Masterpieces from The Museum of the Imperial Collections, Sannomaru Shozokan
Feel close to the imperial culture and its connection with Kagawa.
The Kagawa Museum is holding a special exhibition of masterpieces of medieval and modern painting, including national treasures, and modern artefacts by artists from Kagawa Prefecture. The paintings of Ito Jakuchu, a national treasure normally housed in "the Imperial Palace San no Maru Shozo-kan", can also be viewed in Kagawa Prefecture during this limited period. We invite you to visit the Kagawa Prefectural Museum on this rare opportunity.
 Fujiwara no Sukemasa (Sari). Onmeijo (Apology for Unsatisfactory Arrow Preparations for the New Year's Archery Contest) ★ |
This exhibition introduces a selection of artworks from The Museum of The Imperial Collections, Sannomaru Shozokan, including calligraphy works attributed to Kukai (774-835), the founder of Shingon Buddhism and a prominent figure from Sanuki Province (present-day Kagawa), and three master calligraphers of the Heian period (794-1185) known as "Sanseki". Also featured are the masterworks of painting from the medieval to modern periods and decorative arts from the modern era, especially those related to Kagawa Prefecture and Shikoku Island. Other highlights include paintings and calligraphy masterpieces from Kotohira-gu Shrine and The Kagawa Museum collection. |
| Period | April 20 - May 26, 2024 |
|---|---|
| Hours | 9:00 a.m - 5:00 p.m. (Admission until 4:30 p.m.) |
| Closed | Mondays (except April 29 and May 6) and May 7 |
| Venue | The Kagawa Museum, special exhibition rooms, permanent exhibition rooms 1, 4 and 5. |
| Admission | ￥1,400 / Adult *Free admission for high/ junior high/ elementary school students, persons over 65 and persons with disabilities |
Presentation of works on display
▷ The grand scale is breathtaking!The main base country, Sanuki, is depicted by Takeuchi Seiho, a master of modern Japanese painting.
- Takeuchi Seiho Poetry and Genre Scenes from Suki Province for Daijosai (Grand Thanksgiving Ceremony after the Enthronement) of Emperor Taisho ★
In the first Niiname-sai (New Year's Taste Festival) after the Emperor's accession to the throne, a ceremony was held to determine the regions where the new grain offered to the gods would be harvested, with Yukikoku selected from the eastern regions and Sukinokuni from the western regions, according to fortune-telling. The waka poems in this work were composed by Irie Tamemori, Viscount Goyoukakari of Shishaku, the Imperial Household Ministry, and the pictures were painted by Takeuchi Seiho, an Imperial Household artist and a leading figure in Japanese painting in the west. The two visited Kagawa and composed and painted landscapes of the various regions along with the four seasons. This work is much larger than a standard folding screen, and the traditional Yamato-e technique is used to depict a haze trailing horizontally across the screen, with the lush landscape of Sanuki, the chief land of Kagawa, spread out beyond.
▷ Ito Jakuchu's National Treasure "Colorful Realm of Living Beings" and the treasure of Kotohira-gu Shrine, "Flowering Plants", are displayed side by side for the first time.
 [Tangible Cultural Property designated by the Kagawa Prefectural Government] Sliding door painting of Ito Jakuchu amongst a hundred paintings of flowers, Kintohira-gu, Kagawa. |
Jakuchu Ito (1716-1800) is one of the most famous painters of the Edo period, whose overwhelming style was unique. It was created while Jakuchu was working on his quintessential "Colorful Realm of Living Beings", which took about 10 years to complete. While the "One Hundred Flowers", which depicts a private living space, has soft brushwork, the rich and detailed plants common to both works are flamboyant, but also show the rise and fall of life, with insect damage and dead leaves depicted. Comparing the two works, a number of similar depictions can be found. This is a rare opportunity to see both "Flowering Plants" and "Colorful Realm of Living Beings", and we hope you will take note of the plant forms in both works. |
![[National Treasure] Ito Jakuchu. Doshoku Sai-e (Colorful Realm of Living Beings) Rooster, Sunflowers and Morning Glories ★](https://shikoku-guide.com/datas/special_en/images/1_020240417230000_Ccubk.jpg)
- [National Treasure] Ito Jakuchu. Doshoku Sai-e (Colorful Realm of Living Beings) Rooster, Sunflowers and Morning Glories ★
![[National Treasure] Ito Jakuchu. Doshoku Sai-e (Colorful Realm of Living Beings) ★](https://shikoku-guide.com/datas/special_en/images/1_120240417230000_4gw1s.jpg)
- [National Treasure] Ito Jakuchu. Doshoku Sai-e (Colorful Realm of Living Beings) ★
▷ Noh brushes are gathered together. The "Three Traces" calligraphy, which you learn about in Japanese textbooks, is on display.
