Japan’s First Shunga Exhibition : Enjoying Sensual Pleasures Only for Adults

| Culture | Posted by highso on May.26.2015

Sponsored Links

Japan’s first Shunga Exhibition will be open to the public from September 19th this year, wowing guests at the Eisei Bunko Museum in Mejirodai Bunkyo-ku in Tokyo. Including the 18 paintings that have been retrieved from the 2013 Shunga: Sex and Pleasure in Japanese Art Exhibition in the UK, a total of 120 paintings by famous Japanese Ukiyo-e artists such as Katsushika Hokusai and Kitagawa Utamaro will be available for viewing at the museum only until December 23rd this year.

The host of Shunga Exhibition is Eisei Bunko Museum, have collection of the historical records and art pieces which has been handed down to Hosokawa family（One of famous Daimyo from Higo Kumamoto in Sengoku period). In this exhibition, the main focus is on the expression of platonic love through the floating world picture. The Shunga has apparently been inspired by artists like Van Gogh and Picasso during its time at the British museum, gathering many visitors. Musical artist Hikaru Utada posted on Twitter about her displeasure at the paintings being banned in Japan for its sexual representation, despite the enlightenment received and the ability to feel close to the Japanese people of today by viewing the paintings. In response to her post, there were many people who expressed a strong desire to be able to see the exhibition in Japan.

Including the pieces that have been returned from the British museum and the 30 hand-drawn pieces, a total of 120 works of art will be on display. Throughout the two exhibition periods, a total of 60 works will be exhibited, including famous pieces such as Yoen (painted by Settei), Seiso (painted by Harunobu), Shuurei (painted by Seicho), Seichi (painted by Utamaro) and Houjun (painted by Hokusai).

Event Information
Dates : September 19th (Saturday) 2015 to December 23rd (Wednesday) 2015
＊Please note that the exhibition is split into two periods ;
First exhibition period: September 19th (Saturday) 2015 to November 1st (40 days)
Second exhibition period: November 3rd to December 25th

Venue : Eisei Bunko Museum, Tokusetsu Kaijou (Level 2 to 4)
Hours : 10:00 to 18:00 (Entrance until 17:30)
＊Please note ;
All Friday and Saturdays in September, October and November have extended exhibition hours from 18:00 to 20:00.
Closed days: Every Monday, except in the event that the Monday is a public holiday. If that Monday is a public holiday, the exhibition will take place as usual.

Entrance fee : 1500 yen for adults (no discounts for seniors, students or groups)
＊Entrance is prohibited to those under 18 years.
URL : http://www.eiseibunko.com/shunga/index.html

Translated by Cheryl Coyle

Author

highso

I like considering various things and I'm always looking for something new. There are many new things I don't still know in this world. An encounter with new things always makes me excited. I start my journey which finds something new from this site. Finally, I want to find my original life-style.