National Treasures Reborn: High-Fidelity Reproductions Weaving Dreams of Beauty.

The exhibition presents twenty-eight high-fidelity reproductions of Japanese national treasures and important cultural properties, produced through the Tsuzuri Project, a collaboration between Canon and the Kyoto Culture Association.

Many Japanese cultural treasures have limited public access due to preservation requirements or historical circumstances. Some works have been transferred overseas and are difficult for domestic audiences to view. The Tsuzuri Project addresses this by producing high-fidelity reproductions that faithfully recreate original artworks using Canon's advanced imaging technology combined with traditional Kyoto craftsmanship techniques.

The exhibition displays works by major figures in Japanese art history, including Kano Eitoku, Ito Jakuchu, and Uemura Shoen. Artworks are organised thematically, with some works displayed exclusively in the first or second half of the exhibition period.

The exhibition offers viewing experiences distinct from standard museum presentations. Works are displayed without protective glass cases. Projection mapping provides audio-visual accompaniment to selected artworks. The museum organises gallery talks by the Kyoto Culture Association and museum curators, summer holiday programmes for children, and workshops on traditional techniques such as gold foil application.

Featured Artworks

Chapter 1: The Classic – Classical Japanese Art

This section focuses on masterpieces by artists who established the foundations of Japanese art history. Featured reproductions include the National Treasure "Lion Dogs Screen" (Kano Eitoku, right panel; Kano Tsunenobu, left panel, Imperial Palace Collection); the National Treasure "Scenes Inside and Outside Kyoto Screen – Uesugi Version" (Kano Eitoku, Yonezawa City Uesugi Museum); and the National Treasure "Pine Forest Screen" (Hasegawa Tohaku, Tokyo National Museum).

Chapter 2: The Fantastic – Innovation in Japanese Art

This section presents works by the Rinpa school, eccentrics, and ukiyo-e artists, showcasing the originality and diversity of Japanese artistic expression. Key works include the National Treasure "Wind God and Thunder God Screen" (Tawaraya Sotatsu, Kenninji Temple); the Important Cultural Property "Wind God and Thunder God / Summer and Autumn Grasses Screen" (Ogata Korin and Sakai Hoitsu, Tokyo National Museum); and "Cloud and Dragon" (Soga Shohaku, Museum of Fine Arts Boston).

The National Treasure "Plants and Animals in Brilliant Colours" by Ito Jakuchu – comprising thirty panels in total – is represented by fifteen panels during the first exhibition period (July 17 – August 8), displaying works such as "Hydrangea with Cockerels," "Ancient Pine Tree with White Cockerel," and "Peonies with Small Birds."

During the second period (August 9 – September 23), the exhibition features "Thunder God" by Katsushika Hokusai (National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution).