreation of 8th Century Works
Exhibition Period:
20 April 2021 (Tue) – 13 June 2021 (Sun)
Venue:
Special Exhibition Hall (3rd floor)
Opening Hours:
09:30–17:00 (Tuesdays–Sundays; last admission at 16:30)
Closed:
Mondays (open on the Monday of 3 May)
Admission Fees:
Adults—1,600 yen
University and High School Students—1,000 yen
Junior High School and Elementary School Students—600 yen
Group tickets are not available for this exhibition.
For discounted tickets, please book visiting times in advance at the link below, and present
personal identification documents that reflect your birth date, such as your passport, health
insurance card, or driver’s license at the exhibition hall entrance upon request.
Admission is free for the following persons (please
book visiting times in advance at the link below, and present any necessary documents at the
exhibition hall entrance upon request):
Tickets:
We will be implementing entry limits on weekends and public holidays to prevent overcrowding in the exhibition hall. As such, visitors planning to visit on those days should purchase tickets and book an admission date and time slot online prior to their visit. Online tickets for weekends/holidays are available here, while online tickets for weekdays are available here (please click the globe icon at the top right corner for English interface). Visitors attending the exhibition on weekdays do not need to pre-book their admission slots, and can just present their online tickets for entry. We seek your understanding and cooperation. For queries, please see the FAQs.
Special Arrangements for COVID-19
- We request that all visitors planning to visit on weekends and public holidays purchase tickets and book a visiting time slot online prior to their visit. Please see the section on tickets above for more details.
- Due to logistical reasons, visitors to this Special Exhibition will be required to view the Special Exhibition (third floor) before the Cultural Exchange Exhibition (fourth floor permanent exhibition). Visitors will be presented an admission card to the Cultural Exchange Exhibition upon entry to the Special Exhibition. Admission cards to the Cultural Exchange Exhibition are valid throughout the Special Exhibition period (until 13 June 2021). Visitors coming on weekends and holidays who wish to also view the Cultural Exchange Exhibition on the same day should book earlier time slots on ARTNE so that they have ample time to view both exhibitions before closing time. Visitors coming on weekdays should also plan their visiting time accordingly.
List of Works:
天平 の美と技に魅せられた、名工たちの情熱の結晶。
正倉院宝物とは、奈良・東大寺の正倉に伝えられた約9000件におよぶ品々です。
聖武天皇ゆかりの品をはじめ、その多くが奈良時代の作で、西域や唐代の中国からもたらされた国際色豊かな品々も含まれます。
正倉院宝物の本格的な模造製作は、明治時代に奈良で開催された博覧会を機に始まりました。
宝物の修理も手掛けた名工たちによる模造製作はその後、材料や技法、構造の忠実な再現を目指すことになります。
以来、宮内庁正倉院事務所のもとで、熟練の技と最新の調査・研究成果との融合
により、高い芸術性と学術性を兼ね備えた再現模造が数多く生み出されてきました。
本展では、天平の美と技に挑戦した再現模造の逸品を集めてご紹介します。
よみがえった正倉院宝物の姿を通じて、伝統技術を継承することの意義を感じていただけますと幸いです。
（上）模造 紺牙撥鏤碁子
（下）模造 紅牙撥鏤碁子
奈良国立博物館蔵
Exhibition Overview
What is a “Shosoin?”
“Shosoin,” also known as “Shosoin Imperial Repository,” was originally a storehouse for the Todaiji Temple in Nara. Established in the Nara period (8th century), it contained roughly 9,000 prized objects. While most of the pieces were created in Japan during this period, some of them originated from China or even further west, attesting to the cultural exchange that had occurred at the time. For nearly 1,300 years, these precious object have been carefully maintained in Shosoin, allowing them to bring a piece of Japan’s past to life for all of us here in the present.
What is Tenpyo craftsmanship?
Tenpyo culture encompasses the architecture, literature, and art that had flourished in which the Tenpyo era (729–49), during the mid-Nara period. It incorporated aesthetic elements from Tang China, influenced by objects and knowledge brought back by kentōshi envoys. This process of exchange brought Japanese art and culture to a historical peak, and led to the development of what we now consider to be “quintessentially Japanese.” Tenpyo craftsmanship encapsulates the sophisticated artisanal techniques that had stemmed from this cultural interaction, and later made their mark on the world of Japanese decorative arts.
What are the Shosoin treasure reproductions?
