The 76th Annual Exhibition of Shōsō-in Treasures

The Annual Exhibition of Shōsō-in Treasures is an important part of Nara's autumnal resplendence. Since its start in 1946, it has been a celebrated tradition of the ancient capital. This year, we welcome its seventy-sixth iteration.
The beloved personal possessions of the Nara-period sovereign Emperor Shōmu (701-756; r. 724-749) that were donated shortly after his passing lie at the core what we refer to as the Shōsō-in treasures. The many and various objects comprising this precious collection transmit to the present day a glimpse of the flourishing arts and culture of the Tenpyō era (mid-eighth century); they create a framework for understanding that classical period. For centuries, the Shōsō-in treasures were placed in one of Tōdaiji's storehouses (shōsō), where they were protected and managed as important temple properties. One reason they have been passed down to the present day as a nearly complete and well-preserved set is that they were carefully guarded, with a special seal (chokufū) restricting access.
This year, as ever, the Repository in its entirety is represented by a selection of treasures including furnishings and attire, Buddhist ritual implements and ornaments, along with written records and documents. Among them, the beautiful Arm Rest Covered in a Patterned Silk (Nishiki) with a Design of Phoenix Medallions on a Purple Ground (North Section 47) has paramount importance as an object used by Emperor Shōmu. Many treasures make exquisite use of glass, catching the eye with their delightful splendor. In addition to such personal adornments as the Green Glass Ruler Pendant (Middle Section 111) and the Green Glass Fish-Shaped Ornament (Middle Section 128), the Twelve-Pointed Silver Mirror Decorated with Gold and Cloisonné (South Section 70) brings into a sumptuous contrast luminous glass greens outlined in shining gold. Other fascinating works like the Aloeswood Offering Box with Marquetry Design (Middle Section 142) and the Red Sandalwood Scroll Stand with Gold and Silver Painting (South Section 174) display the heights of decorative techniques reached during the Nara period. Finally, on display this year are replicas produced through the decades by the Office of the Shōsō-in, Imperial Household Agency. Close inspection of these carefully reproduced items will familiarize you with the techniques used to make the Shōsō-in treasures, deepening your appreciation of the originals.
We hope you will have the chance to experience the resplendent array of treasures selected for this year's exhibition.

What is the Annual Exhibition of Shōsō-in Treasures?

Each year in the fall, the Imperial seal behind which the Shōsō-in Treasures are stored in the Repository at Tōdai-ji Temple is opened for a short window of time for inspection. During this period, a selection of treasures is put on display to make the treasures accessible to the general public at The Annual Exhibition of Shōsō-in Treasures. The group of treasures brought out each year are selected to give a sense of the collection as a whole and to feature works that have drawn attention through recent research findings. The first exhibition was held in 1946 at what was then the Nara Imperial Household Museum. With the exception of three subsequent exhibitions in Tokyo (held in 1949, 1959, and 1981), the show has opened in Nara every year since.

What are the Shōsō-in Treasures?

While the treasures preserved through the centuries in the Shōsō-in Repository are believed to have entered the storehouse through various circumstances, the majority of them can be divided into the following three groups: 1. Those presented as offerings by Empress Kōmyō (701-760) to the Great Buddha of Tōdai-ji on the twenty-first day of the sixth month in Tenpyō Shōhō 8 (756) after the forty-nine days of mourning following the passing of Emperor Shōmu (701-756; r. 724-749); 2. Various objects and implements used during ceremonies at Tōdai-ji; and 3. Materials connected to the administration of Tōdai-ji and its Scriptorium from the Tōdai-ji Construction Bureau (Zō Tōdaiji Shi). There are also various ritual implements that were used in ceremonies at the palace, weaponry, and instruments. The breadth and variety of the treasures suggests several threads of history and provenance interweaving the collection's objects.

Dates

Saturday, October 26th-Monday, November 11th, 2024
The museum is open every day for the entire run of the exhibition.

Venue

The East and West New Wings of the Nara National Museum in Nara, Japan

Hours

8:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M., and until 8:00 P.M. on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Holidays

Last entry is sixty minutes before closing.

