Nara National Museum, Nara

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One of the best collections of Buddhism in Japan

The Nara National Museum is located in Nara Park, which is dotted with world heritage sites, Todaiji Temple, Kofukuji Temple and Kasuga Taisha Shrine.
The Nara National Museum is one of four national museums in Japan, and opened in 1895 as the second national museum after the Tokyo National Museum. One of the country’s best collections of Buddhism, including the national treasure Statue of the Eleven-faced Kannon, is a highlight. In addition to permanent exhibitions, and special exhibitions are also held at any time.
The Shoshoin Exhibition, which displays famous treasures related to the Emperor Shomu, is held every fall and is a major event that attracts over 200,000 visitors. You will be able to experience the greatness of history and culture by encountering many of the masterpieces of Buddhist art that the ancient capital of Nara is proud of.

The Nara National Museum, located in the middle of Nara Park, is the second national museum established in Japan.

The vast Nara Park is dotted with large temples designated as World Heritage Sites, such as Todaiji Temple, which is known for the world’s largest Daibutsu, Kofukuji Temple with five-storied pagoda, and Kasuga Taisha Shrine with its bright red shrine. The gentle Wakakusa mountain spreads at the east end. The scenery of deer playing on green grass is a symbol of Nara.

The Nara National Museum stores and exhibits one of Japan’s best Buddhism collections, including Buddha statues and paintings that are transmitted to shrines and temples, mainly in Nara. The exhibition facilities include the Nara Buddha Statue Hall, Bronze Ware Hall, Western New Hall, Eastern New Hall, Underground Corridor, and Buddhist Art Research Center.
In particular, the Nara Buddha Statue Hall, which displays a number of Buddha statues from the Asuka period to the Kamakura period, is a highlight. Of the vast collection, 13 national treasures, 112 important cultural properties, and 23 important arts. If you visit Nara while visiting shrines and archeological sites, it is a must-visit museum.
Shokurain, located inside Todaiji Temple, houses about 9,000 valuable arts and crafts, including those from Emperor Shomu and Empress Komyo, as well as those from Persia, India, and the Tang dynasty, mainly in the Tenpyo era. It is a formula warehouse. The building itself is also a national treasure and a World Heritage Site.
At the Nara National Museum, about 50 to 70 pieces of Shosoin’s treasures, which are usually closed, are released every year from late October to early November under the title “Shosoin Exhibition”. The event is held for about two weeks, with over 200,000 visitors visiting each year.

During the event, there will be events such as open lectures on Shosoin treasures, tea ceremony, and parent-child appreciation party. The number of visitors is increasing year by year, and it is called Nara’s autumn feature.
The published treasures are structured to give you an overview of the Shosoin treasures. All treasures that tell the East-West exchange via the Silk Road are precious, and most of the treasures that were once exhibited will not be exhibited again for nearly 10 years, so it is good to visit if you have the opportunity.

Charms and Highlights of Nara National Museum

Boasting the highest quality and quantity in Buddhist art

Nara Park is located near the center of northern part of Nara Prefecture, and has many sights such as Todaiji Temple, Kofukuji Temple and Kasuga Taisha Shrine. There is “Nara National Museum” in the immediate vicinity. Here, the Buddhist art exhibit boasts the best quality and quantity in the country, and a number of representative Buddha statues of each period are exhibited. The fulfilling exhibition contents that can not be readily seen in other museums are worth seeing. The museum consists of four galleries. There are “Nara Buddhist Sculpture Hall” where many excellent Buddha statues are displayed, “Ritual Bronzes Gallery” exhibiting Chinese ancient bronze ware, “West Side of New Wing” and “East Side of New Wing” which perform special exhibitions.

“Nara Buddhist Sculpture Hall” displays numerous precious Buddha statues from the Asuka period to the Kamakura period. It is popular as a domestic museum, the most fulfilling Buddha image display. In addition, buildings themselves designated as important cultural properties are drawing attention. This building is the first full-scale Western style building in Nara completed in 1894. Design by Tokuma Katayama who worked for Akasaka Rikyu Palace etc. It is a style of French Renaissance elevation period. The decoration around the entrance is excellent in design, it can be said to be representative as a European style building in the middle of Meiji period.
The “underground corridor” connecting “Nara Buddhist Sculpture Hall” and “New Wing” is a free zone that can be entered freely by non-viewers. There are museum shops and restaurants, and you can take a break. At the museum shop, original goods are enriched, including catalogs of exhibitions. Here, items such as goods designed lovely Buddha statues, handkerchiefs and mirrors designed treasures, etc. are available only here. Many goods suitable for souvenirs are sold.

First-rate Buddhist art Museum

Nara National Museum is in Nara Park, adjacent to Todai-ji Temple, Kofuku-ji Temple, Kasuga Taisha Shrine. And it is domestic first-rate Buddhist art Museum displaying a lot of national treasures and important cultural properties.
Focusing on Buddhist art, the noted articles of sculpture, pictures, and the craft are collected, a lot of precious cultural assets which are indispensable to a study and appreciation of the Buddhist art are exhibited.

Modern European-style building

It consists of a main building and an east-and-west new building, the main building is a modern European-style building, which is designated as the important cultural property, built by Meiji Era. There is also a special exhibition in spring and autumn, and the Shosoin exhibition is opened in autumn. The fine-arts data research center of the annex was built in 1895, and it is designated as national specification important tangible cultural properties.

The archaeological article

The east new building is used as for the hall of a special exhibition, the Shosoin (a treasure storehouse in the ‘Todai-ji’ temple) exhibition, and a small-scale exhibition, and in the west new building, the handwriting, the handicraft, the archaeological article are exhibited. At the books corner of the first floor, there are books of 300 volumes, such as fine-arts complete works, and there is a Japanese garden, a tearoom, etc.

The original goods of Nara National Museum

The underground corridor of the Nara National Museum is a space which can be studied in more detail about Buddhist art with the replica of Buddha statue and the description photograph panel, etc. Moreover, the original goods of Nara National Museum are obtained in the popular “Museum Shop”.

The information about cultural assets

In addition, on the first floor of the west new building, the computer terminal which introduces high definition pictures of the national treasure possessed by this museums, and the information about cultural assets is offered.

Information(Access, Price/Charge, Tel, Address, Official site, etc.)

Name:	Nara National Museum
Address:	Nara National Museum 50 Noborioji-cho Nara city 630-8213 Japan
Access:	Kintetsu Nara-sen Line “Kintetsu Nara-eki Station” (15 minutes walk)
Tel:	(+81) 50-5542-8600
Price:	520 yen (Adult) 260 yen (College Students) Free (High School and Below) Please refer the official web page.
Official site:	http://www.narahaku.go.jp/