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What did the keep of Edo Castle really look like?

The last keep of Edo Castle built by the third military leader of the Tokugawa Family, Tokugawa Iemitsu, is said to have been the largest in history. It was created using the most advanced architectural techniques of the day and cost an enormous sum of money.
So, what did this incredible castle actually look like? How was it made? Designs and drawings give us some clues, as do the cultural artifacts and traditional techniques that survive to this day. We have used them to create a program that lets you join us in the exciting process of recreating the keep of Edo Castle.

[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum
[Production] TOPPAN Inc.

To the Dazzling World of Kimono!
Discover the Wonder of Early Edo-Period Clothing Including the “Fuyuki Kosode” Designed by the Master Painter Ogata Kōrin.

Kosode is an early version of what we now call kimono. In the Edo period (1603–1868), wealthy women in particular prioritized extravagance in the way they dressed and sought out bespoke fashions. Painted kosode featuring designs by famous artists applied directly to the fabric were valued especially highly. “Kimono (Kosode) with Autumn Grasses,” also known as the “Fuyuki Kosode,” was painted by the Edo-period artist Ogata Kōrin for a lumber merchant named Fuyuki in Fukagawa.
  This program features Edo-period kosode fashion, while exploring how Ogata Kōrin’s unique kosode was created and how it was brought back to life through a recent conservation project.

[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum／The National Center for the Promotion of Cultural Properties
[Production] TOPPAN Inc.

Five clay figurines all designated as National Treasures together in one place. They represent the “dawn of Japanese beauty.”

The Jomon period began around 11,000 B.C. and lasted for about 10,000 years. Many of the clay figurines created during this period are based on the female form. A total of about 20,000 clay figurines have been discovered in Japan to date, yet only five of them have been designated as National Treasures. All five of these figurines have been beautifully recreated through VR technology, which you are invited to experience with the assistance of a live guide. Come and join us to experience the spirit, creative power, and aesthetic sense of the Jomon people through these figurines and the thoughts they embody.

[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum
[Production] Toppan Inc.

Delve into the world of Sesshū’s ink landscapes.
Take a VR journey to witness the unseen.

Sesshū Tōyō is one of the great masters of ink painting. With bold brush strokes and dynamic depictions of spatial depth, his masterpieces captivate us and take us deep into his world.
For Tokyo National Museum’s 150th anniversary celebration, a VR experience with realistic images that go into the details in the screen will let you follow the master painter’s brush strokes and feel his dedication, and experience the sensation of traveling inside the hanging scrolls. It is truly a journey through the natural landscape.
We hope you will enjoy this new VR experience and learn more about the world of Sesshū and his ink landscape paintings.

[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum／The National Center for the Promotion of Cultural Properties
[Production] Toppan Inc.

Want to Know More? Introduction to the World of Frolicking Animals!

At the beginning of the Kamakura period (13th century), a Buddhist priest named Myoe restored Kosan-ji in the mountains of Kyoto. A set of handscrolls painted over 800 years ago was passed down at this tranquil mountain temple, and is now a National Treasure known as the Scrolls of Frolicking Animals. This VR focuses on the first of the four extant scrolls, and provides detailed and easy-to-follow explanations of the miraculous world of the animals unfolding vividly on the scroll.

[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum／ The National Center for the Promotion of Cultural Properties ／Togano-o Kosan-ji Temple.
[Production] Toppan Inc.

Delve into the world of Sesshū’s ink landscapes.
Take a VR journey to witness the unseen.

Sesshū Tōyō is one of the great masters of ink painting. With bold brush strokes and dynamic depictions of spatial depth, his masterpieces captivate us and take us deep into his world.
For Tokyo National Museum’s 150th anniversary celebration, a VR experience with realistic images that go into the details in the screen will let you follow the master painter’s brush strokes and feel his dedication, and experience the sensation of traveling inside the hanging scrolls. It is truly a journey through the natural landscape.
We hope you will enjoy this new VR experience and learn more about the world of Sesshū and his ink landscape paintings.

