Exhibition
Current Exhibition
Introduction to Painting:
A Guide to the Wonderful World of Gods, Buddhas, and Humans
- July 5 (Sat.) – September 23 (Tue., public holiday), 2025
Exhibition period divided into two phases, with some changes to the items on display.
Part 1: July 5 (Sat.) – August 11 (Mon., public holiday)
Part 2: August 13 (Wed.) – September 23 (Tue., public holiday)
Designated Important Art Object,
Mandala of Kasuga Shrine,
14th century, Nanboku-cho Period, Japan
National Treasure,
Segment of Zen paintings leading to enlightenment: Priest Zhichang, By Yintuoluo,
14th century, Yuan dynasty, China
Important Cultural Property,
Arhat, By Mu xi,
13th century, Southern Song dynasty, China
The Four Elegant Pastimes, By Kano Tsunenobu,
17th-18th century, Edo Period, Japan
Important Cultural Property,
Illustrated Biography of Prince Shōtoku,
14th century, Kamakura Period, Japan
This introductory exhibition focuses on the forms and gestures of gods, buddhas, and humans as they appear in antique works of art. “Who is this figure? What does this pose represent? What are these figures doing?” This accessible exhibition answers these and similar questions about some of the most frequently encountered depictions of human and divine figures in art and explains the stories behind them.
Next Exhibition
Newly Restored Masterpieces:A Fresh Look at Seikado’s Important Cultural Properties and, National Treasures of the Present and Future!
- October 4 (Sat) – December 21 (Sun), 2025
Exhibition period divided into two phases, with some changes to the items on display.
Part 1: October 4 (Sat) – November 9 (Sun)
Part 2: November 11 (Tue) – December 21 (Sun)
The court lady Feng Zhao-yi confronting an escaped bear
By Kikuchi Yōsai
Landscape of the Four Seasons
By Shikibu Terutada
Landscape of the Four Seasons
By Shikibu Terutada
Chrysanthemums and birds
By Noguchi Yūkoku
Landscape in wind and rain
Attributed to Ma Yuan
On the occasion of the Osaka/Kansai Expo 2025, this exhibition brings together 3 national treasure, 16 important cultural properties (eight of them on show for the first time since restoration), and 20-odd pieces that were previously shown at an expo at the beginning of the twentieth century, as well as artworks that will surely become national treasures in the future including a huge painting by Kikuchi Yōsai and some others, appearing in Marunouchi for the first time. This special exhibition showcases some of the highlights of the Seikado collection and shines new light on the esthetic pleasures of East Asian painting.
Exhibition Schedule 2025-26
Right: Colored standing statue of a divine general, 7–8th century, Tang dynasty, China
Battling Buddhist Images
- January 2 (Fri.) – March 22 (Sun.) 2026
Exhibition period divided into two phases, with some changes to the items on display.
Part 1: January 2 (Fri.) – February 8 (Sun.)
Part 2: February 10 (Tue.) – March 22 (Sun.)
Visitors to temples and museums are often surprised to encounter Buddhist images wearing armor and carrying weapons, their eyes ablaze with righteous anger. Who are they battling against, and what are they fighting to protect? This exhibition looks at these “fighting divinities,” focusing on the famous sculptures of the 12 divine generals that once stood in the Jōruriji temple. The exhibition also marks the first appearance in our Marunouchi gallery of figurines of tomb guardians from Tang China, allowing an opportunity to explore the roots from which similar figures developed in Japan.
