Special Exhibition: “Song and Yuan Buddhist Paintings – Buddhas Who Crossed the Blue Sea”
Sep 20, 2025 at 9:30am ~ Nov 16, 2025 at 6:00pm
Explore the Legacy of Buddhist Art Across Centuries
This unprecedented exhibition at the Kyoto National Museum brings together the largest collection of Song and Yuan Buddhist paintings ever displayed. 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
The most complete collection of Song and Yuan Buddhist paintings in the world, preserved in Japan
Works of extraordinary religious and artistic quality, regarded as the pinnacle of East Asian Buddhist painting
Exhibition Admission Fees
Tickets available online & at the museum (Pre-sale details TBA)
- General Admission: ¥1,800 (approx.)
- University Students: ¥1,200
- High School Students & Younger: FREE
- Kyoto National Museum Annual Pass Holders: FREE
Discounts available for groups and advance purchases. More details will be provided closer to the event.
More Info & Tickets: Kyoto National Museum (Details to be updated closer to the exhibition)
Information
Start: Sep 20th 2025 at 9:30am
End: Nov 16th 2025 at 6:00pm
Kyoto National Museum, Heisei Chishinkan Wing
527 Chaya-cho, Higashiyama-ku