[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum／The National Center for the Promotion of Cultural Properties
[Production] Toppan Inc.

The magnificent and transcendent Forbidden City
Touring the historical palace, a dazzling culmination of Chinese traditional culture

Located in the heart of Beijing, the Palace Museum was established on the basis of the Forbidden City, where emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties lived and carried out their politics. This work uses virtual reality to recreate the Forbidden City at the height of the Qing dynasty. The tour will take you to three palaces: the Hall of Supreme Harmony, a magnificent ceremonial space; the Hall of Mental Cultivation, the site of the emperorʼs political affairs and daily life; and the Studio of Exhaustion from Diligent Service, which shaped the ideals of the Qianlong Emperor who helped establish the dynastyʼs golden age. This tour explores the charm of the Forbidden City, an enduring culmination of Chinese traditional culture and the historic setting for the successive generations of emperors who lived there.

[Overall Supervision of TNM & TOPPAN Museum Theater Edition] The Palace Museum／Tokyo National Museum／National Center for the Promotion of Cultural Properties
[Production／Copyright] The Palace Museum／Toppan Inc.

In 1904, Egypt sent a mummy to the Tokyo National Museum as a gift. At its new home in the Tokyo National Museum, the mysterious coffin, completely covered in black material, ensconced in a deep mystery. Finally, the latest technological advances have revealed the mysteries of our precious mummy covered in a black veil. What was drawn on the coffin? Who was the person wrapped in bandages? How and why was the mummy made? The truth of ancient Egyptian mummy is now revealed after three thousand years of deep sleep. Come and enjoy incredibly realistic sensations that can be experienced with the latest virtual reality technology.

[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum
[Production] Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.

Like a samurai warlord proclaiming a new era after his conquest, the artist Hasegawa Tōhaku proclaimed a new era with his brush. Tōhaku’s ink painting Pine Trees is an enchanting masterpiece that remains shrouded in mystery.

Tōhaku’s enchanting work, which shows a grove of pines wrapped in dense, damp fog, is created entirely out of the masterful use of ink gradation. Tōhaku was a renowned master artist of the Azuchi-Momoyama period (1573–1603 CE), and his Pine Trees is one of the most popular of all national treasures held at the Tokyo National Museum. It is also a work steeped in mystery. This virtual reality experience takes you back to the late 16th century to uncover hints about the composition of Pine Trees, tracing the achievements of Tōhaku during his life as an artist. Learn more about what makes Pine Trees so enchanting with commentary on episodes related to the screen, including Hasegawa’s creation of his Maple Tree and Cherry Blossoms. Hasegawa painted this set of paintings for sliding doors, designated a national treasure, for Chishakuin Temple, at the request of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the de facto ruler of Japan at the time. Tōhaku was assisted by his son Kyūzō, who helped him develop the Hasegawa school.

[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum／The National Center for the Promotion of Cultural Properties
[Production] Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.

The “Prayer Form” created by Kobo Daishi Kukai, to express the ultimate teachings that can’t be put into words.

In the year 804, Kukai travelled to Tang-dynasty China to study Esoteric Buddhism and became the legitimate heir to the Esoteric Buddhist orthodoxy. He later brought these saving teachings back to Japan. Entrusted with the To-ji temple by the Emperor in 823, the building at the center of esoteric Buddhist teaching was constructed into an auditorium. Inside of this auditorium Kukai built a world to convey the ultimate teachings that can’t be put into words. The Mandala enlightenment represented by this To-ji temple auditorium, considered a masterpiece of esoteric Buddhist sculpture, can be fully unlocked through VR.

[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum, Kyo-o-gokoku-ji Temple (To-ji Temple)
[Production] Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.

See every treasure hidden in the sealed inner sanctum of the Main Hall.

Horyuji Temple was constructed by Prince Shotoku about 1,400 years ago during the Asuka period. He ruled as the aide of Empress Suiko, bringing in Buddhism from the mainland as he developed a culture that would serve as the foundation for later historical developments. The inner sanctum of the Main Hall that lies at the center of Horyuji Temple recreates the Pure Land with a principal image connected to the prince as well as other Buddha statues and murals that have been treasured to this day. All of treasures, which are inaccessible in the inner sanctum of the Main Hall, have now been recreated using virtual reality technology. Step into a world where you can see these fine statues and murals up close—one that is sure to leave a lasting impression of Prince Shotoku’s ideals for his nation in your heart.