Reproduction of the Shosoin treasures began in the Meiji period (1868–1912) as a part of the restoration process of the same objects. Later in 1972, the Office of the Shosoin Treasure House, which is part of the Imperial Household Agency, separated the two projects, and fully dedicated resources to the study of the construction, materials, and techniques used to create these ancient pieces. The information gathered from these investigations was then used to reproduce faithful replicas. In showcasing the fruits of their research and artisans’ skilled craftsmanship over the years, this exhibition takes us back to the Nara period to admire masterpieces from the Tenpyo culture. Here are some highlights from our exhibition:
Exhibition Highlights
Instruments
Red Sandalwood Five-String Biwa Lutes with Mother-of-Pearl Decoration (reproduction)
Office of the Shosoin Treasure House, Imperial Household Agency
We are honored to be presenting two reproductions of one of the most iconic objects in the Shosoin repository, a red sandalwood five-string biwa lute. One was created in 1898, based on the original, while the other was produced in 2018 with reference to the reproduction. In addition to their ornate detailing, these lutes can actually be played.
Kugo Harp with Mother-of-Pearl Sound Box (reproduction)
Office of the Shosoin Treasure House, Imperial Household Agency
A kugo (Ch. konghou) is a type of East Asian harp played on the harpist’s lap. This reproduction was created in the Meiji era when the original was being restored. It features flowers with cores of red amber, surrounded by gleaming inlaid vines and leaves.
Buddhist implements
Sappanwood-Dyed Black Persimmon Box with Landscape Painting in Gold and Silver (reproduction)
Tokyo National Museum
The texture of this box has been made to resemble red sandalwood by applying sappanwood dye on black persimmon wood. Its cover also features a landscape rendered in gold and silver. The superb technique of Yoshida Hoshun, an author born to a lacquerware-making family in Nara, shines through in this work.
Yellow Bronze Incense Container with Pagoda-Style Lid (reproduction)
Office of the Shosoin Treasure House, Imperial Household Agency
This is a reproduction of an incense container placed on the altar in front of Buddhist statues in a temple. The handle portion, which is shaped like a pagoda, is in fact constructed using over fifty tiny washers (metal rings).
Red Sandalwood Box with Marquetry (reproduction)
Office of the Shosoin Treasure House, Imperial Household Agency
Boxes like this are used to hold offerings to the Buddha. It features inlaid decorations of a mix of materials, including, most significantly, tin. This is the first instance in which scholars have discovered the use of tin in Japanese inlaid works of that period.
Textiles
Seven-Panel Mottled Priest’s Kesa in a Tapestry Variant (reproduction)
Office of the Shosoin Treasure House, Imperial Household Agency
This kesa (priest’s robe) is woven using yarn spun out of two to three different-colored threads, resulting in its mottled design. This reproduction also re-creates parts of the original robes that have been lost.
Mirrors, Daily Necessities, and Accessories
Twelve-Pointed Mirror with Decoration in Gold Plating and Cloisonné (reproduction)
Office of the Shosoin Treasure House, Imperial Household Agency
Powdered glass of various colors are fused to the metal body through a firing process. The resulting enamel design makes up an elegant flower decorating the back of this mirror.
Round Box with Mother-of-Pearl Decoration (reproduction)
Office of the Shosoin Treasure House, Imperial Household Agency
The original box came with a leather belt with lapis lazuli ornaments, the reproduction of which is also on display in this exhibition. It is a rare example of a lacquerware work decorated with mother-of-pearl inlay. The colorful brocaded fabric lining its interior has also been faithfully reproduced using the same weaving techniques.
Swords
Decorative Karatachi-Style Sword with Gold, Silver, and Glass Decoration (reproduction)
Office of the Shosoin Treasure House, Imperial Household Agency
Gorgeous crystals and colored glass beads adorn the openwork metal fittings distributed along the sheath of this sword. The original may have been part of Emperor Shōmu’s ceremonial outfit.
Calligraphy
“Household Register for Kawaberi Village in Shima District of Chikuzen Province” in the Collection of Old Documents in the Shosoin, Scroll 38 (reproduction; partial)
Office of the Shosoin Treasure House, Imperial Household Agency
The collection of old documents in the Shosoin make it a literal treasure trove of knowledge about ancient Japan. This collotype faithfully reproduces the writings on both sides of the scroll, the way the papers were bound together, and even the subtlest shades of ink in the text.