Programme Japan Market 2024

Opening

The opening ceremony will take place at 12:00 in the presence of His Excellency the Ambassador of Japan, Mr. Hiroshi Minami and the deputy Mayor of Leiden, Ms. Yvonne van Delft. Director of Japan Museum SieboldHuis, Kris Schiermeier will open the Japan market. A resounding Taiko drum performance will announce the commencement of the opening ceremony.

The Museum

Be sure to visit the exhibition: Japan in Turbulent Times – Japan and the last days of the samurai (1853-1867) when you come to the Japan Market. The exhibition describes how the Dutch and Japanese navigated together through the mid-19^th century; a turbulent time filled with political and scientific changes in which both countries acquired new roles on the world stage. Decorative screens, swords, prints, paintings, photographs, maps and maritime objects form the seven themes that further explore the relations between the Netherland and Japan between 1853 and 1867.

While in the museum, be sure to stop by the Panorama room and see the ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’ presentation inspired by the collaboration between Siebold and Keiga. The Japanese master craftsman Akihito Maeda and the Dutch designer Carole Baijings have combined traditional Japanese wood carvings with Dutch design. The result is a unique joint project that presents well know works by Kawahara Keiga (1786-1860) and his teacher Ishizaki Yūshi (1768 – 1846) in a different light.

For the Children
There are free treasure hunts (in Dutch) for children (up to 12 years) available at the front desk. There are also treasure hunts for the permanent collection as well as the temporary exhibition. For the youth (up to 17 years) there is a free activity booklet ‘DOEN’ (in Dutch) that corresponds with the temporary exhibition.

In the basement of the museum children can practice origami, colour, or play the life-size memory game.

Kimono Photo Shoot

Steal the show in your kimono! Have your photo taken in kimono and you might be the lucky winner of two tickets to the up-coming exhibition ‘Kimono. Mirror of modernity’ (19 July to 8 December). Photographs will be taken on the Doelenbrug from 14:00 – 14:30 and from 15:30 – 16:00.

Budo demonstrations

Japanese martial arts demonstration will be given the Tempelzaal of the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden. Admission to the demonstrations is free, admission to the exhibitions in the museum is the standard museum rate.