A rare opportunity has arrived to closely examine Japan's imperial court culture. The exhibition offers a chance to understand how Japan's imperial family—a nation founded by migrants from the Korean Peninsula—differs from and resembles its ancestral cultures in Korea and China. This represents a distinct tradition from the samurai and feudal lord culture more familiar to Korean audiences.
The National Palace Museum of Korea (Director Jeong Yong-jae) under the Korea Heritage Service announced Tuesday that it will hold a special exhibition titled "A Millennium of Time: Japan's Court Culture" from December 18 through February 22 next year at the museum's first-floor special exhibition hall in Jongno-gu, Seoul.
The exhibition marks the museum's 20th anniversary and the 60th anniversary of normalized diplomatic relations between Korea and Japan. It is being held in special cooperation with the Tokyo National Museum (Director Fujiwara Makoto) and marks the first introduction of Japan's imperial and court culture to Korea.
As a museum specializing in royal history and culture, the National Palace Museum of Korea has continuously held special exhibitions introducing royal families from Korea and other countries since its opening in 2005. This exhibition is a result of a memorandum of understanding signed between the two museums in September last year for academic and cultural exchange. The exhibition introduces 39 items related to Japanese court culture from the Tokyo National Museum's collection, including paintings, crafts, costumes, and musical instruments—all being shown in Korea for the first time.
The term "court" (kyutei in Japanese) refers to the imperial family. Japan calls its sovereign "Tenno" (Emperor), while Korea uses the term "ilwang" (Japanese king). The Japanese terminology was used in the exhibition title to avoid highlighting this difference. In Korean, a similar concept is expressed as "gungung" (within the palace).
Japan, a nation established by migrants from the Korean Peninsula, largely severed exchanges with the peninsula after Silla's unification. Instead, Japan immersed itself in the Chinese (Tang) system and finally established its own distinctive imperial culture during the Nara period (710-794). This culture gradually adapted to local conditions and reached its zenith during the Heian period (794-1185), which began when the capital moved to Heian-kyo, present-day Kyoto. When power shifted to warriors with the establishment of the Kamakura shogunate (1192-1333), imperial culture declined. However, after the Edo shogunate (1603-1868) brought stability, the tradition was restored and has been maintained to the present day.
The exhibition features various imperial artifacts from the Tokyo National Museum's collection. The "Folding Screen with Paintings from the Shishinden Sliding Doors" reproduces artwork that was installed behind the throne in the Shishinden (Hall of the Purple Imperial Chamber), the main ceremonial hall of Kyoto's Imperial Palace (Gosho). Depicting 32 Chinese sages, it demonstrates how Japanese court culture was shaped by Tang dynasty influence.
Visitors can observe characteristics of Japanese court attire through traditional "formal dress" worn by palace officials and courtiers, featuring multiple layered upper and lower garments with long trailing hems.
The exhibition also displays interior furnishings including "Furniture Used in the Higyosha" (residences of imperial consorts within the palace), crafted to match the traditional Japanese palace architectural style established around the 8th century. Record paintings such as "Albums Documenting Court Events in Text and Images" show various types of imperial ceremonies.
Costumes and instruments related to gagaku (traditional Japanese court music) and bugaku (court dance) are also on display. Japanese court music, established around the 8th century, consists of traditional music passed down from ancient Japan and foreign music influenced by Tang China, Silla, Baekje, and Goguryeo. Its original form has been preserved to this day.
Starting December 24, docent-led exhibition tours will be offered once daily at 2 p.m. Two special lectures connected to the exhibition—on "Japan's Court Culture" and "World Royal Cultures and the National Palace Museum of Korea"—are scheduled for January 20 and February 3, 2026.
"Not much is known about Japanese court culture," said National Palace Museum of Korea Director Jeong Yong-jae. "Through this exhibition, we aim to enhance mutual understanding and exchange between Korea and Japan as we mark the 60th anniversary of normalized diplomatic relations."
