Zodiac Animals
Open to the Public Friday, September 19, 2025 – Sunday, January 25, 2026
A wild menagerie of animals, both mythical and real, will soon make their temporary home in the Kohnken Gallery of the Morikami Museum and Japanese Garden. Visitors can take delight in the many whimsical designs and playful renditions of the 12 animals that make up the zodiac. Each animal will be represented through different materials and methods like origami, toys, prints, votives, statuary, carvings, and papier-mâché. Based on the annual Chinese calendar rather than a Western monthly one, the animal zodiac (jūnishi-十二支) is a cyclical event where a single animal imbued with specific traits and characteristics represents those born within that year. The zodiac animal is also assigned one of five elements as well (water, fire, earth, metal or water). That animal, along with all its symbolic imagery, returns every 12 years, but with the next element in line. Thus, it takes a total of 60 years to return to the original animal and element a person was born under, making their 60th birthday an auspicious one (kanreki-還暦). Tour the exhibit from September 19th to November 30th and see what the zodiac animals have to say about you.
Japanese Roof Tiles
Monday June 16, 2025 – Sunday, November 30, 2025
Visitors to the Yamato-kan have the opportunity to see and learn about Japanese roof tiles from the Morikami Museum Collection. Japanese roof tiles (kawara-瓦) originated in China, and their use in Japan can be traced back to the 7th century. Buddhist temples used these clay tiles exclusively until the Nara period (mid to late 8th century). Slowly, other buildings began to use kawara due to their fire-resistant nature and ability to keep out the rain and snow. During the Edo period (1603-1868), their popularity spread, leading to many creative designs and uses. To date, there are over 1,000 varieties of kawara in use. The tiles are made from clay using molds to form their shapes, and then left to dry. The clay is then polished to help bring out their unique shine and luster. After they are fired in a kiln, carbon particles attach themselves to the clay, giving them their characteristic smoky grey color. Japanese folklore and motifs abound in the designs of the pieces, each offering a wish for protection, good fortune, or to ward off demons and bad spirits.