Gallery of Horyuji Treasures
The Gallery of Horyuji Treasures within Tokyo National Museum exhibits over 300 pieces donated to the Imperial Household by Horyuji Temple in Nara.
Tokyo National Museum, Gallery of Horyuji Treasures 法隆寺宝物館
The Gallery of Horyuji Treasures at Tokyo National Museum
The Gallery of Horyu-ji Treasures (Horyu-ji Homotsukan) is part of the very large Tokyo National Museum (Tokyo Kokuritsu Hakubutsukan) in Ueno Park.
The Gallery of Horyu-ji Treasures is housed in a modern building to the west of the main entrance close to the Kuromon.
Exhibits at the Gallery of Horyu-ji Treasure, Tokyo National Museum, Ueno
Gallery of Horyu-ji Treasures, Tokyo National Museum, Ueno
History
The building was designed by architect Yoshio Taniguchi (b. 1937) and opened in 1999. Yoshio Taniguchi is the son of Yoshiro Taniguchi (1904 - 1979) who was responsible for the Toyokan (Eastern Antiquities Gallery or Asian Gallery) within the same National Museum complex.
Yoshio Taniguchi's other works in Japan include the Marugame Genichiro Inokuma Museum of Contemporary Art, the Toyota Municipal Museum of Art, the Hiroshima City Naka Incineration Plant and the Nagano Prefectural Museum.
Exhibits
The core collection consists of over 300 pieces donated to the Imperial Household in 1878 by Horyuji Temple in Nara.
These superb exhibits of Buddhist art and culture are housed in six main galleries.
The exhibits are mainly from the 7th and 8th centuries, namely the Nara and early Heian periods of Japanese history.
The galleries are on two floors including a mezzanine floor.
The exhibits include gilt bronze Buddhist statues, gigaku masks (room open on Friday and Saturday), wood, lacquer and metal pieces, calligraphy, painting and textiles.
A reference room on the 2F mezzanine includes a digital archive on computer with explanations in Japanese, Chinese, English, French, German and Korean.
The first level has a small restaurant.
Gallery of Horyu-ji Treasures designed by Yoshio Taniguchi, Tokyo National Museum, Ueno
Buddhist statues, Gallery of Horyuji Treasures, National Museum of Japan, Ueno Park, Tokyo
National Museum (www.tnm.jp)
13-9 Ueno Park
Taito-ku
Tokyo
110-8712
Tel: 03 3822 1111
Nearest station Ueno (Park exit).
Admission to the Tokyo National Museum is presently 620 yen for adults, 410 yen for college students.
Wifi is available in most areas of the museum.
Read more about the Tokyo National Museum here
Kuromon (Black Gate), Tokyo National Museum
Ritual Bowls, Gallery of Horyuji Treasures, Tokyo National Museum
Tokyo National Museum is made up of the Honkan, the Toyokan, the Gallery of Horyuji Treasures and just outside the walls, the Kuroda Memorial Hall.
Other buildings in the complex include the Heiseikan (used for special exhibitions), the Hyokeikan, the Research and Information Center (Shiryokan) and the historic Kuromon (Black Gate). The Kuromon is the main gate of the former Edo residence of the Ikeda clan, feudal lords of Tottori.
There is also a Japanese Garden and several teahouses behind the main building.
There are four National Museums in Japan: Tokyo National Museum, Kyoto National Museum, Nara National Museum and the much later Kyushu National Museum.
Vases, Gallery of Horyuji Treasures, National Museum of Japan, Ueno Park, Tokyo
Access
The Tokyo National Museum (Tokyo Kokuritsu Hakubutsukan) is a short walk from Ueno Station or Uguisudani Station on the Yamanote Line. Nezu Station on the Chiyoda Line is also close by. The museum complex is located within Ueno Park.
