Samurai.
2026 Blockbuster British Museum exhibition – Review.
I can’t even begin to imagine how much work went into bringing this monumental event together. I’d had my tickets for a little while, realising that this was something not to be missed, and I wasn’t disappointed.
To create the context; it is clear to me that museums across the world are almost in an arms race to outdo each other in terms of ‘spectacle’. Add to that the developing technology that nudges everything towards the immersive, and you have a recipe for satisfying the public’s curiosity on very targeted subjects.
I am not saying that this was the realm of Edutainment, as the British Museum has always prided itself on taking the high road in terms of intellectual engagement; no dumbing-down at the BM. I never felt as if the exhibition curators were talking down to me.
(I also went to the British Museum’s ‘Manga’ exhibition in 2019, which very much set the tone for this new extravaganza).
The overall design.
The designers have to take huge credit for creating this event. In fact the whole creative team must have worked their asses off for months if not years to bring the vision together. The input of the curators (and collectors) was amazing; being able to pull every available string to bring together the huge range of exhibits and artefacts; all of which seemed to chime perfectly with their vision.
The layout.
Make no mistake, right from the off, this was a timeline. But, bear in mind that the subject was not just about the bloodthirsty military elite; the scope was bigger than that, it was really about ‘Samurai Culture’ across history and spanning the Japanese social and class system as it evolved over time.
As you went from area to area it was the timeline that kept you anchored, because it was difficult to fully appreciate the actual size of the space dedicated to the exhibition. Room after room unfolded.
The designers went for large-scale projections and soundscapes; shadowy samurai fought continual battles on loops, and the streets of Edo were presented through sound.
The content.
Without a doubt it was the armour that supplied the spectacle, and in amongst that it was easy to lose the beauty and the detail of the prints, screens and fabrics. You needed to take your time and really read the captions to get the best out of the exhibition.
Swords are always popular; superb precision-made and all looking as if they were fresh out of the forge. The day I was there it was difficult to get close to them for a detailed examination because it was always the guys who seemed drawn towards them (I wonder why?)
But, in the same day, after I had wandered away from the exhibition, I found myself visiting an old favourite in the BM, the 7th century Sutton Hoo Saxon hoard of King Rædwald, with its magnificent helmet. And there was the remains of a sword, a rusted lump; but scans revealed a complex forging method, not dissimilar to the Japanese method.
While I was there, one of the museum’s resident experts seemed to be giving a guided tour to a couple of elderly ladies. I eaves-dropped on her narrative. At one point she was quite adamant in her opinions as to the role of women in samurai culture; they were not there to act as either, decorative assets, hostages, or shamisen players with blackened teeth1; they were also known as fighters and iconic warriors.
Female samurai.
The rounding-off of the exhibition.
The reviews said that the exhibition ends with Darth Vader – not true.
Yes, he does feature, but the real conclusion is the flashy presentation on multiple screens and projections of what is sometimes referred to as ‘Techno-Orientalism’ or ‘Japanese Cyber Punk’ all linked directly to the Samurai influence.
Lo and behold Mishima Yukio and his samurai male eroticism also featured! I feel somewhat vindicated in the suggestions I made in my Mishima pieces; https://budojourneyman.substack.com/p/mishima-part-1 that his reputation might start to rise again as he becomes a poster-boy for the latest brand of right wing popularism. The grotesquery will be conveniently forgotten, and his light will shine forth… blah, blah.2
Mishima had to feature.
Rounding off: You don’t have to be a Samurai Fanboy to enjoy this exhibition. For anyone who has an interest in culture, aesthetics and the rich tapestry of human society, this is for you. And it is on until May 4th (National Star Wars Day) 2026.
Speaking of Fanboys and Cosplay, here, featuring in the exhibition, is a 19th C Italian aristo, with all the gear and (probably) no idea.
Women of that era blackened their teeth as a sign of maturity and marriage, it symbolised status and deliberately contrasted with whitened skin. Also, they believed it protected the teeth from decay.
I notice that my Mishima pieces have got an ‘age verification’ requirement on them now. Not put there by me. I think I can guess why.
Well you sold that to me looks excellent 👍