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4 February 2026Bushidō: More than the sword
S amurai, a major new exhibition at London’s British Museum, will trace the evolution of the Japanese warrior class over the past 1,000 years and explore how their image and myth was created.
Comprising around 280 objects and digital media from the museum’s own collection and from 29 national and international lenders, the exhibition delves into the many identities of the samurai over the centuries.
Engaged in long-running warfare from the 1100s, by the 17th century the samurai were also active as government officials, scholars and patrons of the arts, with women making up half of the samurai class. By the late 19th century, while their hereditary status had been abolished, the myth of bushidō – promoting patriotism and self-sacrifice – helped create a globally recognised image that endures to this day.
Dr Nicholas Cullinan OBE, director of the British Museum, said: “The samurai have long captured the imagination of people around the world, yet much of what we think we know about them is shaped by myth and legend.
“This exhibition allows visitors to explore the real lives of these remarkable men and women, from the battlefields of medieval Japan to the cultural icons of today, and to see how their story has been continually reinterpreted over a thousand years.”
Highlights of the show include an ornate suit of armour, newly acquired by the museum, and a bright red woman's firefighting jacket and hood, worn by the team working at Edo Castle (in present-day Tokyo), and featuring tasselled grappling hooks and water motifs to emphasise its wearer’s role.
Also on display will be paintings, woodblock prints, books, ceramics, photographs, and examples of film, television, manga, video games and contemporary art, including newly commissioned works by Japanese artist Noguchi Tetsuya.
Dr Rosina Buckland, Asahi Shimbun curator: Japanese Collections at the British Museum, said: “[The exhibition] will introduce visitors to Japan's rich cultural history by exploring the samurai's multiple roles and the ways they represented themselves and have been shown by others. Due to the light-sensitive nature of Japanese art, this is a rare opportunity to see beautiful works from the Museum's collection, as well as many works on loan never displayed before in the UK.”
Samurai is at the British Museum, London, from 3 February to 4 May.