Japanese crafts, primarily from the Meiji period, have become popular in recent years for their detailed and realistic expressions. The "Amazing Meiji Crafts," showcasing a large collection of these "Meiji Crafts," is being held at the University Art Museum, Tokyo University of the Arts in Ueno Park, Tokyo, through October 30th.

During the Edo period, under the stable Tokugawa Shogunate, Japanese crafts saw technological advances in various fields, including yuzen, high-quality inlay, and overglaze painting. In particular, in the fields of metalwork and lacquerware, realism was emphasized in the design and decoration, and works were produced using a variety of materials and with the utmost skill. Furthermore, during the Meiji period, export to Europe and the United States became a goal, and craftsmen were required to exhibit their superior skills at exhibitions both at home and abroad. This led to the creation of many intricately detailed works, with greater precision in expression. This exhibition focuses on crafts from the Meiji period, showcasing the astonishing expressions and techniques of art from the late Edo period, when "Meiji Crafts" formed the basis, to the early Showa period, when the Meiji period exerted its influence. More than 130 works from the "Song Pei-an Collection," a massive collection of 3,000 Japanese crafts owned by Taiwanese collector Song Pei-an, are on display in Japan for the first time. The exhibition features a diverse range of works, including "Jizai Okimono," realistically crafted figures of dragons, snakes, spiny lobsters, praying mantises, butterflies, and other insects made from iron and copper with movable bodies and limbs; "Velvet Yuzen," featuring Yuzen dyeing on textured velvet; lacquerware; metalwork; and sculpture. Other exhibits on display include the world's largest dragon "jizai okimono" (a 3-meter-long "free-standing ornament"), the graceful "Phoenix" by Takase Kozan, the transparent "Blue and White Iris Design Vase" by Miyagawa Kozan, and the 2-centimeter "Three Wise Monkeys Netsuke" by Kobayashi Moriyoshi, which retains its extensive use of colored gold hardware.

After opening in Tokyo, this exhibition will travel to the Hosomi Museum of Art in Kyoto from November 12 to December 25, and the Kawagoe City Art Museum in Saitama from April 22 to June 11, 2017.
【Event Information】
"Amazing Meiji Crafts" Exhibition
Venue: The University Art Museum, Tokyo University of the Arts
Address: 12-8 Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Dates: September 7th - October 30th
Hours: 10:00 - 17:00 (last entry at 16:30)
*On October 21st and 22nd, the museum is open until 20:00 and entry is at 19:30
Admission: 1,300 yen for adults, 800 yen for university and high school students
Closed: Mondays (open on September 19th and October 10th), October 11th