Expositions temporaires thématiques

Some of the explanations for this exhibit are in English.

Exhibition Overview
Mikoshi, or portable shrines, can be seen at festivals all over the Japan. In some regions, mikoshi carried along with vigorous shouts, are a sight that evokes the feeling of a certain season, like summer. Festivals utilizing mikoshi were established in the middle of the Heian period, and later spread to various regions. It can be said that these festivals, held all over the country, developed while reflecting their local environments and histories, and this can be considered to be evidence that they have been passed down from generation to generation. Festivals, which connect gods and people, also have the power to connect people with one another. Mikoshi can also be seen as symbolic of this. When relationships between people or regions have been in crisis due to things like epidemics and natural disasters, the power of festivals has at times helped people to recover and rebuild. In this exhibition, we will discover what mikoshi are, through folding screens, picture scrolls, and prints depicting festivals from the collection of Kokugakuin University, and consider the power of festivals as well.

*Flyer