[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum／The National Center for the Promotion of Cultural properties／Horyuji
[Production] TOPPAN INC.

Want to Know More? Introduction to the World of Frolicking Animals!

At the beginning of the Kamakura period (13th century), a Buddhist priest named Myoe restored Kosan-ji in the mountains of Kyoto. A set of handscrolls painted over 800 years ago was passed down at this tranquil mountain temple, and is now a National Treasure known as the Scrolls of Frolicking Animals. This VR focuses on the first of the four extant scrolls, and provides detailed and easy-to-follow explanations of the miraculous world of animals unfolding vividly with the flow of the scroll.

[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum／The National Center for the Promotion of Cultural Properties／Togano-o Kosan-ji Temple
[Production] Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.

See the culture and life of the old capital like never before!
Even art experts are amazed at the vivid details, many of them visible here for the first time.

Named after the family in Shiga Prefecture who originally handed down this pair of screens, Folding Screens of Scenes in and around Kyoto (Funaki version) is now one of the National Treasures owned by the Tokyo National Museum. This pair of sixpanel folding screens shows the city of Kyoto as it was just before the Toyotomi clan fell during the Siege of Osaka (1615). As many as 2,500 people from all social classes are vividly presented as they engage in lively activities across different areas of the city.
See the world of the old capital as it was four hundred years ago, stunning details that are difficult to make out when viewing the piece in person. Sitting areas for enjoying cherry blossoms, nested boxes, and the kitchen area at Nijo Castle are among the engaging food-related highlights faithfully reproduced in this high-definition virtual reality experience.

[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum
[Production] Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.

Like a samurai warlord proclaiming a new era after his conquest, the artist Hasegawa Tōhaku proclaimed a new era with his brush. Tōhaku’s ink painting Pine Trees is an enchanting masterpiece that remains shrouded in mystery.

Tōhaku’s enchanting work, which shows a grove of pines wrapped in dense, damp fog, is created entirely out of the masterful use of ink gradation. Tōhaku was a renowned master artist of the Azuchi-Momoyama period (1573–1603 CE), and his Pine Trees is one of the most popular of all national treasures held at the Tokyo National Museum. It is also a work steeped in mystery. This virtual reality experience takes you back to the late 16th century to uncover hints about the composition of Pine Trees, tracing the achievements of Tōhaku during his life as an artist. Learn more about what makes Pine Trees so enchanting with commentary on episodes related to the screen, including Hasegawa’s creation of his Maple Tree and Cherry Blossoms. Hasegawa painted this set of paintings for sliding doors, designated a national treasure, for Chishakuin Temple, at the request of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the de facto ruler of Japan at the time. Tōhaku was assisted by his son Kyūzō, who helped him develop the Hasegawa school.

[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum／The National Center for the Promotion of Cultural Properties
[Production] Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.

There’s something behind the byobu (folding screen) painting Wind God and Thunder God.
What was the hidden sentiment in Sakai Hoitsu’s masterpiece Flowering Plants of Summer and Autumn?
Explore the secrets on the front and back of the byobu screen.

These delicate flowers are drenched by rain and battered by wind. One can almost hear the wind whistling past in this scene depicted by the late-Edo Period painter, Sakai Hoitsu, in his byobu screen painting Flowering Plants of Summer and Autumn. Hoitsu was born into a daimyo family and was a man of many talents, having also made a contribution to the world of haiku.

Were you aware that the masterpiece of Hoitsu’s later years —Flowering Plants of Summer and Autumn— was actually painted on the rear-side of a byobu screen per a request Hoitsu received? The byobu screen was painted by a master painter whom Hoitsu had long admired and considered to be his painting mentor.

