Annual exhibition of Shoso-in treasures to open soon at Nara National Museum

The annual exhibition of Shoso-in* treasures of autumn 2024 will kick off on Oct. 26 at the Nara National Museum. This year’s exhibition will showcase 57 treasures — 10 items (including reproductions) of which will go on public view for the very first time — from among the 9,000 or so precious objects (furnishings, musical instruments, attire, Buddhist ritual implements, historical documents, etc.) that have been kept in the Shoso-in repository in Nara for more than a millennium.

*Shoso-in: An 8th-century repository located on the grounds of Todai-ji temple in Nara. Soon after Emperor Shomu’s death in 756, Empress Dowager Komyo donated about 650 items that belonged to the Emperor to Todai-ji as an offering to the Great Buddha of the temple, and later repeated her offerings. These and other valuable objects which have been preserved in the repository are what came to be known as the Shoso-in treasures. In 1997, the repository was designated as a national treasure, and in the following year, registered as a World Heritage site (as a part of the “Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara”).

Special Exhibition
The 76th Annual Exhibition of Shōsō-in Treasures

Oct 26 (Sat) – Nov 11 (Mon), 2024

Nara National Museum
(Nara)

*See outline below for details

The must-see among the items to go on display is the “Arm Rest Covered in a Patterned Silk (Nishiki) of Phoenix Medallions on a Purple Ground” (See top photo) from the North Section of the repository, which stored artifacts associated with Emperor Shomu, who reigned during the Nara period (8th century), meaning it was likely used by the Emperor himself.

The “Twelve-Pointed Mirror Decorated with Gold-Rimmed Cloisonné Petals on a Silver Plate” from the South Section (historically, the storehouse of Todai-ji temple) will likely astound viewers with its brilliant contrast of green glaze and gold. Also noteworthy are the personal adornments made of colored glass such as fish-shaped ornaments and ruler pendants that attest to the sophistication of the numerous glass items stored in the repository.

The high level of decorative craftsmanship reached during the ancient Nara period are exhibited in items such as the “Red Ivory Ruler with Engraved Bachiru Design of Birds and Flowers” and the “Red Sandalwood Scroll Stand with Gold and Silver Painting.”

This year, a number of reproductions — produced by the Imperial Household Agency’s Office of the Shosoin Treasure House over the years — will also go on display to help visitors better understand the techniques involved to create the items stored in the repository.

The annual exhibition runs through Nov. 11.

Some other items to go on display: