Metropolis Japan

Special Exhibition: “Song and Yuan Buddhist Paintings – Early Chinese Masterpieces in Japan”

Sep 20, 2025 at 9:00am ~ Nov 16, 2025 at 5:30pm

Explore the Legacy of Buddhist Art Across Centuries

This unprecedented exhibition at the Kyoto National Museum brings together the most significant collection of Song and Yuan Buddhist paintings remaining in Japan. These masterpieces, created between the 10th and 14th centuries, reflect Buddhist devotion, artistic refinement and the deep cultural exchanges between China and Japan.

The Journey of Buddhism to Japan
For centuries, Japan admired China as a Buddhist cultural hub, sending envoys across the sea to study, acquire sacred artifacts and bring back the latest knowledge. From the missions of Prince Shotoku’s envoys to the Sui Dynasty to the voyages of Kukai and Saicho to the Tang Dynasty, these interactions shaped Japanese Buddhist art and spirituality.

What Makes Song & Yuan Buddhist Paintings Unique?

Nearly 1,000-year-old paintings showcasing divine Buddhist imagery.

This exhibition presents the most complete collection of Song and Yuan Buddhist paintings remaining in Japan, preserving these treasured works for generations to appreciate.

Works of extraordinary religious and artistic quality, regarded as the pinnacle of East Asian Buddhist painting.

More Info: Kyoto National Museum (Details to be updated closer to the exhibition)