What sentiment did Hoitsu wish to convey by painting Flowering Plants of Summer and Autumn on the rear of this byobu screen? We’ll use virtual reality to explore the secrets concealed in how the rear of the screen relates to the front.

[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum
[Production] Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.

The world of artistic masterpieces appreciated through the lens of VR.

“Tea leaf Jar. Design of moon and plum tree in overglaze enamels,” an Important Cultural Property created by Studio of Ninsei, and “Writing box. Design of Yatsu-hashi bridge,” a national treasure created by Ogata Korin, are among Japan's leading works of art fashioned in the Edo era. This appreciation of these two works is conducted with methods that only virtual reality (VR) makes possible. See the world of absolute beauty fashioned by famed artists from various angles that include an “internal” view of the works and a closeup of their details. Take in the beauty of these proud treasures of Japan at the TNM & TOPPAN Museum Theater.

[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum
[Production] Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.

How has the Shosoin remained so beautiful for 1260 years?

The Shosoin Repository is a large wooden treasure house built on the former grounds of Todai-ji temple roughly 1,260 years ago. The Shosoin Repository has preserved to the present day over 9,000 ancient artifacts that are unique throughout the world, including the relics owned by Emperor Shomu. The origin of Shosoin treasures lies in Empress Komyo in mourning who had lost her husband she loved. How did the Shosoin Repository preserve all of these treasures, such as Five-stringed biwa lute of red sandalwood with mother-of-pearl inlay, and avoid their impending loss? This was possible thanks to the surprising wisdom and ceaseless efforts of the people who had worked to protect those artifacts. Explore the mysteries of the preservation of Shosoin’s treasures from a unique VR perspective.

[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum / The National Center for the Promotion of Cultural Properties / Office of The Shosoin Treasure House, The Imperial Household Agency
[Production] Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.

Experience the allure of Japanese swords through a very special VR appreciation featuring a top selection of renowned blades.

Japanese swords are cultural properties that have been safely guarded over generations. Their beauty and craftsmanship, a product of a history spanning a thousand years, continues to be passed down today. In this VR appreciation, two Japanese swords specially selected from the renowned blades in the collection of the Tokyo National Museum are compared. These two swords – the “Mikazuki Munechika” and the “Okadagiri Yoshifusa” – are both national treasures, each with their own distinct characteristics. While this program will touch on some technical aspects you may not be familiar with, it will treat you to a very special appreciation of Japanese swords, the kind that you can only experience at the TNM & TOPPAN Museum Theater.

[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum / The National Center for the Promotion of Cultural Properties
[Production] Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.

The “Prayer Form” created by Kobo Daishi Kukai, to express the ultimate teachings that can’t be put into words.

In the year 804, Kukai travelled to Tang-dynasty China to study Esoteric Buddhism and became the legitimate heir to the Esoteric Buddhist orthodoxy. He later brought these saving teachings back to Japan. Entrusted with the To-ji temple by the Emperor in 823, the building at the center of esoteric Buddhist teaching was constructed into an auditorium. Inside of this auditorium Kukai built a world to convey the ultimate teachings that can’t be put into words. The Mandala enlightenment represented by this To-ji temple auditorium, considered a masterpiece of esoteric Buddhist sculpture, can be fully unlocked through VR.

[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum, Kyo-o-gokoku-ji Temple (To-ji Temple)
[Production] Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.

There’s something behind the byobu (folding screen) painting Wind God and Thunder God.
What was the hidden sentiment in Sakai Hoitsu’s masterpiece Flowering Plants of Summer and Autumn?
Explore the secrets on the front and back of the byobu screen.

These delicate flowers are drenched by rain and battered by wind. One can almost hear the wind whistling past in this scene depicted by the late-Edo Period painter, Sakai Hoitsu, in his byobu screen painting Flowering Plants of Summer and Autumn. Hoitsu was born into a daimyo family and was a man of many talents, having also made a contribution to the world of haiku.

Were you aware that the masterpiece of Hoitsu’s later years —Flowering Plants of Summer and Autumn— was actually painted on the rear-side of a byobu screen per a request Hoitsu received? The byobu screen was painted by a master painter whom Hoitsu had long admired and considered to be his painting mentor.

