New ROM exhibition explores how sense of touch is inherent in Japanese art

Manjū netsuke, Edo period, 19th century, carved red lacquer, diam. 4.3 cm; depth 2cm.

To truly appreciate Japanese art, one must feel it.

April 4 – September 7, 2026
Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), Toronto

This groundbreaking ROM-original exhibition explores the profound connection between Japanese objects and the human sense of touch, known as shokkan—a vital element in the creation, appreciation, and circulation of Japanese art. Transcending the tactile sensations felt at the fingertips, shokkan is the personal, psychological impression of touch that is influenced by sight, sound, language, and memory.

This first-of-its-kind exhibition showcases over 80 objects, including textiles, armour, paintings, lacquer works, ceramics, prints, and contemporary art, many of which were made as integral parts of everyday life rather than solely for display.

Five interactive stations throughout the gallery allow visitors to engage their senses through touching a range of different pieces—including the finely woven silk fabrics of a kimono, the wrapped layers of a samurai sword handle, the intricate details of a small carved netsuke sculpture, or the grainy surface of Shigaraki pottery.

Exhibition highlights include a 400-year-old golden painted folding screen juxtaposed with a contemporary screen painting, as well as a delicately crafted tea bowl by 17th-century master potter Nonomura Ninsei, contrasted with the bold texture of a 20th-century vessel made by Ōmine Jissei.

By interacting with Japanese art in a way that simply viewing objects cannot replicate, Shokkan gets to the heart of how such works are meant to be appreciated—and why the country’s artistic output has enticed art lovers and collectors for generations.

Sake Bottle, Ko-Kiyomizu ware, Edo period, late 17th to mid-18th century, glazed stoneware with overglaze enamels, 16.6 x 11.7 cm.

About Royal Ontario Museum

Opened in 1914, ROM (Royal Ontario Museum) showcases art, culture, and nature from around the world and across time. Today, ROM houses more than 18 million objects, from Egyptian mummies to contemporary sculpture, from meteorites to dinosaurs. ROM is the most visited museum in Canada and one of the top ten museums in North America. It is also the country’s preeminent field research institute, with a diverse range of experts who help us understand the past, make sense of the present, and shape a shared future.

ROM acknowledges that this museum sits on what has been the ancestral lands of the Wendat, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, and the Anishinabek Nation, including the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, since time immemorial to today.

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