Prayer and Beauty of Iwami | Iwami Art Museum
Exhibitions
From the late Heian period to the Azuchi-Momoyama period (approximately 12th to 16th century), the Iwami region in the western part of today's Shimane Prefecture also gave birth to a unique medieval cultural landscape. Buddhism and Shinto beliefs intertwined, and the samurai class and local nobles rose, leaving behind a rich and colorful art and craft works on this land.
This exhibition, titled "Prayer and Beauty", brings together about 60 medieval art and craft works related to the Iwami region, including 16 important cultural properties. The exhibition is divided into four chapters, narrating why these works were created, what social and religious significance they carry, and how they have been protected from generation to generation. The exhibits include Buddhist paintings, shrine treasures, crafts, and documentary materials, which not only show the artistic level of the medieval Iwami region, but also reflect the way people at that time understood "beauty" and "faith".
