2025
Announcing the Upcoming Marubeni Gallery Exhibition “Splendor and Sophistication: Kimono Masterpieces with Yuzen Dyeing in the Marubeni Collection”, Jointly Organized by Marubeni Corporation and Hokuhoku Financial Group, Inc. to Support the Noto Peninsula Earthquake Recovery Efforts
Jul. 07, 2025
Marubeni Corporation

Marubeni is pleased to announce that the upcoming Marubeni Gallery exhibition, Splendor and Sophistication: Kimono Masterpieces with Yuzen Dyeing in the Marubeni Collection, will be held from August 5 to September 25, 2025. This exhibition will be co-hosted by Hokuhoku Financial Group, Inc. (“Hokuhoku FG”).

Exhibition Background
Marubeni and Hokuhoku FG have been jointly sending volunteers to assist in recovery and reconstruction efforts following the January 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake in the Hokuriku region of Japan. To further support these efforts, the two companies will co-host this exhibition at the Marubeni Gallery (operated by Marubeni) as well as an exhibition at the Galerie Millet (operated by Hokuriku Bank in the Hokuhoku FG; located in Toyama City, Toyama Prefecture), entitled “Weaving Culture for the Noto Reconstruction Support Efforts—A Message from Hokuriku.” All proceeds from both exhibitions’ admission fees will be donated to recovery and reconstruction efforts.
Exhibition Overview
Yuzen dyeing is a technique that first emerged in the late 17th century during Japan’s Edo period (1603–1868). Compared to previous dyeing techniques, which mainly involved shibori dyeing (tie-dyeing), yuzen dyeing enabled much more colorful and delicate expressions, enriching the styles of kimono typically worn by urban women. Though the popularity of yuzen dyeing reached its peak in the 18th century, the technique continued to evolve throughout the 19th and 20th centuries through the incorporation of new colors and techniques using synthetic dyes. Originally, yuzen dyeing techniques primarily developed in Kyoto, eventually spreading to Kanazawa in Hokuriku. There, artisans created unique yuzen-dyed hanging scrolls, with the craftsmanship used to create these works considered to be the pinnacle of yuzen dyeing. In the Meiji period (1868–1912), the technique used for these yuzen-dyed kakefuku (hanging scrolls) came to be known as “Kaga Yuzen,” and the scrolls became widely recognized as a traditional craft of the Hokuriku region that remains famous today. This exhibition features a selection of yuzen-dyed masterpieces primarily drawn from the Marubeni Collection, including kimonos and yuzen-dyed kakefuku from the Edo period, as well as several pieces created by yuzen artisans in the 20th century. Through this exhibition, visitors will trace the evolving splendor and sophistication of yuzen dyeing techniques and patterns, appreciating their beauty across the centuries.
Exhibition Details:
Dates: | Tuesday, August 5 to Thursday, September 25, 2025 Part I: Tuesday, August 5 to Wednesday, August 27, 2025 / Part II: Monday, September 1 to Thursday, September 25, 2025 |
Hours: | 10 am to 5 pm (Last admission: 4:30 pm) |
Closed: | Sundays and public holidays Exhibition rotation days: August 28, 29, and 30 |
Admission: | General admission: 500 yen Note 1: The Marubeni Gallery is only able to accept cashless payments (such as transportation IC cards, credit cards, and QR code payments). Note 2: Admission is free for the following groups. ・ Persons with a Galerie Millet ticket stub (during this exhibition period only) ・Other persons as specified in the Marubeni Gallery User Guide. |
Organizer: | Marubeni Gallery |
Co-organizer: | Hokuhoku Financial Group, Inc. |
Concurrent Exhibition: Hokuriku no Honki—The Photography of Inagaki Yasuto
A concurrent exhibition, Hokuriku no Honki—The Photography of Inagaki Yasuto, will also be held from August 5 to September 25 in the Entrance Hall on the first floor of the Marubeni Building. Photographer Inagaki Yasuto, who lives in the Toyama area of the Hokuriku region, has been coordinating with Hokuriku Bank to capture scenic photographs that convey the many wonderful aspects the region has to offer under the project title “Hokuriku no Honki” (roughly, “The Spirit of Hokuriku”). The concurrent exhibition features a selection of photographs from the project, offering a lively, colorful depiction of the region’s unique and beloved features, including its natural landscapes, cultural heritage, and communities.

Concurrent Exhibition Details:
Dates: | Tuesday, August 5 to Thursday, September 25, 2025 |
Venue: | Marubeni Building Entrance Hall (1F) |
Hours: | 10 am to 5 pm |
Closed: | Sundays and public holidays |
Admission: | Free |
Organizer: | Marubeni Gallery |
Co-organizers: | Marubeni Corporation; Hokuhoku Financial Group, Inc. |
About the Marubeni Gallery:
Designed under the concept of “a space where the aesthetics of the East and West in ancient and modern times resonate with each other,” the Marubeni Gallery is a facility where Marubeni’s art collection is on display to the public. Marubeni’s art collection consists of the three main categories: textiles (such as kimono, Noh robes, and fabric fragments), textile designs, and paintings. Since its founding in 1858, Marubeni has pursued the aesthetic beauty of Japan through its textile business. This resulted in the collection and preservation of ancient textile products (such as kimono, obi, and silk gift-wrapping cloth) and designs primarily from the 17th to mid-19th centuries—the first and second pillars of the collection. Gaining contacts in the art world through this pursuit of textile designs, Marubeni also acquired modern Japanese paintings through art dealers or from the artists themselves. Later, in the 1960s and 70s, Marubeni expanded into the international art business, acquiring Western paintings as well. Together, these Japanese and Western paintings form the third pillar of the collection. Since its opening in 2021, the Marubeni Gallery has featured rotating exhibitions on a variety of themes to share this collection and other works of historical and cultural value with the public.
Official Website: https://www.marubeni.com/gallery/en/
Official Instagram: https://instagram.com/marubeni_gallery_official
Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marubeni.jp/
Future Exhibit (Tentative Title/Details):
- Exploring Fashion through Early Photographs: The Evolution of Women’s Kimono in the Late Edo and Meiji Periods (1853–1912)
(December 2, 2025 to January 1, 2026)
Related Release:
Announcing the Marubeni Gallery and Galerie Millet Joint Noto Recovery and Reconstruction
Support Exhibitions (December 16, 2024)
https://www.marubeni.com/en/news/2024/info/00058.html