Hands-on Experience Event
Samurai Mania!: Explore Japanese Armor at TNM
Trying on a full set of samurai armor and donning a warlord general's helmet will transport you back to fifteenth and sixteenth century Japan. Replicas of sets of armor have been created to make this experience possible. Closely examine the arm guards, breastplate, lower-body protectors, and other parts and see how artfully they are constructed. Observe the intricate tying and workmanship with which the metal plates are connected with leather and/or braided cord. Feel the weight of the protectors and how they fit the body.
A reproduction of a treasured folding screen close by shows how samurai warriors must have looked on the battlefield. How did they move about, wearing their magnificent armor and helmets? How difficult was it to fight in full armor? What was the difference between armor for a regular foot soldier and a high-ranking general? What is the meaning of the fancy decorations on the helmets? Curators are on hand to help you put on the armor correctly, explain the details, and answer questions.
This summer the Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japan Arts Council, and Tokyo National Museum (TNM) present the new exhibition and interactive program, “Samurai Mania!: Explore Japanese Armor at TNM.”
“Try on Armor”
Dates
July 19 (Fri.), July 20 (Sat.),
July 26 (Fri.), July 27 (Sat.),
Aug. 2 (Fri.), Aug. 3 (Sat.)
Aug. 4 (Sun.; limited to persons under 18),
Aug. 9 (Fri.), Aug. 10 (Sat.),
Aug. 16 (Fri.), Aug. 17 (Sat.),
Aug. 23 (Fri.), Aug. 24 (Sat.),
Aug. 30 (Fri.), Aug 31 (Sat.).
Time: 11:00 AM–4:30 PM (Registration: 10:50 AM–4:00 PM)
Capacity: 22 participants per day
Fee: 1,000 JPY (Regular admission fees and conditions apply)
･Registration is on a walk-in basis. No advance reservations.
･Registration will close prior to 4:00 PM if the daily capacity is reached.
Coinciding with the hands-on program, please visit the Family Gallery. During the tumultuous times of fifteenth and sixteenth century Japan, when warlords around Japan competed fiercely for territory, power, and influence, especially high-ranking generals donned magnificent sets of armor not just to protect their bodies in combat but to distinguish themselves on the battlefield. The original helmet designs, vivid colors, and fine craftsmanship project the personality and aesthetic prowess of the owners.
Important Art Object
Haramaki Type Armor, with red and white lacing and gold plates
Azuchi-Momoyama period, 16th century / Tokyo National Museum
Armor reproductions / 2007 / private collection
Reproductions of the hanging plates used to form a protective skirt, a samurai's hip armor (kusazuri).
This exhibition features a rare national collection of authentic samurai armor alongside modern reproductions of the armor's individual components. You will be able to compare these collection pieces and modern reproductions to learn how the armor was made, what materials were used, and many more stories about each piece and each set of armor.
Samurai Mania!
･Family Gallery (Thematic Exhibition):
Open July 17 (Wed.)–Sept. 23 (Mon.) @ Room T2, Honkan 2F
･Experience Japanese Culture (Hands-on Program):
July 17 (Wed)–Sept 1 (Sun) @ Room T4, Honkan 1F
Hours: Tues. through Thurs: 9:30 AM–5:00 PM | Fri. and Sat. 9:30 AM–9:00 PM | September 20-21 (Sat., Sun.) 9:30 AM–10 PM (last entry 30 min before closing)
Open on national holidays Aug. 12, Sept. 16, and Sept. 23.
Closed: Mondays and Sept 17 (Tues.)
Admission: Adults ¥620 (¥520); University Students ¥410 (¥310)
･Prices in parentheses indicate discount price for groups of 20 or more
･Special exhibitions require a separate admission fee but junior high school students and under are admitted free of charge.
･Regular admission is free for persons under 18 and over 70
･Adults accompanying a child of high-school age or younger are eligible for a 100 yen discount on regular admission (up to 2 adults per child)
･Admission is free for persons with disabilities along with one person to accompany them
･Admission to the regular exhibition is free on Sept 16.
Organizers: Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japan Arts Council, Tokyo National Museum
Website https://www.tnm.jp/ 
Inquiries: 13-9 Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo, 110-8712
TEL +81-3-5777-8600 (Hello Dial)