What sentiment did Hoitsu wish to convey by painting Flowering Plants of Summer and Autumn on the rear of this byobu screen? We’ll use virtual reality to explore the secrets concealed in how the rear of the screen relates to the front.

[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum
[Production] Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.

What did the keep of Edo Castle really look like?

The last keep of Edo Castle built by the third shogun of Tokugawa Family, Tokugawa Iemitsu, is said to have been the largest in history and was created using the most advanced building techniques of the day and a tremendous amount of financial power. So what did this incredible castle actually look like? How was it made? Designs and drawings give us some clues, as do the cultural assets and traditional techniques that survive to this day. We've used them to create a program that lets you join us in the exciting process of recreating the keep of Edo Castle.

[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum
[Production] Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.

Five clay figurines all designate as National Treasures displayed in one place.
They represent the “dawn of Japanese beauty.”

The Jomon period began around 11,000 B.C. and lasted for about 10,000 years. Many of the clay figurines created during this period are based on the female form. A total of about 20,000 clay figurines have been discovered in Japan to date, yet only five of them have been designated as National Treasures. All five of these figurines have been beautifully recreated through VR technology, which you are invited to experience with the assistance of a live guide. Come and join us to experience the spirit, creative power, and aesthetic sense of the Jomon people through these figurines and the thoughts they embody.

[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum
[Production] Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.

Shape of Japan that has been traced step by step

In the Edo period, Tadataka Ino surveyed Japan over a period of 17 years from the age of 56, and for the first time completed a map of Japan that had been made by taking actual measurements.
In order to accurately measure distances, it is said that he trained himself to always walk with the same stride. The map he produced was so refined that it compares favorably to current satellite photos. Furthermore, he drew his map beautifully like a painting, describing details down to the terrain of the mountains and coastline and the landscape of the highways.
How did Tadataka and his team create this elaborate map?
We will use virtual reality to uncover the mystery that surrounds Tadataka Ino’s map of Japan, examining a wide range of aspects from the features of his work to his actual surveying method.

[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum
[Production] Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.

There’s something behind the byobu (folding screen) painting Wind God and Thunder God.
What was the hidden sentiment in Sakai Hoitsu’s masterpiece Flowering Plants of Summer and Autumn?
Explore the secrets on the front and back of the byobu screen.

These delicate flowers are drenched by rain and battered by wind. One can almost hear the wind whistling past in this scene depicted by the late-Edo Period painter, Sakai Hoitsu, in his byobu screen painting Flowering Plants of Summer and Autumn. Hoitsu was born into a daimyo family and was a man of many talents, having also made a contribution to the world of haiku.
Were you aware that the masterpiece of Hoitsu’s later years —Flowering Plants of Summer and Autumn— was actually painted on the rear-side of a byobu screen per a request Hoitsu received? The byobu screen was painted by a master painter whom Hoitsu had long admired and considered to be his painting mentor.
What sentiment did Hoitsu wish to convey by painting Flowering Plants of Summer and Autumn on the rear of this byobu screen? We’ll use virtual reality to explore the secrets concealed in how the rear of the screen relates to the front.

[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum
[Production] Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.

Clay figures do not speak, nor do they move.
But onece they are in the hands of an archaeologist, they begin to reveal their secrets.

The Jomon Period lasted for well over 10,000 years. Despite there being no written records, we can still imagine what life was like for the people during that time by the artifacts we dig up from the ground. Come with us now on a trip to the Jomon Period as we examine the clay figures and pottery through the eyes of an archaeologist.

[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum
[Production] Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.

Invincible Kumamoto Castle what makes this castle so unique?

Kato Kiyomasa was a powerful, valiant samurai warrior who lived during the Sengoku period. He was also known as an expert of castle construction. Famed for his castle-building prowess, Kato Kiyomasa was appointed by the regent Toyotomi Hideyoshi and shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu to build a number of castles. Kato Kiyomasa had extensive experience in castle construction and had valiantly fought in numerous battles. He constructed his own Kumamoto Castle with iron-tight defense strategies to protect the castle should a siege occur. Now, let's go inside the castle and head towards main donjon and honmaru palace with our navigator, as if we were trying to invade the impregnable structure.

