Latest news with #Ooku:WomenofPowerinEdoCastle
Tokyo Weekender
05-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Tokyo Weekender
Upcoming Tokyo Exhibitions and Art Shows: August 2025
A look at upcoming exhibitions and art shows across Tokyo for the month of August. Whether you want to see some traditional Japanese art or a modern exhibit, here's everything worth checking out. List of Contents: Tokyo Art Shows in August Tokyo Exhibitions in August Related Posts Tokyo Art Shows in August Aki Sasamoto: Laboratory Explore Aki Sasamoto's 20-year journey in Laboratory, blending sculpture, performance and video at the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum. Date & Time Aug 23-Nov 24・10:00-18:00・Last entry 30 minutes before closing Price Free Location Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Contemporary Art, 3F Special Exhibition Room More Details 60th Anniversary Gacha Gacha Exhibition Gachapon, or capsule toys, have been a staple of Japanese pop culture. Marking the 60th anniversary of gachapon in Japan, the Marunouchi Building is hosting a special exhibition highlighting the evolution of the toys and some of the biggest names in the industry. Date & Time Jul 26-Aug 15・10:00-19:00・Last Admission at 18:30, Closes at 17:00 on the last day of the exhibit (Last Admission: 16:30) Price ¥1200 for adults, ¥1000 for high school students, ¥800 for elementary and junior high school students, free for preschool children Location Marunouchi Building More Details Exhibition: World Fair in Japan 1970-2005 Architecture fans will delight in this deep dive into Japan's Expo designs, from Osaka in the '70's to Aichi 2005's eco-conscious pavilions. Date & Time Mar 08-Aug 31・10:00-16:30 Price Free Location National Archives of Modern Architecture More Info Closed on Mondays, except public holidays (closed the following day instead) More Details The Fear Exhibition The Fear Exhibition, at the Beam Gallery in Shibuya, explores fears and anxieties of the human heart. Focusing on both conventional and irrational fears, the exhibit is an opportunity for visitors to explore a wide range of phobias while also confronting their own fears. Date & Time Jul 18-Aug 31・11:00-20:00・last admission 30 minutes before closing Price ¥2300 Location Shibuya Beam More Details Isao Takahata Exhibition: The Man Who Planted Japanese Animation Explore the life and legacy of Isao Takahata, co-founder of Studio Ghibli, through rare art and materials from his iconic films, including Grave of the Fireflies, opening this summer at Azabudai Hills Gallery. Date & Time Jun 27-Sep 15・10:00-20:00・Last Entry 19:30 Price ¥1,200-¥2,000 Location Azabudai Hills Gallery More Details Ooku: Women of Power in Edo Castle Ooku: Women of Power in Edo Castle is a new special exhibition at the Tokyo National Museum running from July 19 to September 21 organized in cooperation with the Tokugawa Memorial Foundation. The exhibit features over 180 artifacts, connecting guests to the Empress Dowagers, concubines and maids of the shogunate. Date & Time Jul 19-Sep 21・~17:00・closed on July 22, open until 20:00 every Friday and Saturday, last admission 30 minutes before closing Price ¥2100 for adults, ¥1300 for university students, ¥900 for high school students Location Tokyo National Museum More Details The Architecture of Sou Fujimoto: Primordial Future Forest The Mori Art Museum will be exhibiting "The Architecture of Sou Fujimoto: Primordial Future Forest," a comprehensive overview of projects from architect Sou Fujimoto's design journey. Date & Time Jul 02-Nov 09・10:00-22:00・10:00-17:00 on Tuesdays, Open until 22:00 on September 23 Price ¥2300 for adults, ¥2000 for seniors, ¥1400 for university/high school students, free for children Location Mori Art Museum More Info admission price varies on weekends and holidays, online tickets are discounted More Details Discover Tokyo, Every Week Get the city's best stories, under-the-radar spots and exclusive invites delivered straight to your inbox. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy . Tokyo Exhibitions in August Ando Teru Exhibition: The Sculptor of The Hachiko Statue This exhibition revisits the sculptor behind Shibuya's beloved Hachiko statue, marking 80 years since his death. Date & Time Jun 21-Aug 17・10:00-20:00 Price ¥1000 Location The Shoto Museum of Art More Info Closed on Mondays (except for July 21, and August 11, 2025), July 22(Tue.), and August 12(Tue.), 2025 More Details Related Posts Vatican Returns 26 Martyrs of Japan Portraits to Japan After 94 Years Kioi Seido: Tokyo's Enigmatic 'Building With No Purpose'
