On the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between Japan and Vietnam, in order to promote the beauty of Japanese culture to Vietnamese people, The Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam, in cooperation with Danang Fine Arts Museum, proudly presents our remarkable exhibition “Japanese dolls”. This exhibition will be held at Danang Fine Arts Museum (78 Le Duan, Hai Chau) from May 30 afternoon to June 20, 2023.
Ever since ancient times, dolls have been an integral part of the daily life of Japanese people. Japanese dolls reflect Japanese cultural practices, aspirations and beliefs accumulated over centuries. Japanese dolls are divided into different types according to the skills and materials, as well as their themes and shapes. For Japanese people, a doll is not merely a decoration but also a confidant, expressing the feelings of its owner. Therefore, most traditional Japanese dolls carry a lot of expressive nuances and gestures, showing the skillfulness of the doll craftsmen.
The exhibition “Japanese dolls” consists of nearly 70 pieces of dolls, both traditional and modern, that were made in Japan, displayed in 2 sections: human-shaped dolls and wooden Kokeshi dolls.
In the first section of the exhibition, you will witness the gorgeous 32 dolls depicting a variety of characters, from children to grown-ups, in the setting of daily life to theater. All the dolls are sophisticatedly made by the skillful hands of many craftsmen over a few year’s time, with each craftsman taking part in a different stage of the process. Therefore, these dolls have high artistic values, and are often offered as gifts on special occasions.
In the second section of the exhibition, you will witness the unique wooden doll Kokeshi provided by Tsugaru Kokeshi Museum. Kokeshi originated from the Tohoku (Northeast) region of Japan in the 19th century and is usually sold as souvenirs for children at the hot spring towns in the region. Each town has its own Kokeshi type, characterized by its unique pattern and technique. 12 types of Kokeshi will be on display with detailed comparison and in various sizes, accompanied by modern Kokeshi works, whose 5 of them are inspired by Vietnamese culture.
Visitors attending the opening program of our exhibition “Japanese dolls” are also welcomed to experience the traditional clothes Yukata, the art of paper folding Origami, and bring home cute little paper dolls.
We hope that through experiencing this generous array of Japanese dolls, our visitors will be aware of the depth and diversity of Japanese culture, while also gaining insight into its creativity.
Exhibition Information
- Organized by: The Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam
- In cooperation with: Danang Fine Arts Museum
- Opening program: 16:00 – 19:00, 30th May, 2023 (Tuesday)
- Open Time: 31.05 – 20.06.2023 (no closed days), 08:00 – 17:00
- Venue: 1st Floor, Danang Fine Arts Museum (78 Lê Duẩn, Hải Châu, Đà Nẵng)
- Ticket: Free admission
According to https://dnfam.vn/
