Traditional Japanese objects, including art, tools, and ceremonial items that embody the nationβs aesthetic and philosophical values. These artifacts span samurai-era relics to delicate works of craftsmanship.
Crafted from lightweight paulownia wood and vividly painted, this gigaku mask represents the youthful son of a widowed Persian elder in gigaku, a lively form of masked dance drama imported from continental Asia.
This wooden statue, adorned with lacquer and rock-crystal inlaid eyes depicts Prince ShΕtoku Taishi at age two.
A 100 cm magnolia wood figure deity with traces of color, blending Buddhist tenbu and Shinto kami iconography.
This Echizen Ware storage jar from the 1400s Muromachi period, crafted from stoneware with natural ash glaze, embodies Zen-inspired wabi-sabi aesthetics.
Carved c. 900 CE, this Japanese wooden Buddha called Shakyamuni with lacquer shows thick folds and meditation mudras.
A wooden tray from Japanβs Muromachi period, adorned with red-over-black Negoro lacquer, crafted for Buddhist rituals, showcasing elegance and spiritual duality.
A bronze figure from the late 600s, depicting Maitreya (Buddha of the future) with incised details, finished with traces of gilding.
A wooden statue from the 1200s, depicting an open-mouthed Nio guardian, assembled with yosegi-zukuri technique and faded polychromy.
A wooden figure from the 900s, representing a Shinto kami, carved with Tang-style robes and traces of polychromy.
A wooden figure from the 1400s, depicting Zenki with an axe, painted red with detailed carvings.
A wooden koma inu from the 1200sβ1300s, depicting a guardian lion-dog, carved with traces of polychromy.
A wooden statue from the 1200s, depicting a Nio guardian with a fierce expression, carved from chestnut and cypress.