| Since ancient times, Japan has adopted learning, art and other aspects of culture from China, and in the Heian period (794-1185), a uniquely Japanese writing system, "Hiragana", was born, transforming itself from kanji. During the reigns of Ono Michikaze, Fujiwara no Sari and Fujiwara no Yukinari, known as the "Three Traces" for their excellence in calligraphy, the Japanese style of calligraphy was perfected over a period of about 100 years based on the Chinese style.This exhibition brings together calligraphic works attributed to the Sanuki-born Kukai, one of the Noh brush "Three Brushes" that trace back to the "Three Traces", and the masterpieces of the three "Three Traces" calligraphers, allowing visitors to see the origins of Japanese calligraphy up close and personal. |  [National Treasure] Fujiwara Sari, poem on kaishi paper, Kagawa Prefectural Museum collection. |
▷ Many other works are unique to the special exhibition. Don't miss this opportunity!
- Hachiro Nakagawa (Naruto Seto) ★
- Ogata Korin (Saigyo Monogatari Emaki vol.3 (part)) ★
- Matsuoka Eikyu (Omishima) ★
- Kunikata Rinzo (Kappo)
- Isoi Masami (Kinmamarubon "Shoko")
- Kagawa Sōseki (Zuicho no Zuzon Seijikiro)
The Kagawa Museum
A place where the culture and history of Kagawa meet
The Kagawa Prefectural Museum is located adjacent to the area around JR Takamatsu Station and Takamatsu Port, together with Tamamo Park (the ruins of Takamatsu Castle) and the Kagawa Prefectural Hall, in a scenic cultural and historical zone with views of the Seto Inland Sea to the north and Yashima to the east. As a comprehensive museum with the functions of both a history museum and an art museum, the museum carries out a wide range of activities as a cultural centre in Kagawa through exhibitions, dissemination, research and study and other activities.
 |
 |
▷ Enjoy the history and culture of Kagawa
- History Exhibition Room
- Kukai Room
| Permanent Exhibition Room | Visitors can enjoy the history and culture of Kagawa throughout the year in the permanent exhibition rooms, including "the History Exhibition Room", which introduces the history of Kagawa from primitive times to modern times, and "the Kukai Room", which traces the life of Kobo-Daishi Kukai, who had a great influence on Japanese history and culture, by following the flow of picture scrolls drawn in the Middle Ages and tracing his achievements using faithful copies of valuable materials, including national treasures and important cultural properties, together with materials from the museum collection. |
|---|
| Try on Juni-hitoe or Yoroi-kabuto | In the "Hands-on Learning Room", visitors can try on a Juni-hitoe (twelve-layered kimono) or a Yoroi-kabuto (helmet in armour). |
|---|---|
| Hours | 3 times a day (11:00 -, 13:30 -, 15:00 -) *Registered on the day, first-come-first-served basis |
| Experience fee | Free |
| Number of Participants | About 1 pair of 2 persons per session |
Nearby Spot
In the vicinity of the Kagawa Prefectural Museum, there are also a number of typical tourist attractions in Kagawa Prefecture.We hope you enjoy your trip to Kagawa in combination with the museum.
Takamatsu Castle Tamamo Park
One of the ‘Three Water Castles of Japan’ (*castles that use sea water from the nearby ocean in their moat) , the ruins of Takamatsu Castle are now open as a park. Also known as Tamamo Castle. A popular way to visit is on the wooden boats that travel up the moats, which are connected to the ocean. In addition to enjoying the castle from the water, you can also experience feeding the sea bream that swim in the moat.
 |
 |
Kitahama Alley
This multi-purpose commercial complex, a renovated street of warehouses, is located 3 minutes walk from the Kagawa Museum. This old neighborhood has existed for a long time, and this is evident from the old buildings that have been rusted by the ocean winds. Warehouses line the back streets, and the relaxed and free atmsphere makes it popular with the young generations. There is a pedestrian street in the vicinity, where you can wander around watching the islands in Seto Inland Sea and ships going in and out of the harbor.
 |
 |
Access Information
| Train | ●JR Takamatsu Station 10 minutes walk from JR Takamatsu Station. |
|---|---|
| Car | ●Takamatsu Center IC Approx. 20 minutes from Takamatsu IC by car. |
| Air | ●Takamatsu Airport Airport Limousine Bus available. Approx. 45 minutes from Takamatsu Airport to Takamatsu Station 10 minutes walk from JR Takamatsu Station. |
