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MASTERPIECESof Japan

Beauty, shaped by centuries.

MASTERPIECESof Japan

日本の美を、世界へ。

Discover the art, craft and cultural heritage shaped across centuries of Japanese history.

01 / 06

太刀

TACHI

Ō-Kanehira

Heian period
12th century

National Treasure

Now showing
Ō-Kanehira

01 — Introduction

千年を超えて、受け継がれるもの。

Craftedthroughgenerations.

日本では、刀は鍛えられ、器は焼かれ、漆は幾重にも塗り重ねられてきました。その技と美意識は、作り手から作り手へ、持ち主から持ち主へと手渡され、多くの作品がいまも寺社や美術館で守り伝えられています。

MASTERPIECES OF JAPAN は、そうした作品を出典とともに紹介し、日本の美を世界へひらくためのデジタルアーカイブです。

In Japan, blades were forged, vessels fired, and lacquer laid down coat after coat. The skills and sensibilities behind them passed from maker to maker and from keeper to keeper — and many of these works are still cared for in temples, shrines and museums today.

Masterpieces of Japan presents them with their sources, opening Japanese beauty to the world.

Introduction
02作品の回廊

The Archive

Photograph of Under the Wave off Kanagawa (The Great Wave)Under the Wave off Kanagawa (The Great Wave)Edo — Ukiyo-ePhotograph of Raku Tea Bowl named FujisanRaku Tea Bowl named FujisanEdo — CeramicsPhotograph of Fugen Bodhisattva Riding an ElephantFugen Bodhisattva Riding an ElephantHeian — SculpturePhotograph of Irises ScreensIrises ScreensEdo — PaintingPhotograph of Kakiemon ElephantsKakiemon ElephantsEdo — CeramicsPhotograph of Noh Mask: Waka-onnaNoh Mask: Waka-onnaNoh MasksPhotograph of Tea-leaf Jar with Wisteria DesignTea-leaf Jar with Wisteria DesignEdo — CeramicsPhotograph of Dōjigiri YasutsunaDōjigiri YasutsunaHeian — SwordsPhotograph of Fine Wind, Clear Morning (Red Fuji)Fine Wind, Clear Morning (Red Fuji)Edo — Ukiyo-ePhotograph of Ō-yoroi Armour with Red Lacing, Bamboo, Tigers and SparrowsŌ-yoroi Armour with Red Lacing, Bamboo, Tigers and SparrowsKamakura — Armor
Photograph of Tenjukoku Shūchō (Embroidered Curtain of the Land of Heavenly Longevity)Tenjukoku Shūchō (Embroidered Curtain of the Land of Heavenly Longevity)Asuka – Nara — TextilesPhotograph of Okadagiri YoshifusaOkadagiri YoshifusaKamakura — SwordsPhotograph of Hollow DogūHollow DogūAncient — Ancient ArtsPhotograph of Sword Guard (Tsuba)Sword Guard (Tsuba)MetalworkPhotograph of Scrolls of Frolicking Animals and Humans (Chōjū-giga)Scrolls of Frolicking Animals and Humans (Chōjū-giga)Heian — PaintingPhotograph of Robe (Kosode) with Shells and Sea GrassesRobe (Kosode) with Shells and Sea GrassesTextilesPhotograph of Netsuke: The Seven Lucky GodsNetsuke: The Seven Lucky GodsNetsukePhotograph of Scenes In and Around Kyoto (Uesugi Version)Scenes In and Around Kyoto (Uesugi Version)Momoyama — PaintingPhotograph of Celadon Vase with Iron Spots (Tobiseiji)Celadon Vase with Iron Spots (Tobiseiji)CeramicsPhotograph of Cosmetic Box with Wheels in StreamCosmetic Box with Wheels in StreamHeian — Lacquerware
03代表作品

Masterpieces

A sword, a tea bowl, a writing box, a folding screen — works of different materials and centuries, hung as if in a single gallery.

Photograph of Wind God and Thunder God Screens

Wind God and Thunder God Screens

風神雷神図屏風

01

Pair of two-panel folding screens — Edo· National Treasure

Photograph of Tea-leaf Jar with Wisteria Design

Tea-leaf Jar with Wisteria Design

色絵藤花文茶壺

02

Tea-leaf jar — Edo· National Treasure

Photograph of Yōhen Tenmoku Tea Bowl (Inaba Tenmoku)

Yōhen Tenmoku Tea Bowl (Inaba Tenmoku)

