Exhibition at Sannomaru Shozokan: The Museum of the Imperial Collections
Discover the Artistic Heritage of Japan's Imperial Family
The Imperial Palace in Tokyo is an indispensable visit for anyone seeking to understand Japan’s rich cultural and historical tapestry. Located within its grounds lies a museum that houses a treasure trove of art passed down through generations of the Imperial Family, including paintings, calligraphy, and decorative arts.
The Museum of the Imperial Collections, Sannomaru Shozokan, located within the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace, is the place where one can witness the diverse and invaluable treasures accumulated from Japan and around the world.
In this article, I will share my experience visiting the exhibition “The Aesthetics of the Imperial Court: Beauty Passed Down through the Ages” at this unique museum, offering a glimpse into the enduring legacy of imperial elegance.
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What is the Sannomaru Shozokan?
The Museum of the Imperial Collections, Sannomaru Shozokan (皇居三の丸尚蔵館) is a museum facility managed by the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage. This museum, located within the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace on the site of the former Edo Castle’s Sannomaru (third enclosure) area, first opened in 1993.
It was established to preserve and publicly display a vast collection of fine arts that have been accumulated by the Japanese Imperial Family over centuries. These items, ranging from ancient to modern times, were traditionally used in daily life or as decorations in official settings such as palaces.
In 1989, the then Emperor and His mother Empress Kojun donated thousands of artworks to the nation, leading to the creation of the museum.
The museum underwent a significant expansion and partially reopened within the Imperial Palace East Gardens in November 2023 (on its 30th anniversary). The renovation, which is still ongoing and is planned to be completed in 2026, addresses the previous limitation of display space, roughly quadrupling the exhibition area and substantially increasing the number of artworks that can be displayed simultaneously.
The collection, comprising about 6,100 items, includes many famous works that appear in history textbooks, making it a treasure trove of cultural heritage accessible to the public.
Current Exhibition: The Aesthetics of the Imperial Court – Beauty Passed Down through the Ages –
“The Aesthetics of the Imperial Court: Beauty Passed Down through the Ages” is the current exhibition held at the Sannomaru Shozokan, commemorating its 30th anniversary since its opening and its renewal in the new Reiwa era.
Spanning eight months through June 23, 2024, this exhibition showcases a diverse collection of artifacts, representing the elegance of the Imperial Family, across four phases. Each item is a precious heritage passed down within the Imperial Family.
Hosted in the newly renovated Sannomaru Shozokan, the exhibition provides a unique opportunity to explore the varied and historical treasures preserved by the Imperial lineage, divided into four distinct periods for viewing.
These phases of this exhibition are:
Part 1: National Treasures of the Sannomaru Shozokan (November 3 – December 24, 2023)
Part 2: The Beauty and Techniques of Artworks of the Imperial Court in the Modern Era (January 4 – March 3, 2024)
Part 3: Artworks that Adorned the Early Modern Imperial Palaces (March 12 – May 12, 2024)
Part 4: Selected Masterworks of Sannomaru Shozokan (May 21 – June 23, 2024)
I had the opportunity to visit the Sannomaru Shozokan during the 2nd phase of this exhibition, so let me share with you my experience and thoughts.