History is brought to life at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, California. This time, Art of the Samurai: Selections from the Tokyo National Museum, resurrects an era and lifestyle not commonly considered in our 21^st century rush toward the future. This hundreds-year-old exhibit, which opens April 19, 2009 in the Anderson-Hsu-Tu Gallery, will give visitors reason to pause – at least through June 14th, when it closes.

In astonishing clarity, the exhibit features 81 objects from the Tokyo National Museum which represent the art and aesthetics of Japan’s samurai culture. This collection dates primarily to the Edo period (1603–1868), with many pieces classified as Important Cultural Property and National Treasures. Objects featured are a testament to the accomplished level of society, education, and skills developed by the samurai during the 10^th and 20^th centuries. Included are handcrafted swords, armor, tea-ceremony utensils, screen and scroll paintings, Noh theatre costumes, and other fine works to help place viewers in the center of this distant time and place.

Art of the Samurai: Selections from the Tokyo National Museum illustrates the multiple aspects of samurai life from their daily way of living to their battle regalia. The exhibit consists of two thematic sections revealing the samurai legacy: Samurai Culture, with costumes for Noh performance and significant tea ceremony paraphernalia, plus examples of everyday items such as garments, accessories, and furnishings; and Attire of the Samurai, featuring an impressive variety of swords and armor. The exhibit also includes the Chronicle of Yoshitsuni screen, loaned by Etsuko and Joe Price and the Shin’enKan Foundation of Los Angeles.

For nearly 700 years, from the latter half of the 12^th century until the Meiji Restoration in 1868, the military bushi (warrior class) were at the helm of government in Japan. During the mid-Heian period (10^th century), groups of bushi warriors formed throughout the country. Because some warriors served the centrally located nobles in Kyoto, they were called samurai or, literally, “those who serve in close attendance to nobility.” Originally, their social position was low –they were considered assistants or attendants. But in the Edo period, the samurai began using armed force and became powerful. They created their own culture based on the lifestyles of the nobles, which was marked by strength and simplicity. While the warriors’ lifestyle was simple, its philosophy stressed the importance of bravery and dedication to their lords, as well as their clans and houses. This became the basis of bushido (way of the warrior) and elevated the samurai to a refined social class.

Samurai viewed the battlefield as a place to display bravery and honor, and were granted lands from their lords for achieving military success. They risked their lives to make names for themselves, as heroic and skilled warriors and wore their battle attire with pride. This sense of duty influenced the colorful designs of Japanese armor. Domaru Gusoku Style Armor with White Lacing (17^th century) reflects this type of brightly decorated and highly embellished armor. The Domaru-style armor had an opening under the right arm and was preferred by high-ranking warlords for its greater agility and lighter weight.

Swords were the most important tools for the samurai, cherished to such degree that they were referred to as their spirit. Japanese swords are known for their unique curvature, a characteristic developed during the early 11th century. To receive one as a gift from the shogun (head of military government) or daimyo (feudal lord) was held in particularly high esteem. Typically, the samurai wore both a long and short sword at their hip along the belt. The exhibit includes a tachi (high curve) sword made by famous swordsmith Sukezane, a National Treasure from the Kamakura period (1192–1333). Its external design features a shorter, sharper tip, making a powerful impression.

Away from the battlefield, the samurai perceived Noh performance and tea ceremony as the two most important genres of cultural life. Noh theatre is an ancient art form created during the middle ages, where women’s roles are played by men. The level of Noh drama developed from a form of entertainment enjoyed by commoners to an art form appreciated by members of the nobility and warrior class. With masks and costumes, Noh actors express a highly spiritual sense of the story and invite viewers’ hearts to the world of yugen (profound grace and subtlety).

The Japanese tea ceremony, also known as cha-no-yu, was first brought to Japan from China by a Zen priest during the 12th century. Drinking tea took place in a special tea ceremony room, with an alcove decorated by hanging scroll paintings or calligraphy. Specially designated utensils were used to enhance the sense of appreciation. The tea ceremony is not merely about drinking tea; it is considered an opportunity for host and guest to interact and express their feelings. The exhibit includes examples of Japanese tea instruments used for private tea gatherings by samurai.

Edo Period

The Edo period was established in 1603. Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Tokugawa regime, governed the country from Edo — known today as Tokyo — although Kyoto and Osaka were the primary political, economical, and cultural centers at the time. The period ended in 1868 when imperial rule was restored with the Meiji Restoration.

In 1615, Tokugawa destroyed the Toyotomi family with military campaigns in Osaka. He established a dictatorial ruling system with his great militaristic and economic power. From that time, the following 14 generations of shogun, with a council of bureaucratic samurai, ruled Japan indirectly through vassals called daimyo in a feudal system.

Throughout the Edo period, the country was stable because no wars were large enough to endanger its government. A social system was established where people separated into immobile classes of samurai, farmers, industrial craftsmen, and merchants, with education and culture suited to their respective classes.

Organization

The exhibit is organized by the Tokyo National Museum (TNM) and curated by Kazutoshi Harada, TNM Senior Research Chair. Julie Lee, Bowers Curator of Exhibitions, is coordinating the exhibition presentation at the Bowers Museum.

Publication

Art of the Samurai: Selections from the Tokyo National Museum is accompanied by a softbound, lavishly illustrated catalogue. The publication includes a message from Teiichi Sato, Tokyo National Museum Executive Director; preface by Peter C. Keller, Ph.D., Bowers Museum President; essays by Kazutoshi Harada and Nobuyuki Matsumoto, Tokyo National Museum Director of Curatorial Planning; and list of object labels and a historical chronology. Art of the Samurai: Selections from the Tokyo National Museum can be purchased at the Bowers Gallery Store.

