Page 54 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Tokyo

52  T OK Y O AREA B Y AREA

2 Tokyo National Museum
HONKAN
Tokyo National Museum HEISEIKAN
The group of buildings that makes up the Tokyo
National Museum is in a compound in the north east
corner of Ueno Park; tickets to all buildings are HYOKEIKAN
available at the entrance gate. The Honkan is the GALLERY OF
HORYU-JI
main building. To its east is the Toyokan (see p54). TREASURES
The 1909 Beaux-Arts Hyokeikan is usually closed to
the public and opens only for special exhibitions.
Behind it is the Gallery of Horyu-ji Treasures, containing KUROMON ENTRANCE TOYOKAN
stunning objects from Horyu-ji temple, near Nara, and GATE AND TICKET
OFFICE
the Heiseikan (see p55). More than 110,000 items make Museum Complex Locator Map
up the collection – the best assembly of Japanese art
in the world – and the displays change frequently.

Noh and Kabuki
One of the exquisite
kimonos that form part
of the textile and mask
collection, this dates Heiseikan
from the 16th century,
when it was used in a
Noh play (see p18). The kimono
depicts lilies and court vehicles.
First floor

The museum shop
in the basement can
be reached via twin
staircases outside
and a central
one inside.
This building dates from 1938
and combines Japanese and
Western features.

Gallery of Horyu-Ji Treasures
When the estates of the Horyu-ji temple complex
near Nara were damaged during the Meiji
reforms, the impoverished temple gave a
number of its exquisite treasures to the imperial
family in exchange for money to finance its
repairs. Over 300 of those priceless treasures,
including rare and early
Buddhist statues, masks
used for Gigaku dances,
and beautifully painted
screens, are housed in
this gallery designed
by architect Yoshio Entrance
Taniguchi.

7th-century Steps down to
Rikishi mask, used for Gigaku gilt-bronze museum shop
dances, 8th century Kannon statue

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