Japan Forward
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Forward
EXHIBITION: Rare Edo Robes Unveil the Power and Beauty of Women at Court
このページを 日本語 で読む Countless novels and TV dramas have vividly portrayed the Ooku, the secluded women's quarters of Edo Castle. Yet, the real garments that its inhabitants wore were even more opulent than those seen on screen. Opening July 19 at the Tokyo National Museum in Ueno, the special exhibition Ooku: Women of Power in Edo Castle offers a rare glimpse into the true world of the Ooku through the treasured belongings of women connected to the Tokugawa shogunate. Among the highlights are uchikake and kosode robes. Adorned with richly detailed embroidery, these masterpieces are so intricate that recreating them today would be nearly impossible. The Ooku was an exclusive, women-only enclave deep within Edo Castle. Here, the shogun's wife and concubines lived, entrusted with bearing and raising heirs to the Tokugawa shogunate. Their elaborate attire served not only as personal adornment but also as a powerful display of political authority and wealth. According to records, the shogun's wife was required to change outfits as many as five times a day. The exhibition showcases garments associated with Tensho-in, a samurai-born wife of the 13th shogun, Iesada, and Princess Kazu, the imperial-born wife of the 14th shogun, Iemochi. Their clothing reveals distinct personal traits and highlights the cultural contrasts between their backgrounds. Also on display are kabuki costumes worn by okyogen-shi , female performers who staged kabuki-style theater within the walls of the Ooku. Haori and Undergarment in Bright Green Satin with Target Motif, a kabuki costume from the Oku (Tokyo National Museum collection) Among them, one dazzling piece stands out: the Haori and Undergarment in Bright Green Satin with Target Motif , boldly designed with arrows piercing a target. Embellished with lavish gold thread, it captures the vivid spectacle and theatrical flair emblematic of kabuki. Yuzuruha Oyama, Head of Research at the Tokyo National Museum, remarks: "The women of the Ooku depicted in television dramas don't wear uchikake like these, richly adorned with intricate embroidery. That's likely because faithfully recreating such garments today would be prohibitively expensive. We hope visitors will take this opportunity to appreciate the beauty of the originals." Also featured in the exhibition are kakefukusa , ornate embroidered cloths traditionally placed over gifts. A complete set of 31 pieces, now held at Kofuku-in Temple in Nara and designated as Important Cultural Properties, showcases the height of Edo-period embroidery. Commissioned by the 5th Tokugawa shogun Tsunayoshi, the set is believed to have been presented to his concubine, Zuishun'in. Embroidered Kakefukusa: Light Blue Satin with Iris, Pink, and Sake Vessel Motif Featuring the Character for "Longevity" (Designated Important Cultural Property, Kofuku-in Temple, Nara) The exhibition is divided into four sections: Highlights include the 40-panel woodblock print series Chiyoda Inner Palace by ukiyo-e master Yoshu Chikanobu, offering a vivid, imagined portrayal of Ooku life during the reign of the 11th Tokugawa shogun, Ienari. Also on view is the Ooku Path to Power Game, a board game that humorously charts the path to status within the inner palace. For many daughters of affluent townspeople, serving in the Ooku was a coveted opportunity. With the chance to win the shogun's favor, even a woman without noble lineage could, as the saying went, "ride in a gilded palanquin." Features figures like Lady Kasuga, Eshima, and Takiyama, powerful senior attendants who helped shape the Ooku. Also on display is a comprehensive map of the Edo Castle Honmaru Ooku area, offering insight into the layout and workings of the inner palace. Showcases the belongings of shoguns' wives, the biological mothers of heirs, and Tokugawa princesses. Presents items that reflect the elegant lifestyle of the Ooku, including lavish seasonal garments, bridal furnishings, traditional games like karuta , and Gosho dolls. The exhibition runs through September 21. Author: Keiko Mizunuma , The Sankei Shimbun このページを 日本語 で読む
