COMMUNICATIONS

The Samurai special exhibition on at the British Museum is currently garnering much attention in London. I am intrigued by this, and wonder what sort of image of the samurai is on display there.

In Japanese museums, samurai armor and helmets are often displayed. Swords and spears, and bows and arrows, too. In facilities adjacent to old castles, these are often the main attraction. But wherever one looks, there lurks a sense of déjà vu. The various exhibitions all seem to be much of a muchness.

I want the London Samurai exhibition to destroy these conventions. I would like people to think, “Oh, so you can show them like that?!?” My hope is that this is an exhibition unlike any we could imagine here in Japan.

At Nichibunken, we are collaborating with this exhibition in various ways. An international event examining the image of the samurai is scheduled for November this year. If all goes well, this might become a regular thing. I’m already harboring dreams of liaising with the Louvre to organize an exhibition on geisha.