Diplomatic and royal gifts from Japan
In collaboration with Japan House London
Map & directions
By train
London Victoria. Visit National Rail Enquiries for times and fares.
By underground
Victoria, Green Park, St. James's Park and Hyde Park Corner. For further information visit the Transport for London website.
By coach / bus
Bus numbers 11, 211, C1 and C10 stop on Buckingham Palace Road. Victoria Coach Station is a 10-minute walk from the Palace. For further information visit the Transport for London website.
In this lunchtime lecture, Gregory Irvine looks at gifts exchanged between Japan and Britain from the early seventeenth century, with a particular focus on the nineteenth century.
This was a time when western powers made inroads into Japan and centuries of samurai rule came to an end – but not lightly. While discussing some of the gifts that formed diplomatic exchanges there will be tales of bloody samurai attacks on diplomats - as well as pondering on the fate of an unopened bottle of sake…
Gregory Irvine was formerly Senior Curator, Japan at the Victoria and Albert Museum, and on retiring now holds the position of Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the V&A.
This lecture is one of a series on "Collecting" held in collaboration with Japan House London.
