SAMURAI Exhibition at the British Museum
Chargé d’ Affaires ad interim Masaki Ikegami attended to the opening ceremony of the British Museum’s new major exhibition: ‘SAMURAI’ on 29th January.
The exhibition explores the evolution of the legendary Japanese warriors from the 12th century, discussing how they moved away from the battlefield to become an elite social class and how they have influenced pop culture not only in Japan, but also in Europe through film, anime, manga, video games and more.
SAMURAI – The Exhibition
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SAMURAI exhibition opened on the 3rd February at the British Museum and there are over 280 artefacts on display, including full Samurai armours, intricate helmets, swords and archery equipment, kimonos and other items, including erotic books, porcelain dishes and vases.
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The exhibition also showcases how Samurai appears in pop culture today. There is a life-size Darth Vader suit borrowed from the Lucas Museum of Narrative in LA, floor-to-ceiling videos of silhouetted soldiers in battle and a large display of Samurai video games, including the widely popular Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
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Kylo Ren’s (played by Adam Driver) iconic helmet in Star Wars sequel trilogy is also on display. Director J.J. Abrams wanted to give Ren’s costume visual resonances of Darth Vader. The helmet was designed with jagged red lines evoking the traditional repair technique of ‘kintsugi’.
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What is kintsugi?
Rather than hiding the damage, this technique highlights the fractures on the broken item, embracing its imperfections as parts of the object’s beauty, giving the object a whole new life.
About Samurai
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How do you imagine a Samurai? A fierce male warrior wearing armour, wielding a sword and motivated by unshakable loyalty and devotion to their lord?
Samurai – as we imagine them today – have been heavily shaped by films, anime, manga and video games.
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In reality, Samurai were not just warriors, they were also artists skilled in calligraphy, painting and literature. During peacetime when they didn’t have to fight on battlefield, many of the Samurai held important roles within the government or even acquired political powers.
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The exhibition is featuring a traditional business suit Samurai would wear in peace time.
Many Samurai monetised their hobbies and was selling their artworks for living.
Where does the Word ‘Samurai’ Come From?
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The word, ‘Samurai’ comes from the Japanese verb saburau meaning ‘to serve’.
Historically, terms musha, bushi and mononofu were used to describe the members of the warrior ruling class, but ‘Samurai’ is more commonly used in the Western countries.
Were There Female Samurai?
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Yes! The Samurai class included lot of female warriors who also held great power. One of them was Hōjō Masako (1157 – 1225), who married the first shogun, Minamoto Yoritomo (1147 – 1199) and acted as regent multiple times.
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An original painting of Minamoto Yoritomo is also part of the exhibition. The painting is featuring the shogun in a sitting position, wearing black robe and a high bun hairstyle. The painting was created by Fujiwara no Takanobu in the 12th or 13th century.
Women also had the important role of raising children and running the household, and sometimes they even commanded battalions at important battles.
What Training Did Samurai Do?
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Samurai had to be able to use various weapons. The level of training depended on the rank and location, but archery was an essential skill. They also needed to be highly trained in martial art.
Samurai were expected to learn painting, calligraphy and flower arranging and needed to be well versed in poetry. As alliances were essential for a Samurai, these skills were cultural codes and how they mastered them sometimes was a matter of life or death.
Do Samurai Exist Today?
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No. Following the collapse of the Tokugawa shogunate, Samurai status was abolished in 1869 and since then there have been no Samurai.
However, Samurai still live with us in popular culture, anime and as heroes in films and as video game characters.
Words associated with Samurai society still exist and widely used in Japan today. For example, an unemployed businessman is called rōnin (rōnin was used to describe unemployed Samurai or Samurai without a master).
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SAMURAI exhibition gives a rare insight into the lives of the mysterious Japanese warriors. The exhibition features lots of full Samurai armours, hand-written rolls, swords once belonged to real Samurai and tells the story of the shogunate, how the children of Samurai were trained from a very young age and what led to the complete abolishment of the Samurai class in the 19th century.
If you’re interested in Japanese history and culture or simply love anime and manga and want to learn more about what inspired your favourite series, make sure you don’t miss this truly amazing exhibition at the British Museum.
Shop
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Your exhibition journey ends at the shop where you’ll find a huge range of beautiful gifts and snacks.
Make sure you take a look around because the shop arrangements and decorations are very photogenic, really giving the vibe.
There are books, handmade origami Samurai postcards, Japanese sweet treats, tableware, jewellery, premium Japanese green tea and more!
Practical Info
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Address
British Museum | Great Russell St, London WC1B 3DG
(The exhibition is on the ground level at The Sainsbury Exhibitions Gallery, Room 30. Click here for a map to find Room 30)
Opening Times
3rd February – 4th May 2026
Open daily from 10am – 5pm (Fridays 8:30pm)
Tickets
Book your ticket on British Museum’s official website
Standard adult ticket: £25
Adult ticket + donation: £28
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