[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum
[Production] Kumamoto Castle Tourism Exchange Service Co., Ltd.
[Production] Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.

What did the keep of Edo Castle really look like?

The last keep of Edo Castle built by the third shogun of Tokugawa Family, Tokugawa Iemitsu, is said to have been the largest in history and was created using the most advanced building techniques of the day and a tremendous amount of financial power. So what did this incredible castle actually look like? How was it made? Designs and drawings give us some clues, as do the cultural assets and traditional techniques that survive to this day. We've used them to create a program that lets you join us in the exciting process of recreating the keep of Edo Castle.

[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum
[Production] Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.

Following the dream of a world of peace from Azuchi Castle to Nijo Castle

In 1579, the long Sengoku period was coming to an end. Oda Nobunaga finally completed the unprecedented Azuchi Castle and showed the people of the time a brand new world. However, in just three years Nobunaga had been toppled and the castle was burned down, the dream of a new world reduced to ashes…. Let's go out to see the view that Nobunaga saw in 1579 from the central tower of Azuchi Castle. Then let's go to 1626's Nijo Castle to see the peaceful world finally realized 50 years later. The scenery from Azuchi Castle was unforgettable and came to be passed down to subsequent generations. In this tour, we will visit three locations in pursuit of the dream of this world of peace, handed down from Oda Nobunaga to Toyotomi Hideyoshi and then to the entire Tokugawa Shogun Dynasty: Azuchi Castle, Cypress Trees (folding screen), and Nijo Castle. So let's depart — following the guidance of the navigator in the Museum Theater!

*1 Production and supervision: Omihachiman City / Castle keep restoration: Akira Naito (former president of Aichi Sangyo University)
Castle murals restoration:Yoshinao Hirai / Production: Toppan Printing Co.,Ltd. *2 Supervision & Photos: Nijo Castle / Production:Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.

[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum
[Production] Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.

[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum
[Production] Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.

In 1904, Egypt sent a mummy to the Tokyo National Museum as a gift. At its new home in the Tokyo National Museum, the mysterious coffin, completely covered in black material, ensconced in a deep mystery. Finally, the latest technological advances have revealed the mysteries of our precious mummy covered in a black veil. What was drawn on the coffin? Who was the person wrapped in bandages? How and why was the mummy made? The truth of ancient Egyptian mummy is now revealed after three thousand years of deep sleep. Come and enjoy incredibly realistic sensations that can be experienced with the latest virtual reality technology.

[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum
[Production] Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.

〈the first term〉
The first term introduces the area from Shijo Gawara district to Hoko-ji Daibutsuden (the building that houses a large Buddha statue at Hoko-ji temple), which no longer exist. You will see a theater staging joururi, a style of storytelling using puppets, and classic kabuki drama from the early Edo period. Then, witness the unique freedom and energy of life in the pre-Edo period while walking around the Kamogawa River.

〈the second term〉
The second term will take you to the Gion Festival, temples, and shirines in the city as we make our way towards Nijo-jo castle, stopping by a bustling everyday shopping district to see the local merchants in action. At the Nijo-jo castle, get a feel for the new Tokugawa shogunate era as you learn about the traditional kitchen and cuisine as well as the courts of justice.

[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum
[Production] Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.

