Nara National Museum

Throughout Buddhism’s spread from Ancient India across the rest of the globe, countless followers have been inspired to produce artworks illustrating its divine imagery. In Japan, the first of these works included woven and embroidered threads fashioned in the form of Buddhist figures and scenes of the Pure Land, the celestial realm inhabited by a Buddha or bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism. In Japan, such works were primarily produced from the Asuka period in the 7th century through the early modern age of the 19th century. This exhibition presents over 130 woven textiles centering on Buddhist themes, including three that have been designated as National Treasures. The core of the display is made up mainly of Japanese works, though pieces originating in China and Korea are also included, providing viewers with a wide-ranging collection of East-Asian woven Buddhist art.