Inaba Tenmoku

03

Tenmoku tea bowl· National Treasure

Photograph of Guardian King (Kongō Rikishi), Agyō

Guardian King (Kongō Rikishi), Agyō

木造金剛力士立像（阿形）

04

Buddhist sculpture — Kamakura

Photograph of Irises Screens

Irises Screens

燕子花図屏風

05

Pair of six-panel folding screens — Edo· National Treasure

Photograph of Ō-yoroi Armour with Red Lacing, Bamboo, Tigers and Sparrows

Ō-yoroi Armour with Red Lacing, Bamboo, Tigers and Sparrows

赤糸威大鎧（竹虎雀飾）

06

Ō-yoroi armour — Kamakura· National Treasure

Photograph of Writing Box with Eight Bridges

Writing Box with Eight Bridges

八橋蒔絵螺鈿硯箱

07

Writing box (suzuri-bako) — Edo· National Treasure

View the full collection
04分類から探す

Explore theCollection

Sculpture

彫刻・仏像

03

Ceramics

陶磁器

07

Lacquerware

漆芸

04

Painting

絵画

08

Textiles

染織

03

Swords

刀剣

05

05国宝

NationalTreasures

National Treasures are tangible cultural properties designated by the Japanese state, under the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties, as Important Cultural Properties of especially high value from the standpoint of world culture. We label a work a National Treasure only when the designation can be confirmed in the Agency for Cultural Affairs’ database or an equivalent source.

Agency for Cultural Affairs — Database ↗
  1. Photograph of Writing Box with Pontoon Bridge

    01

    National Treasure

    Writing Box with Pontoon Bridge

    舟橋蒔絵硯箱

    Type
    Writing box (suzuri-bako)
    Period and date
    Edo period, Early Edo period
    Artist
    Hon'ami Kōetsu
    Material
    Wood, lacquer, gold, silver, lead
    Collection:
    Tokyo National Museum
    View object
  2. Photograph of Pine Trees in Snow

    02

    National Treasure

    Pine Trees in Snow

    雪松図屏風

    Type
    Folding screens
    Period and date
    Edo period, 18th century
    Artist
    Maruyama Ōkyo
    Collection:
    Mitsui Memorial Museum
    View object
  3. Photograph of Hollow Dogū

    03

    National Treasure

    Hollow Dogū

    中空土偶

    Type
    Clay figurine (dogū)
    Period and date
    Ancient, Late Jōmon (c. 1500–1300 BC)
    Material
    Fired clay
    Collection:
    Hakodate Jōmon Culture Center
    View object
  4. Photograph of Tenjukoku Shūchō (Embroidered Curtain of the Land of Heavenly Longevity)

    04

    National Treasure

    Tenjukoku Shūchō (Embroidered Curtain of the Land of Heavenly Longevity)

    天寿国繡帳

    Type
    Embroidered curtain
    Period and date
    Asuka – Nara period, 7th century (Asuka period)
    Material
    Silk
    Collection:
    Chūgū-ji
    View object
  5. Photograph of Raku Tea Bowl named Fujisan

    05

    National Treasure

    Raku Tea Bowl named Fujisan

    楽焼白片身変茶碗 銘 不二山

    Type
    Raku tea bowl
    Period and date
    Edo period, 17th century
    Artist
    Hon'ami Kōetsu
    Collection:
    Sunritz Hattori Museum of Arts
    View object

29 National Treasures in this archive

All National Treasures

MadebyHand.

手が、千年をつなぐ。

Detail — Cosmetic Box with Wheels in Stream
06素材から見る

Materials

Clay, lacquer, iron, gold, cloth, wood. Japanese craft begins by reading a material and drawing out its nature. Look closely enough and the material itself becomes an abstract painting.

07日本刀

JapaneseSwords

Curvature, the hamon along the edge, the point. Before it is a weapon, a Japanese sword is a landscape drawn in forged steel by the quench.

  • 太刀04

    Tachi

    Slung edge-down from the belt

  • 刀00

    Katana

    Worn edge-up through the sash

  • 脇差00

    Wakizashi

    The shorter companion blade

  • 短刀01

    Tantō

    A blade under one shaku

  • 薙刀00

    Naginata

    A curved blade on a long shaft

  • 槍00

    Yari

    A straight-bladed spear

Photograph of Dōjigiri Yasutsuna

National Treasure

Dōjigiri Yasutsuna

Dōjigiri Yasutsuna

A tachi by Yasutsuna, a smith of Ōhara in Hōki Province, from the Heian period. One of the Five Swords Under Heaven (Tenka Goken), it is sometimes paired with Ō-Kanehira as a yokozuna among Japanese swords, and is valued as one of the oldest surviving blades of its kind.

Swordsmith
Yasutsuna
Period
Heian period
Designation
National Treasure
Collection
Tokyo National Museum
  1. 02Mikazuki MunechikaTachi swordHeian · National Treasure
  2. 03Ō-KanehiraTachi swordHeian · National Treasure
  3. 04Okadagiri YoshifusaTachi swordKamakura · National Treasure
  4. 05Terasawa SadamuneTantō daggerKamakura · National Treasure
All swords
08時代から探す

Periods

Dates are conventional guides; scholars draw the boundaries differently.

  1. 01

    to 6th c.

    Ancient

    古代（縄文〜古墳）

    Dogū and haniwa — forms of ritual and burial.

    3 objects

  2. 02

    6th–8th c.

    Asuka – Nara

    飛鳥・奈良

    Buddhism arrives, and with it continental craft.