Related Programs

The following lectures are presented in conjunction with the exhibit. For a list of other related events and films, please contact the Bowers Museum’s press office at (714) 567-3642, or visit www.bowers.org. All lectures take place in the Norma Kershaw Auditorium.

Opening Day Festivities for Art of the Samurai
Sunday, April 19th
10:00 am–4:00 pm

Enjoy an excitement-filled day of activities including music, tea ceremony, kimono demonstration, lectures, food samplings, and great art projects. From 10:30 am to noon, Master Johsetsu Kawakami — Vice President of Edo Senke Sohke Sadoh School, board member of the Tokyo Sadoh Society, and guest professor at Gifu University — presents a lecture on the Japanese tea ceremony in the Norma Kershaw Auditorium. Food samplings are available from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm with a kimono demonstration from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm. At 1:30 pm, Dr. Morgan Pitelka, Occidental College, presents a lecture on Art of a Warlord, Shogun, and Deity: Tokugawa Ieyasu and the Politics of Samurai Culture, followed by Japanese dance and music from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm in the John M. Lee Court. In addition, the popular Japanese game of strategy called Go will be demonstrated at various times throughout the day. Admission to lecture: $8 or free with paid museum admission and to members.

Lecture: Warrior Vendettas and the Tokugawa Order
Sunday, May 3rd
1:30 pm

Using the Incident of the Forty-Seven Rōnin and other vendettas as examples, Dr. Samuel H. Yamashita, Henry E. Sheffield Professor of History, Pomona College, describes how Tokugawa authorities attempted to control warriors’ vengeful feelings and what occurred when such feelings led to impermissible behavior. Admission: $8 or free with paid museum admission and to members.

Lecture and Sake Tasting: An Introduction to Japanese Sake
Thursday, May 14th
6:30 pm

Curious about Japanese sake but not sure where to begin? Meher McArthur, specialist in the art and culture of East Asia, explores the history of sake (rice wine), how and where it is made, drinking etiquette, and its importance in Japanese culture. Space is limited. For reservations, please call (714) 567.3679. Pre-payment is required. Admission: General $22; Members $18.

Lecture:  Japanese Castles and their Contents: Samurai Arts and Architecture
Saturday, May 16th
1:30 pm

Dr. Bruce Coats — Chair, Department of Art History and the Humanities, Scripps College — discusses the domains of the 17^th century samurai class that constructed enormous castle complexes throughout Japan and filled them with spectacular paintings, fine furniture and ceramics, and extraordinary arms and armor. Admission: $8 or free with paid museum admission and to members.

Lecture and Presentation:  Japanese Tea Ceremony and the Samurai Way
Saturday, May 30th
1:30 pm

This lecture, presented by Sochi Nomoto, explores the origin and history of the Japanese tea ceremony, its development by the samurai class into a philosophy of simplicity, harmony, and tranquility, and its incorporation of Zen Buddhism principles. The lecture concludes with a tea ceremony demonstration in the John M. Lee Court. Everyone is welcome to observe. Participants in the ceremony can sample green tea and special Japanese sweets. Tea ceremony participation is $10 per person. Space is limited and by reservation only. For reservations, please call (714) 567.3679. Admission to lecture: $8 or free with paid museum admission and to members.

Credit

Art of the Samurai: Selections from the Tokyo National Museum is supported in part by a grant from Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc., an independent operating company owned by Toshiba America, Inc., a subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation.

The Bowers Museum

The Bowers Museum is an internationally-celebrated institution of art and culture dedicated to the preservation, study, and exhibition of fine arts from around the world. To achieve its mission to “enrich lives through the world’s finest arts and cultures,” the Bowers offers exhibitions, lectures, art classes, travel programs, children’s art and music education, and other community programs. Its philosophy is to help people learn about other cultures through their arts, and offer a greater understanding of ourselves and appreciation of the world in which we live.

The Bowers Museum’s permanent collection is particularly strong in the areas of African, South Pacific, Asian, Native American, Pre-Columbian art, and California plein-air painting. The Bowers has organized some of the most culturally significant exhibitions in history, including Secret World of the Forbidden City, The Dead Sea Scrolls, Egyptian Treasures of The British Museum, and Tibet: Treasures from the Roof of the World.

The Bowers Museum is located at 2002 North Main Street in Santa Ana, California. Hours are Tuesday–Sunday, 10:00 am–4:00 pm, and the fourth Thursday of every month, 10:00 am–8:00 pm. Admission is $12 adults; $9 students and seniors over 62; and children under 6 are free. For more information, call (714) 567-3600 or log on to www.bowers.org. Find information on Bowers Kidseum, dedicated to providing children a fun environment where imagination and creativity are both encouraged and nurtured. Closures: Both the Bowers Museum and Kidseum are closed on Mondays, 4th of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.

Free Days: The Lockhart Family provides free General Admission to the Bowers Museum for Santa Ana residents on the first Sunday of each month. Target now extends the Lockhart Family’s generosity by making access possible for all visitors on Target Free First Sundays. Also, through a generous donation in memory of Dorothy Goerl, the Bowers Museum offers free General Admission to Santa Ana residents with proof of residency on the third Tuesday of each month.