Celebrating the culture of Japan

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (Mass Appeal) - Japan has an elaborate history of both arts and armor, and one of the Springfield Museums has a continuing display we got a chance to check out!

George Walter Smith Museum host a large history of Japanese art as well as Japanese art and armor. Exhibit is permanent fixture at Springfield Museums which features six complete suits of samurai armor.

The collections features a number of what we call samurai swords and samurai suits of armor. Samurai were people who were hired to protect a lord and to protect land. They had very strict code of conduct. Strict code of armor. Honor was extraordinarily honored. It was passed on from generation to generation. Some generations added to the earlier armor. Some of our suits of armor run a hundred years.

This amazing shrine is one of the true treasures of the museum. It was carved over 15 years by a father and son to honor the spirit that is contained in everything.

If you go and look at it, you will see, shi-shi dogs or if you lion dog, those are symbols of loyalty. Then decorated profusely with crystal balls, pieces of coral, all to really reflect light off of it. The dragon on the top which is certainly a symbol that is used quite profusely in Japanese art.

Included in the collection are pretty famous artistic pieces. Including this ornate piece.

It represents the buddha surrounded by 500 of his followers. So that piece is actually probably of many of our pieces in the museum request the most and destination piece as well-known throughout the world.

One amazing Japanese print is enlarged specifically for the exhibit and hard to ignore. That is called the great wave. It is by a Japanese artist, a print making artist by the name of Kokasi. In the image you see the image of Mt. Fuji. Boaters who are in the water and they are facing this chaotic scene with the waves in the water coming over them. It is really talking about adversity in life and the challenges that one faces. Through this very dramatic print.

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