Japan

Room 45, The Toshiba Gallery

The V&A has been collecting Japanese art and design since it was founded in 1852 and now holds one of the world's most comprehensive collections, including ceramics, lacquer, arms and armour, woodwork, metalwork, textiles and dress, prints, paintings, sculpture and modern & contemporary studio crafts.

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With the exception of some early metalwork, ceramics and Buddhist sculpture, most objects date from the Edo (1615-1868) and Meiji (1868-1912) periods. Of particular interest is our collection of over 30,000 Edo-period ukiyo-e prints, paintings, drawings and albums. We also hold one of the finest and most complete collections of Japanese enamels in the world, as well as the earliest documented examples of this art form in any museum.

Where to find this collection

Room 45, The Toshiba Gallery
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chest — The Mazarin Chest, about 1640, Japan

inro, netsuke and ojime — Inro, netsuke and ojime, about 1850 – 1900, Japan

suit of armour — Suit of armour in Haramaki style, about 1850, Japan

netsuke — Netsuke, by Rakueisai, about 1850 – 1900, Japan

kimono — (Back) Kimono, 1860 – 1880, Japan

The Great Wave, woodblock print, by Katsushika Hokusai, about 1831, Japan

Invitation dress, designed by Kumiko Uehara and Baby the Stars Shine Bright (BSSB), 21st century, Japan

Covered Vessel no. 7, sculpture, by Kenji Gomi, 2012, Toki, Japan

AUN II, basket, by Tanabe Shochiku, 2014, Sakai, Japan

JVC Videosphere, television, manufactured by JVC Ltd, 1970, Japan

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Highlights from the Japan collections

Take a journey with the curators of the Japanese collection through some of its highlight pieces

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'Anima' – food waste tableware by Kosuke Araki

Beautiful vessels crafted from food waste and traditional Japanese lacquer

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Samurai: Japanese arms & armour

The samurai were the military class of Japan who developed from local provincial warriors into the ruling elite that maintained power in the name of the emperor from 1185-1868