Page 26 - (DK Eyewitness) Top 10 Travel Guide - Tokyo

24 ❯❯ Top 10 Tokyo Highlights

Tokyo National Museum

Occupying a major part of the northern reaches of Ueno Park, the
colossal Tokyo National Museum was known in the prewar period
as the Imperial Household Museum. This magisterial museum, set
among courtyards, fountains, and trees, is divided into four main
galleries: Honkan, Heiseikan, Toyokan, and Horyu-ji Treasures.
These contain not only the most important collection of Japanese
art and archeology in the world, but a treasure trove of Asian
antiquities as well. The main galleries display almost 3,000 items
at any one time – a huge amount to see in one visit. A garden
on the side of the
Honkan gallery
opens for the cherry
blossom and fall
foliage seasons.

Japanese 1
Paintings
and Prints
The Honkan features
paintings from the
classical Heian to
Muromachi periods, as
well as fine examples of
mural, screen, and paper
door art, and Zen-
inspired ink landscapes.
The highlight of the Edo
era is the work of its
ukiyo-e woodblock print
artists (right).

Lacquerware
Horyu-ji
3 4
Treasures
Included among
Ceramics
2 the Japanese National This invaluable art
Japanese ceramics Treasures and Important collection of over 300
(above) in the Honkan Cultural Properties objects, including a
are represented by Kyoto exhibited in the Honkan forest of standing
and Imari ware. The Gallery are maki-e bodhisattvas from
Toyokan has Chinese lacquerware items Horyu-ji temple, Nara, is
ceramics from the dating from the Heian exhibited in the Gallery
Song to Qing dynasties. to Edo periods. of Horyu-ji Treasures.
Previous pages Detail of an artifact displayed at the Edo-Tokyo Museum

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