Japanese glass-Stylish vessels, playful shapes
Saturday 27 March to Sunday 23 May 2010

Glass vessels made their appearance in Japanese daily life a little after the middle of the 17th century. Glass is transparent, but resonates with the light it lets through, giving glass vessels a unique, slightly mysterious, essence not found in other materials. Both lightweight and robust, glass soon became the stylish choice for lifestyle aficionados of the day. Wa-glass (Japanese glass) was particularly attractive, and gained a solid popularity. This exhibition demonstrates how this glassware penetrated into the many corners of everyday lives.

Elegance and Esprit Noh and Kyōgen Masterpieces
from the National Noh Theatre Collection
Saturday 12 June to Sunday 25 July 2010

The National Noh Theatre, which opened in 1983, has built up a collection of some 400 significant items relating to Noh and Kyōgen plays. From this collection, the exhibition presents a careful selection of Noh and Kyōgen masks, costumes, musical instruments, scores, and paintings, spanning a range of six centuries from the Muromachi period to the present day. Together, they present an opportunity to compare the elegant beauty ("yūgen") of Noh with the contrasting wittiness that makes Kyōgen such a delight.

Nabeshima Ware-Designs that Inspire Pride
Wednesday 11 August to Monday (holiday) 11 October 2010

Nabeshima ware was first made in the second half of the 17th century at Hizen in Saga prefecture, and production of high quality tableware continued throughout the Edo period. The products were used by the feudal lord, notably for purposes such as presentation to the Tokugawa shogun and as gifts. As befits ceramics produced for such sophisticated purposes, the designs on Nabeshima ware were refined and distinctively Japanese. Tracing the history of Nabeshima by examining a series of some of the most outstanding ceramics produced, this exhibition highlights the beauty of their design.

Tsutaya Jūzaburo
-Publisher who Discovered Utamaro and Sharaku
Wednesday (holiday) 3 November to Sunday 19 December 2010

Tsutaya Jūzaburo, often called "Tsuta-jū," was the renowned publisher who discovered and developed Utamaro and Sharaku. Focusing on Tsutaya, this exhibition introduces works by the cultural and artistic talents who gathered around him, including Utamaro, Sharaku, Kyōden, and Nampo. Tsutaya cultivated friends and contacts in the Edo-Yoshiwara and Shibaimachi areas, and became very knowledgeable of these districts. Examples of Tsutaya publications exhibited here include works set in Edo-Yoshiwara and Shibaimachi, kyōka-ehon (illustrated books of humorous poem) that used his networks in Yoshiwara, Utamaro's bijinga (pictures of beautiful women), and Sharaku's yakusha-e (prints depicting actors). Through these exhibits, the exhibition also explicates some of the cultural networks involved in the two red-light districts.