Admission

General Admission	2,000 JPY (Late Entry: 1,500 JPY)
University and High School Students	1,500 JPY (Late Entry: 1,000 JPY)
Junior High and Elementary School Students	500 JPY (Late Entry: Free)

Free of charge entry to disabled certificate holders and an accompanying caretaker (upon presenting the certificate); preschoolers; late entry rate (junior high and elementary school students); Nara National Museum Membership card holders (for first and second entry); Sponsorship Members (Nara National Museum, Tokyo National Museum [except Silver Members], Kyushu National Museum); Seifukai Members (Kyoto National Museum); and Special Supporters.

Those benefitting from free admission do not need to purchase timed-entry tickets but are required to present their certificate or membership card upon arrival. (Except for junior high and elementary school students and younger)

• Please note that you cannot change, cancel, or reissue your timed-entry tickets, and there are no refunds.
• The Late Entry discount is available with timed-entry tickets only and applies from Monday through Thursday after 4:00 P.M. and after 5:00 P.M. on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Holidays.
• Excluding those benefitting from free admission, all tickets are timed-entry and must be purchased prior to one's arrival at the museum.
• Ticket sales will end as soon as the tickets made available for each timed-entry window have been sold out.
• Timed-entry tickets can be purchased the same day as one's visit up to the start of each timed-entry window.

How to Purchase Timed-Entry Tickets

Tickets go on sale Friday, September 6th at 10:00 A.M.
Tickets are available for purchase through the following vendors and methods:

E－Ticket （English available）　https://www.e-tix.jp/shosoin-ten/en　　ONLINE TICKET USAGE GUIDE
LAWSON TICKET
Use the L-Code 59600 at Lawson or Ministop stores or through its online ticketing website.
Lawson Ticket Japanese Site:https://l-tike.com/76shosoin-ten/
Lawson Ticket English Site:https://l-tike.com/st1/76shosoin-ten-Inbound
ART EXHIBITION JAPAN
This app is only available in Japanese. It can be used on smartphones running iOS 13/Android 6.0 and over.

Museum Entry and Viewing the Exhibition

• You will not be permitted to enter the museum on a day or window of time other than that designated on your ticket.
• Depending on the circumstances in the galleries, you may be admitted slightly before the start of your ticket's timed-entry window or a little while after it has begun.
• Because the galleries are typically at their most crowded at the start of each timed-entry window, we recommend that you plan on arriving at the museum shortly after the start of the time slot designated on your ticket.
• There is no rotation of works throughout the length of the exhibition.
• You may use your timed-entry Shōsō-in Exhibition ticket for admission to the Nara Buddhist Sculpture Hall and the Chinese Ritual Bronzes Gallery.
• There is no parking lot available at the museum. Please refrain from visiting the museum by car.

About This Year's Treasures

Of the fifty-seven treasures included in this year's exhibition, ten (including replicas) are displayed for the first time.
There are ten treasures from the North Section, twenty-two from the Middle Section, twenty-two from the South Section, and three from the Shōgozō.

Organizer:

Nara National Museum

With Special Support from:

The Yomiuri Shimbun

Organizers and Sponsors

The exhibition has been made possible with the support of: Central Japan Railway Company; Daicel Corporation; DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.; Daiwa House Industry Co., Ltd.; INDEN-YA Co., Ltd.; Iwatani Corporation; Kansai Electrical Safety Inspection Association; Kintetsu Railway Co., Ltd.; Maruichi Steel Tube Ltd.; Nakanishi Metal Works Co., Ltd.; NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE WEST CORPORATION; SGC Co., Ltd.; Shionogi Healthcare Co., Ltd.; West Japan Railway Company; YAMATO NOEN CO., LTD.; with the special support of the Yomiuri Shimbun Co.; and with the cooperation of Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK) Nara Station; Nara Kōtsū Bus Lines Co., Ltd.; Nara Television Co., Ltd.; Nippon Kōdō Co., Ltd.; Bukkyō Bijutsu Kyōkai (Buddhist Art Foundation); and the Yomiuri Telecasting Corporation.

Through Corporate Partnership with:

DMG MORI Co., Ltd.

Major Works