    2 objects

  3. 03

    late 8th–12th c.

    Heian

    平安

    Court culture and a native aesthetic take shape.

    6 objects

  4. 04

    late 12th–14th c.

    Kamakura

    鎌倉

    The warrior age — a golden era of swords and sculpture.

    4 objects

  5. 05

    14th–16th c.

    Muromachi

    室町

    Ink painting, tea and the maturing of Noh.

    1 object

  6. 06

    late 16th c.

    Momoyama

    安土桃山

    Gold-ground screens and the teaware of wabi.

    3 objects

  7. 07

    1603–1868

    Edo

    江戸

    Two and a half centuries of peace; crafts flourish.

    13 objects

  8. 08

    1868–1912

    Meiji

    明治

    Through world's fairs, Japanese craft meets the world.

    1 object

  9. 09

    1912–1926

    Taishō

    大正

    In preparation

    Modern life, and the first revaluation of handwork.

    0 objects

  10. 10

    1926–1989

    Shōwa

    昭和

    In preparation

    The Mingei movement and the Living National Treasures.

    0 objects

  11. 11

    1989–

    Contemporary

    現代

    In preparation

    Makers renewing tradition today.

    0 objects

09産地・地域

CraftRegions

From Hokkaidō to Okinawa, local materials and ways of life have shaped each region's craft. An object's region refers to where it was made — not where it is kept today.

  1. 01Hokkaidō北海道1 object
  2. 02Tōhoku東北1 objectNambu Ironware · Ōdate Magewappa (bentwood)
  3. 03Kantō関東1 objectYūki Tsumugi silk · Edo Kiriko cut glass
  4. 04Kōshin'etsu甲信越SoonOjiya Chijimi ramie crepe
  5. 05Hokuriku北陸SoonWajima Lacquerware · Kutani Ware · Echizen Washi paper
  6. 06Tōkai東海1 objectMino Ware
  7. 07Kinki近畿SoonNishijin Weaving · Shigaraki Ware
  8. 08Chūgoku中国2 objectsBizen Ware · Hagi Ware
  9. 09Shikoku四国SoonMarugame Uchiwa fans · Awa Shijira cotton
  10. 10Kyūshū九州1 objectArita Ware (Imari) · Hakata Weaving · Beppu Bamboo Craft
  11. 11Okinawa沖縄SoonBingata dyeing · Tsuboya Ware

Okadagiri Yoshifusa

Story 01

Why Is the Japanese Sword Beautiful?

A single curved length of steel, its surface carrying a landscape left by the quench — the hamon. How did a weapon become an object of contemplation? We read the answer in three National Treasures.

The hamon is steel's memory of fire.

Read the story
Photograph of Pine Trees Screens

Silence, painted.

余白までが、描かれている。

Pine Trees Screens — Tokyo National Museum
Full-bleed photograph
11作り手

MasterArtisans

Swordsmiths, painters, potters and lacquer masters — the people behind the works, with dates and sources. Living makers will be introduced as their sources are verified.

Historical masters 15Contemporary makers — in preparation
12映像で見る

Films

Films published by the Agency for Cultural Affairs, national museums and craft associations, shown through YouTube's official embed. Nothing loads from YouTube until you press play.

LacquerwareIn Japanese

The craft of maki-e (Agency for Cultural Affairs)

Video title: 「蒔絵―中野孝一のわざ―」

Source: 文化庁　bunkachannel · YouTube ↗

Ukiyo-eIn Japanese

Printing ukiyo-e (Tokyo National Museum)

Video title: 「「浮世絵ができるまで　～摺りの工程～」Ukiyo-e from A to Z: The Printing Process of Japanese Woodblock Prints」

Source: TokyoNationalMuseum · YouTube ↗

CeramicsIn Japanese

Bizen ware techniques (Japan Kōgei Association)

Video title: 「「伊勢崎 淳　備前焼」のわざを伝える（ダイジェスト版）」

Source: 公益社団法人 日本工芸会 · YouTube ↗

SwordsIn Japanese

A National Treasure tachi (Kyushu National Museum)

Video title: 「新・九州国立博物館の逸品「国宝　太刀 　銘来国光」」

Source: kyuhakuchannel · YouTube ↗

PaintingIn Japanese

High-fidelity reproduction of the Wind and Thunder Gods (Canon Tsuzuri Project)

Video title: 「綴プロジェクト：俵屋宗達筆「風神雷神図屏風」/Tsuzuri Project: “The Wind and Thunder Gods” (Canon Official)」

Source: Canon · YouTube ↗

All films (12)

Cosmetic Box with Wheels in Stream

Story 02

Urushi: Beauty That Begins with a Single Drop

The sap of the lacquer tree is both a coating and an adhesive. On its black, gold is sprinkled and shell is set. From Heian to Edo, we follow the time of lacquer through three National Treasures.

Black is the darkness in which gold looks most beautiful.

Read the story

40 objects in the archive

Explorethe Collection

作品、作家、時代、素材から探す