As spring approaches, Japan becomes spotted with the alluring pink of sakura (cherry blossom), an icon of Japanese spring. Elevate this year’s spring season with an artful viewing of sakura alongside the most exquisite collection of modern art in Tokyo at the National Museum of Modern Art Tokyo (MOMAT) Spring Festival.
The annual MOMAT Spring Festival celebrates the coming of spring and the blooming of cherry blossoms with its finely curated collection of artworks showcasing sakura in its traditional glory. Some main features of the collection include Kawai Gyokudo’s “Parting Spring” and Kikuchi Hobun’s “Fine Rain on Mt. Yoshino.” Gyokudo’s “Parting Spring” offers a stunning illustration of cherry blossom petals falling gracefully upon three waterwheel boats on a river. The river in which the painting is set is the Nagatoro Gorge which Gyokudo visited between 1915 and 1916. It is said that Gyokudo’s greatest challenge in creating this piece was encapsulating the rapid flow of the waterwheel’s rotation. This trial is now artfully depicted in the smooth gradation of colors surrounding the intricate pattern of the river water flowing.
Though similar in essence to Gyokudo’s “Parting Spring,” Hobun provides a more delicate and simplistic scene with the iconic sakura. The muted colors used to illustrate the somber rainy mountains provide a stunning backdrop for the lyrically drawn bright white pink of the spring flower. Both pieces could be viewed as artworks symbolic of Japanese spring in the most traditional sense. Gyokudo’s masterpiece is a must-see in particular as it is only on display once a year during the springtime. These extraordinary artworks along with other remarkable pieces by contemporary artists, Kodama Yasue, Hidaka Rieko, and dyeing artist Serizawa Keisuke can be viewed in the greater MOMAT collection. Enjoy a special hanami (flower viewing) experience with the captivating flowers depicted in the pieces within this stunning collection.
Of course, various other works within the greater MOMAT collection can also be viewed alongside the Spring Festival special pieces. With nearly two hundred pieces within the museum’s permanent holdings, the MOMAT collection offers an expansive view of modern art. For those seeking the full MOMAT experience, don’t miss the other special exhibitions occurring at the same time as the Spring Festival. The intense, thought-provoking images from Nakahira Takuma’s special exhibition: “Burn-Overflow,” are a must-see not only for art and photography lovers but also for psychology enthusiasts. The exhibits delve deep into the presence of Nakahira’s experience of his coma and amnesia within his work, creating a photographic narrative never seen before.
If you would like assistance in delving deep into the world of modern art, consider joining one of the ‘Let’s Talk Art!’ sessions on offer during the MOMAT spring festival period. This English in-gallery program will allow visitors at the museum to explore pieces of work with professional guidance. The ‘Let’s Talk Art!’ program is free of charge with museum admission, anyone is able to participate, no pressure. Each session will take approximately twenty minutes. If a particular piece catches your attention and you would like to spend longer admiring it, guests are free to join or leave at any point in the session. Pre-registration is not required for any of the sessions, just show up with a learning mindset to be educated on the beauty of Japanese spring conceptualized in art.
After exploring the countless works of art inside the museum, catch a breath of fresh air and enjoy the height of spring in the cherry blossom rest area. This rest area with a stunning view of cherry blossoms will be set up for a limited time to correspond with the ‘MOMAT Spring Festival.’ Within the restaurant premises, L’ Art et Mikuni restaurant will set up a food truck where seasonal limited-edition food and drinks will be available for takeout. For the perfect hanami experience at the museum, pick up their bento set with colorful seasonal ingredients arranged in the charming bento box. Take pleasure in the beautiful view of the richly green and pink Imperial Palace gardens from the MOMAT cherry blossom rest area.
