Tokyo National Museum, National museum in Taitō-ku, Japan
Tokyo National Museum is an art museum in Taitō-ku housed in six separate buildings. The collections contain over 100,000 objects including Japanese paintings, sculptures, ceramics, textiles, and archaeological finds from different periods.
The museum was founded in 1872 at Yushima Seido Shrine and later moved to Ueno Park. It became Japan's first and largest national museum, a position it maintains today.
The Honkan building displays Japanese artworks from ancient times through the 19th century, featuring Buddhist statues, sliding doors, scrolls, and ritual objects. These pieces show how artistic styles developed and changed across many centuries.
The museum is open in the morning through late afternoon most days, with extended evening hours on certain occasions. Plan several hours to explore all the buildings, and rest areas and food options are available on the grounds.
The Horyuji Homotsukan is a special gallery displaying religious objects from Horyuji Temple in Nara, a site of deep spiritual importance. The collection includes small statues and copper reliefs that reveal how Buddhist art is preserved in a sacred setting.
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