Nara Park hosts Shosoin Exhibition from 24 October
Published on 10/18/2026 at 05:11 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Nara Park hosts the 78th Shosoin Exhibition from 24 October to 9 November 2026 at the East and West New Wings of the Nara National Museum. The annual exhibition brings selected treasures from the Shosoin collection into public view during an autumn programme in Nara, Japan.
The Shosoin Exhibition opens in Nara Park on 24 October
The exhibition begins on Saturday, 24 October 2026, and ends on Monday, 9 November 2026. The museum is open every day during the run, including the days that would normally fall outside a standard weekly programme. Official exhibition dates are published by the Nara National Museum, which is also the organiser.
Visitors will find 60 treasures in the display, with 11 presented publicly for the first time. The programme includes a Persian-style lacquered ewer decorated with birds, beasts and flowers, the Brahma's Net Sutra with Frontispiece, an offering box with painted bird and scrolling motifs, and a set of red ivory go pieces.
Nara Park connects the exhibition with Shosoin history
The museum exhibition is tied to the Shosoin Repository and to the history of T?dai-ji, whose Great Buddha received offerings connected with the collection in 756. The Shosoin treasures include personal belongings associated with Emperor Sh?mu, objects used in T?dai-ji ceremonies and material linked to the temple's construction administration.
The display therefore gives a museum-based dimension to a visit centred on Nara Park's temples, deer and historic precincts. The relationship is not simply geographical: the exhibition presents objects linked to the religious and courtly world represented by T?dai-ji, while the surrounding park provides the setting in which that history can be visited. Nara Park and exhibition context places the show within a wider visit to the park and T?dai-ji.
What the 2026 exhibition adds for visitors
The 2026 selection also includes recent research findings from the Office of the Shosoin, Imperial Household Agency. One focus is the materials and techniques used to create ancient rush mats, adding a research element to the presentation of historic objects.
The exhibition is part of a long-running Nara tradition. The first Annual Exhibition of Shosoin Treasures took place in 1946, and the show has returned to Nara in almost every year since, apart from three later editions held in Tokyo. Independent exhibition coverage also places the 2026 edition at the Nara National Museum in Nara.
Visiting Nara Park: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The Shosoin Exhibition runs from 24 October to 9 November 2026 at the East and West New Wings of the Nara National Museum.
- The museum is open every day during the exhibition. Visiting the exhibition requires a timed-entry ticket, and the official organiser states that tickets must be purchased before arrival except for specified free-admission categories.
- The exhibition runs from 8am to 6pm, with closing extended to 8pm on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. Last entry is 60 minutes before closing.
- The Nara National Museum stands within the wider Nara Park visit, close to T?dai-ji and other historic sites. Kintetsu Nara Station is the practical rail reference for the park, while JR Nara Station is farther from T?dai-ji.
- Nara Park is an open landscape rather than a single enclosed museum site. Deer move through the grounds, and visitors should keep food other than the designated deer crackers away from them.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Nara Park
When does the Shosoin Exhibition take place at Nara Park?
The exhibition runs from 24 October to 9 November 2026 at the Nara National Museum in Nara Park.
What is the Shosoin Exhibition?
It is an annual autumn display of selected treasures from the Shosoin collection, with 60 objects shown in 2026 and 11 presented for the first time.
Where is Nara Park and how do you get there?
Nara Park is in Nara, Japan. Kintetsu Nara Station provides the main rail approach to the park, while JR Nara Station is another access point farther from T?dai-ji.