“Tea leaf Jar. Design of moon and plum tree in overglaze enamels.” by Nonomura Ninsei, and “Writing box. Design of Yatsu-hashi bridge.” by Ogata Korin, are both prominent Japanese works created in the Edo period. The former is classified as an Important Cultural Property and the latter as a National Treasure by the Japanese government.
Nonomura Ninsei was a craftsman most famous for kyoyaki ceramics (Kyoto ceramics). He started the Omuro kiln in front of the gates of Ninnaji Temple in the Rakuhoku area of Kyoto. He made pottery for the emperor, nobility, and other high-status customers, and he opened up a new field of work through his overglaze enamels. One of Ninsei's most definitive works, “Tea leaf Jar. Design of moon and plum tree in overglaze enamels.” portrays a truly colorful scene of a full moon and great plum trees with blossoming red and white flowers. Using our digital archive, it is possible to view this painting from perspectives not possible when viewing the real article. Experience for yourself the microcosm created by Ninsei upon this limited surface.
Also of the Edo period, Ogata Korin was a genius artist of the Rinpa school. The most prominent lacquer art piece among Korin's many great works is “Writing box. Design of Yatsu-hashi bridge.” The exterior of the box features irises and the “Eight Bridges (Yatsu-hashi),” a famous scene of Japanese classical literature found in The Tales of Ise (Ise monogatari). The interior is decorated with a water pattern. If the box is viewed from the inside, the interior water pattern and exterior painting overlap to create a variety of intersections in an image of utter beauty.

[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum
[Production] Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.

Shape of Japan that has been traced step by step

In the Edo period, Tadataka Ino surveyed Japan over a period of 17 years from the age of 56, and for the first time completed a map of Japan that had been made by taking actual measurements. In order to accurately measure distances, it is said that he trained himself to always walk with the same stride. The map he produced was so refined that it compares favorably to current satellite photos. Furthermore, he drew his map beautifully like a painting, describing details down to the terrain of the mountains and coastline and the landscape of the highways.
How did Tadataka and his team create this elaborate map? We will use virtual reality to uncover the mystery that surrounds Tadataka Ino's map of Japan, examining a wide range of aspects from the features of his work to his actual surveying method.

[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum
[Production] Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.
[Illustration] Statue of Tadataka Ino, Tomioka Hachimangu

An ancient mummy was gifted to Japan in 1904. The coffin which is covered by black substance, had been asleep in the Tokyo National Museum, with many hidden secrets. Now, colorful images and even the appearance of Pasherienptah himself are uncovered using the latest technology. The truth about the ancient Egypt will be revealed after 3000 years. Please enjoy the world as if you were there through the virtual reality technology.

[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum
[Production] Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.

The Edo Era spanned from the 17th to the 19th Century, during which 15 generations of the Tokugawa family ruled over a period of over 250 years. Edo Castle, which was the home of the Shogun and the epicenter of the Tokugawa Shogunate, is recreated using virtual reality technology. In the second part, we look back at the landscape of Ueno Park, which began as the perimeter area of Kan'eiji Temple, the Shogun's place of Buddhist worship, based on images from the Edo, Meiji and Taisho Eras.

[Production] Tokyo Metropolitan Edo-Tokyo Museum / Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.
[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum

[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum
[Production] Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.

[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum
[Production] Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.
[collaborator] Horyuji

[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum
[Production] Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.

[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum
[Production] Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.

[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum
[Production] Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.
“Statue of Tadataka Ino" and "Measurement Tools” : The Inoh Tadataka Museum, Katori City, Chiba

[Production] Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties / Independent Administrative Institution National Institutes for Cultural Heritage Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties / Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.

[Supervision] Kohfukuji / Hiroaki Kaneko / Kakichi Suzuki
[Production] The Asahi Shimbun Company / Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.

[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum
[Production] Tokyo Metropolitan Edo-Tokyo Museum / Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.

[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum
[Production] Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.

[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum
[Production] Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.

[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum
[Production] Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.
Wall painting of Nijo Castle: [Supervision & Data] Nijo Castle Office [Production] Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.

[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum
[Production] Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.
[collaborator] Horyuji／Kohfukuji／Yakushiji／Fujita Museum

[Supervision] Tokyo National Museum
[Production] Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.

[Supervision] Yukio Imagawa (Former ambassador of Cambodia and Chairman of Khmer Society of Japan) / Tokyo National Museum
[Measurement data] Ikeuchi Lab, University of Tokyo
[Photo] BAKU Saito / Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.
[collaborator] APSARA Authority, Cambodia / Japanese Government Team for Safeguarding Angkor / Japan Airlines Co., Ltd. / Setharin,Penn
[Production] Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.