“Resplendent Treasures of Devotion and Heritage”: A Must-See Exhibition at Nara National Museum in May & June 2025

“Resplendent Treasures of Devotion and Heritage”: A Must-See Exhibition at Nara National Museum in May & June 2025

Nara is already a treasure trove of historic temples, serene deer parks, and atmospheric streets, but if you’re planning to visit in 2025, there’s one cultural event you mustn’t miss: the Nara National Museum’s monumental exhibition Oh! KOKUHŌ:  Resplendent Treasures of Devotion and Heritage”. Marking its 130th anniversary, this landmark show will be the largest in the museum’s history, and showcases Japan’s “Kokuho” or National Treasures.

The exhibition brings together approximately 140 pieces of sacred art, including about 110 designated National Treasures and around 20 Important Cultural Properties. The works are of both the Buddhist and Shinto traditions and include masterpieces that reflect centuries of Japanese prayer, devotion, and belief. Many of these objects are rarely on public display and hold profound historical and spiritual significance. The title of the show reflects not only the exceptional quality of the objects themselves but also the enduring power of the prayers and intentions behind them, passed down from one generation to the next. But what makes this exhibition particularly special is its focus on pieces deeply connected to Nara itself, the ancient capital that remains a cradle of Japanese religious art.

Among the pieces on display are a Standing Kannon Bodhisattva (also known as Kudara Kannon) from Hōryūji Temple, Nara, one of the earliest examples of Japanese Buddhist art, and striking in its elongated body, a stance peculiar to the age, and fiery halo, and a Seated Bodhisattva with One Leg Pendent (Bodhisattva Cintāmaṇicakra) from Chūgūji Convent, which bears testament to deep Korean influence on early Buddhist art in Nara. There are also some fine paintings of subjects from divine female figures draped in translucent robes to flame-filled Buddhist hells in handscrolls, along with exquisite reliquaries. Unmissable.

Exhibition Period
April 19 (Sat), 2025 – June 15 (Sun), 2025

• First Half: April 19 (Sat) – May 18 (Sun)

• Second Half: May 20 (Tue) – June 15 (Sun)

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  Opening Hours: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM (last admission at 4:30 PM)
  Closed: Every Monday and Wednesday, May 7

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  (*Note: Open on Monday, April 28 and Monday, May 5 [national holiday])

Venue: Nara National Museum, East and West Wings

Admission Fees:

• Adults: 2,200 yen (2,000 yen for groups)

• University & High School Students: 1,500 yen (1,300 yen for groups)

• Junior High School Students and younger: Free

• *Group rates apply to groups of 20 or more.