There is a fundamental problem with the Tokyo National Museum (TNM), which I come up against time and time again. In a nutshell, the venue is too big for its exhibits and too small for its audience. This is underlined yet again by the latest exhibition "National Treasures of Japan."
Typically, special exhibitions at TNM feature several exhibits that, in addition to their aesthetic merits, are officially designated national treasures and are also items of religious or historical significance. This means they tend to receive plenty of TV and other media coverage, which boosts audience numbers. Also, the fact that the exhibits have more than mere aesthetic appeal gives visitors other reasons to come, adding to the numbers. This especially applies to anything related to Buddhism, a draw for older visitors.
The latest show held at the museum's Heiseikan building is exactly this kind of show, but more so, because all the items on display are official national treasures — the exhibition title is indeed meant to be taken literally.
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