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This is the last weekend to experience Japanese culture and history through cutting-edge visualization technology! View national treasures, art, and historical sites up close and in new angles with the use of high-definition 3DCG renderings.
NEO-JAPONISM | SAMURAI AND BEYOND: Exploring Tradition Through Technology is developed with NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) in celebration of their 100 years of broadcasting. They utilize innovative technology to document Japanese cultural treasures and make them accessible to the public, as well as produce epic Taiga historical dramas that bring the world of samurai, warlords, noble women, and court ladies to life.
Visit JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles at Ovation Hollywood to dive into the Edo-period and more before it closes on Monday, September 1!
Plan Your Visit: https://bit.ly/47hxhjC
Forwarded for JAPAN HOUSE
NEO-JAPONISM | SAMURAI AND BEYOND Exploring Tradition Through Technology
Exhibiting from Feb. 14, 2025 – Sept. 1, 2025
Your Summer Escape into History
Wherever you are as the summer season heats up, take a refreshing escape into the past through these recommended reads, then plan your visit to see these histories brought to life through innovative technology in our latest exhibition, “NEO-JAPONISM | SAMURAI AND BEYOND.” From digital castle recreations to 3D models of precious artifacts you can examine in detail, the show offers a unique chance to step inside Japan’s National Treasures through cutting-edge visualization.
Now through Monday, September 1, 2025
Mon. – Fri. | 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Sat. – Sun. | 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
JAPAN HOUSE Gallery | Level 2
Free
From samurai swords to sacred scrolls, discover the program protecting Japan’s culturally vital treasures
Many may be familiar with the popular movie franchise “National Treasure” starring Nicolas Cage – but in Japan, National Treasures aren’t just Hollywood fiction, they’re real, officially designated artifacts that have been essential to protecting cultural heritage for over half a century. After the Meiji Restoration of 1868, Japan raced toward modernization, leaving temples abandoned, selling artifacts abroad, and sweeping away many ancient practices. Starting in the 1950s, the National Treasures initiative emerged as Japan’s effort to save these traditions, protecting everything from towering castles to delicate poetry scrolls.
These extraordinary objects and the program that preserves them helped inform our latest exhibition at JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles, “NEO-JAPONISM | SAMURAI AND BEYOND: Exploring Tradition Through Technology,” which has been captivating audiences of all ages since February. To dive deeper into these themes, we’re presenting a new article series spanning three fascinating categories, from epic castles to iconic swords to ancient books that still have the power to move readers. Did you know that Himeji Castle doubled as Osaka Castle in the original Shōgun series? Or that Masamune’s legendary swords could supposedly tell good from evil? Read on to learn more about these types of National Treasures and find inspiration to plan your own visit as the ultimate summer escape.
Iconic Japanese Castles | Guardians of History
Discover how these architectural marvels shaped Japan’s rich history and continue to play “starring roles” in some of today’s most popular TV and movies. These fortresses were both functional military headquarters and symbolic seats of power during Japan’s tumultuous feudal era, with sites like Osaka Castle helping secure centuries of peace under Tokugawa rule. With their defensive mazes, abundant folklore, and enduring elegance, these castles remain vibrant bridges between Japan’s past and present.
Katana Swords | Blades of Legend
Explore the masterful craftsmanship and lore behind blades that were considered extensions of a warrior’s own spirit. Meet Masamune, the Kamakura-era artisan whose legendary swords were said to possess their own moral compass and would not harm the innocent, and ponder the mystery of the Honjo Masamune that vanished without a trace after WWII. Read on to learn why these sacred weapons-turned-art have captivated emperors, samurai, and collectors for over seven centuries – and what secrets they still hold today.
Exploring Japan’s National Treasures | Books
Lose yourself in ancient literature and poetry that expresses timeless and universal human emotions. The poetry compilation known as the Manyōshu, compiled in 759 AD, contains over 4,500 poems written by everyone from emperors to common soldiers and described relatable topics like love, loss, and longing. Hand-copied for generations, these texts survived earthquakes, wars, and a changing world to prove that the human heart remains surprisingly constant across more than a thousand years.
