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The Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japan Arts Council, Tokyo National Museum, and the Yomiuri Shimbun are pleased to announce the “Japanese Architecture: Traditional Skills and Natural Materials”. The exhibition will be supported by the Japanese Government as part of Japan Cultural Expo, and will be held at the Hyokeikan gallery of Tokyo National Museum from Thursday, December 24, 2020, to Sunday, February 21, 2021. The special theme for the exhibition at this museum will be, “The Evolution of Japanese Architecture from the Ancient to the Early Modern Period”.

Prior to the opening of this exhibition, selected guests are invited to attend a private view. We are delighted to invite you to experience the exhibition ahead of its opening to the public.

The exhibition is centrally themed around Japanese architecture developed using a wide range of natural materials such as timber, grass, earth, and stone, into exquisite buildings. Casting a spotlight on architectural materials, including architectural models that epitomize the advanced processing technology of Japanese architecture, the exhibition will showcase leading architectural masterpieces from the ancient to modern period.

The “Japanese Architecture: Traditional Skills and Natural Materials” exhibition will be held at three venues: the Tokyo National Museum; the National Museum of Nature and Science; and the National Archives of Modern Architecture, Agency for Cultural Affairs. The exhibition opening on Thursday, December 24, at the Tokyo National Museum will be themed around “The Evolution of Japanese Architecture from the Ancient to the Early Modern Period”, and will showcase 19 pieces, including architectural models, drawings, and building materials, related to Japanese architecture and styles mainly from the ancient to early modern period. It would be a great pleasure if this exhibition would be an opportunity for many to learn about Japanese architecture and discover its appeals.

<Details of the special preview>
- Date: 10:00AM-12:00PM* on Wednesday, December 23, 2020
*Doors will close 30 minutes prior to the end of the preview, so please arrive in good time.
- Venue: Hyokeikan, Tokyo National Museum
(Address: 13-9 Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo)
- Access: 10 mins. walk from JR Ueno Station (Park Exit) and JR Uguisudani Station (South Exit); 15 mins. walk from Tokyo Metro’s Ueno Station and Nezu Station; 15 mins. Walk from Keisei Ueno Station
- Entrance: Please arrive at the West Gate of the Tokyo National Museum.

Please note:
- Please print and submit this email on your arrival at the entrance.
- The number of attendees is limited to two persons per country in order to prevent crowding and the spread of COVID-19.
- The private view requires pre-booking, limited to 40 guests on a first-come, first-served basis. Please register in advance if you would like to attend.
- If the venue is busy, you may be asked to leave in the order that you arrived. This is to avoid the “Three Cs” (closed spaces, crowded places, and close-contact settings) in the exhibition space. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in advance.
- There will be no parking spaces provided for visitors, so we advise taking public transport.
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If you would like to attend the private view please reply to press@japanculturalexpo.jp by 5PM on Monday, December 21, with the following details:
- Name:
- Contact details (address, phone, FAX, and email):
- Organization:
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<Details of the exhibition>
- Period: Thursday, December 24, 2020 – Sunday, February 21, 2021
- Venue: Hyokeikan, Tokyo National Museum (located inside Ueno Park)
- Closed on: Mondays*, Saturday, December 26, 2020 to Friday (and national holiday), January 1, 2021, and Tuesday, January 12, 2021
*Except Monday (and national holiday), January 11, 2021
- This exhibition requires pre-online booking (tickets with day/time assignment). Please check the exhibition’s official website for details.
- Opening hours: 9:30AM – 5:00PM* (*9:00PM on Friday and Saturday)
- Hosted by: Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japan Arts Council, Tokyo National Museum, and The Yomiuri Shimbun
- Special sponsors: Canon Inc., JR East Japan Railway Company, JAPAN TOBACCO INC., Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd., MITSUBISHI ESTATE Co., Ltd., Meiji Holdings Co., Ltd.
- Sponsors: SHIMIZU CORPORATION, Takashimaya, Takenaka Corporation, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Mitsubishi Corporation
- Cooperation: National Museum of Japanese History, Kanazawa Institute of Technology
- Enquiry: 03-5777-8600 (Japanese only)
- Official website: https://tsumugu.yomiuri.co.jp/tatemono/

Please note regarding precautions on measures for COVID-19:
- Please do not visit if you have symptoms such as fever and cough.
- Body temperature will be measured upon your arrival. You will be asked not to enter if a temperature of 37.5C and above is confirmed.
- Face coverings are required for all visitors and staff.
- Please wash your hands and use alcohol-based sanitizers regularly.
- In the exhibition room, please cooperate with each other for viewing.
- Please refrain from talking inside the exhibition room.
- Please do not touch the exhibits, exhibition cases, other equipment, and walls.
- Please follow the one-way routes for viewing exhibits.

Information on the “Japanese Architecture: Traditional Skills and Natural Materials” exhibition at other venues:
Official website: https://tsumugu.yomiuri.co.jp/tatemono/

National Museum of Nature and Science / Special Theme: “Modern Japan – Diversification of Styles and Techniques”
<Venue> Exhibition Hall on 1F at Japan Gallery, the National Museum of Nature and Science
<Schedule> Tuesday, December 8, 2020 – Monday (and national holiday), January 11, 2021

National Archives of Modern Architecture, Agency for Cultural Affairs / Special Theme: “Artisans and Modernization – Passing on and Developing Carpentry Technique”
<Venue> National Archives of Modern Architecture, Agency for Cultural Affairs
<Schedule> Thursday, December 10, 2020 – Sunday, February 21, 2021

Please note: For information on opening hours, closed days, prices, and access etc., please see official websites of each museum.

<About the Japan Cultural Expo>
The Japan Cultural Expo, themed around Japan’s Humanity and Nature, was launched in 2019 to commemorate the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020. The Expo was launched with the hope of creating a new future by presenting the beauty of Japan, from the Jomon period to the present day, both within Japan and beyond, and for the next generation. The Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japan Arts Council, as well as related ministries and agencies, cultural facilities, local governments, and private companies and other organizations have joined together, to launch this project expressing the beauty of Japan through art exhibitions, performing arts, and cultural art festivals, across the country throughout the year.


[Contacts]
For further details please contact Ms. Kitada and Mr. Kawabata at the Japan Cultural Expo’s PR Office .
TEL: 080-7092-2070 (Japanese only)/ E-mail: press@japanculturalexpo.jp
Office hours: 9:30AM – 5:30PM (except weekends and national holidays)