Special Exhibitions

Term：           Nov. 21, 2015 (Sat) - Feb. 7, 2016 (Sun)
First Term：    Nov. 21, 2015 (Sat) - Dec 23, (Wed)
Second Term：Jan. 8, 2016 (Fri) - Feb 7, (Sun)

Introduction
In Japan, stories of strange things have existed since ancient times. Examples include the story of Princess Kaguya who flies up to the moon, stories of the slaying of mythical beasts such as the giant millipedes or demons, and stories of mice who live like humans. In these stories, it is not only humans but also kami, Buddhas, and supernatural beings such as demons (oni) and yokai who appear as enticing characters exhibiting bountiful emotions. Many of these mysterious stories were produced from the late Muromachi period to the mid Edo period through the medium of the Nara-ehon, which were hand-copied books that included paintings. The painted pictures ranged from those of simple, pale colorations to those that were much more exquisite that applied gold and silver, and in its vast variety they have given pleasure to the eyes of many people from the time of their creation to this very day. In this exhibition, we will introduce the allure and charm of these stories through Nara-ehon and picture scrolls, which depict a world, impossible in reality, of mysterious and uncanny events.