Quick preview: Ryukyu exhibit at Tokyo National Museum to open on May 3

The RYUKYU exhibit to be held in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Okinawa Prefecture’s reversion to Japan this year will kick off at the Tokyo National Museum (Ueno Park) on May 3, 2022.

About 390 cultural assets ⁠— including 72 designated national treasures and 22 designated important cultural properties ⁠— associated with the southernmost prefecture will go on display, making it the largest exhibit ever to feature the culture and art of the subtropical islands.

The exhibit will last until June 26, 2022, and move to Kyushu National Museum (Dazaifu, Fukuoka Pref.) later in the year.

Special Exhibition:
Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Okinawa’s Reversion to Japan
RYUKYU

May 3 (Tue) – Jun 26 (Sun), 2022

Tokyo National Museum
(Ueno Park, Tokyo)

*See outline below for more info

From the Tokyo National Museum website:

2022 marks the 50th anniversary of Okinawa’s reversion to Japan. Once a kingdom named Ryukyu with a unique history and culture, Okinawa began modernizing in the Meiji era (1868–1912) and later suffered hardships because of the Second World War. However, it has continuously striven to pass its history and culture down to future generations. Through fascinating cultural properties, this comprehensive exhibition explores the founding of the Ryukyu Kingdom in Asia, the formation and legacy of its unique culture, and the region’s postwar recovery.

Tokyo National Museum is home to one of Japan’s largest collections of works associated with Ryukyu. Many were purchased from Okinawa Prefecture during the Meiji era while others were later donated to the Museum. The Museum conducts research on Ryukyu’s history and culture, and shares its findings through exhibitions. An iconic example of its efforts was the special exhibition History and Culture of Okinawa Islands, which was held at the Museum in 1992, the 20th anniversary of Okinawa’s reversion to Japan. Building on this past success, RYUKYU is the largest exhibition about the magnificent history and culture of this region.