We welcome the seventy-seventh iteration of the Annual Exhibition of Shōsō-in Treasures, which will take place amidst the resplendent autumn colors in the ancient capital of Nara. These treasures comprise approximately 9,000 objects that were stored in the famous azekurazukuri (log house construction) storehouse known as the Shōsō-in. They convey to us the refined arts and culture of the Tenpyō period (mid-eighth century) that blossomed in Nara, then known as the Heijō capital, almost 1,300 years ago. They have been carefully guarded under the imperial seal (chokufū) that restricts access; this has helped them remain a well-preserved set even today.  

This year’s Shōsō-in Exhibition will feature a selection of treasures that will imbue the exhibition space with the splendor of the Tenpyō period. These objects were created with precious materials using highly sophisticated techniques, and evoke the glamorous, intellectual atmosphere of court life. Among them are exotic items such as the Red Sandalwood Sugoroku Board with Marquetry, used by Emperor Shōmu (701-756; r. 724-749) himself; the exquisite Blue Glass Cup with Gilt Metal Base; and the famous Aloeswood Incense “Ōjukukō” known as  “Ranjatai.” These treasures provide a glimpse of the cosmopolitan atmosphere that was brought to Japan’s ancient capital via the Silk Road. 

This year’s Exhibition of Shōsō-in Treasures will feature spectacular displays, including the results of the latest treasure investigations conducted by the Office of the Shōsō-in Treasure House, Imperial Household Agency.

Blue Glass Cup with Gilt Metal Base
Middle Section 70

What is the Annual Exhibition of Shōsō-in Treasures?

Each year in the fall, the Imperial seal behind which the Shōsō-in Treasures are stored in the Repository at the Shōsō-in is opened for a short window of time for inspection. During this period, a selection of treasures is put on display to make the treasures accessible to the general public at The Annual Exhibition of Shōsō-in Treasures. The group of treasures brought out each year are selected to give a sense of the collection as a whole and to feature works that have drawn attention through recent research findings. The first exhibition was held in 1946 at what was then the Nara Imperial Household Museum. With the exception of three subsequent exhibitions in Tokyo (held in 1949, 1959, and 1981), the show has opened in Nara every year since.

What are the Shōsō-in Treasures?

While the treasures preserved through the centuries in the Shōsō-in Repository are believed to have entered the storehouse through various circumstances, the majority of them can be divided into the following three groups: 1. Those presented as offerings by Empress Kōmyō (701–760) to the Great Buddha of Tōdaiji on the twenty-first day of the sixth month in Tenpyō Shōhō 8 (756) after the forty-nine days of mourning following the passing of Emperor Shōmu (701–756; r. 724–749); 2. Various objects and implements used during ceremonies at Tōdaiji; and 3. Materials connected to the administration of Tōdaiji and its Scriptorium from the Tōdaiji Construction Bureau (Zō Tōdaiji Shi). There are also various ritual implements that were used in ceremonies at the palace, weaponry, and instruments. The breadth and variety of the treasures suggests several threads of history and provenance interweaving the collection’s objects.

Dates

Saturday, October 25th to Monday, November 10th, 2025

The museum is open every day for the entire run of the exhibition.

Venue

The East and West New Wings of the Nara National Museum in Nara, Japan

Hours

8:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M., and until 8:00 P.M. on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Holidays

Last entry is sixty minutes before closing.

Admission

General Admission2,000 JPY (Late Entry: 1,500 JPY)
University and High School Students1,500 JPY (Late Entry: 1,000 JPY)
Junior High and Elementary School Students500 JPY (Late Entry: Free)

How to Purchase Timed-Entry Tickets

Tickets go on sale Friday, September 5th at 10:00 A.M.

Tickets are available for purchase through the following vendors and methods:

Museum Entry and Viewing the Exhibition

Same Day Ticket Admission

General Admission2,200 JPY (Late Entry: 1,700 JPY)
University and High School Students1,700 JPY (Late Entry: 1,200 JPY)
Junior High and Elementary School Students700 JPY (Late Entry: Free)

Location: Nara National Museum Special Ticket Counter

About This Year’s Treasures

Of the sixty-seven treasures included in this year’s exhibition, six are displayed for the first time.

There are seventeen treasures from the North Section, nineteen from the Middle Section, twenty-eight from the South Section, and three from the Shōgozō.

List of works

Click here to view the completed list

Organizer:

Nara National Museum

With Special Support from:

The Yomiuri Shimbun

Sponsors

The exhibition has been made possible with the support of: Iwatani Corporation; INDEN-YA Co., Ltd.; NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE WEST CORPORATION; Kansai Electrical Safety Inspection Association; Kintetsu Railway Co., Ltd.; Central Japan Railway Company; West Japan Railway Company; DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.; Daicel Corporation; Daiwa House Industry Co., Ltd.; Nakanishi Metal Works Co., Ltd.; Maruichi Steel Tube Ltd.; YAMATO NOEN CO., LTD.; Rohto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd; with

Through Corporate Partnership with:

DMG MORI Co., Ltd.　

Cooperation

Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK) Nara Station; Nara Kōtsū Bus Lines Co., Ltd.; Nara Television Co., Ltd.; Bukkyō Bijutsu Kyōkai (Buddhist Art Foundation); the Yomiuri Telecasting Corporation

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