Five galleries present one of the most comprehensive collections of Japanese art in the world
Ogata Kōrin, Waves at Matsushima, 18th century. Six-panel folding screen; ink, color, and gold on paper. Fenollosa-Weld Collection.
After years of renovation, reimagination, and anxious anticipation, the largest collection of Japanese art outside Japan—holding about 100,000 objects—reopens at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. The new Arts of Japan galleries display nearly 200 highlights—including painting, sculpture, decorative arts, and selections of ukiyo-e prints— which present icons of the MFA’s esteemed collection alongside new acquisitions. Regularly rotating displays give visitors the opportunity to see even more works in a setting that honors and celebrates Japan’s rich history and cultural legacy.
“The story of Japanese art at the MFA is ever evolving, and we’re excited to present this next chapter,” said Anne Nishimura Morse, William and Helen Pounds Senior Curator of Japanese Art. “We’re very fortunate to have a truly remarkable collection here in Boston, which was the first of its kind in the US when it was established in 1890 and has since grown into the largest outside Japan.”
Visitor favorite Japanese Buddhist Temple Room fully renovated
The MFA’s fan-favorite Japanese Buddhist Temple Room, which originally opened in 1909, has been fully renovated and features seven sculptures that have undergone extensive conservation treatment beginning in 2018, including the monumental Dainichi, Buddha of Infinite Illumination (1149). The room’s architectural elements, though not a replication of a specific site, are adapted from plans for an 8th-century monastic complex and give the sense of being inside a centuries-old Japanese temple hall. Frequent MFA visitors will be excited at the chance to take in this contemplative space once again.
Japanese Print Gallery now presents new thematic exhibition every six months
The Japanese Print Gallery showcases the MFA’s celebrated Japanese print collection—the largest outside Japan, with over 50,000 sheets from the 8th century to the present. A rotation of prints present a new thematic exhibition about every six months, allowing visitors the chance to return and discover even more of the MFA’s world-renowned collection for years to come. Two Buddhist Art galleries display important Japanese Buddhist sculptures and paintings dating from the 8th through the 14th centuries, including the statue of Miroku, Bodhisattva of the Future (1189). A selection of Buddhist paintings also rotates in these spaces.
Transformed galleries highlight key forms of Japanese art – from Nō masks to swords
The largest of the five galleries introduces well-known forms of Japanese art including paintings, Nō masks and robes, swords and sword furnishings, netsuke carvings, and tea ceramics. This gallery demonstrates how these objects functioned in their original contexts and explores the creative traditions in which they were made. An Edo-period folding screen by Ogata Kōrin, Waves at Matsushima (18th century), features a dramatic display of pine-clad islands with bold, decorative patterning.
“I’m very excited for visitors to see some of their old favorites and discover new works in these galleries, which span from historical to contemporary masterpieces,” said Morse.
Learn more about the Arts of Japan galleries at the MFA.
Takaishi Shigeyoshi, articulated model of a dragon, second half of the 19th century. Forged and chiseled iron with gilding, copper (tongue), and shakudō (pupils). Gift of Mrs. W. Donnison Hodges.
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