Thematic Exhibition The World of Japanese Falconry

Falconry, a form of hunting using tamed falcons and other raptors to capture prey, was popular among emperors, aristocrats, and warriors in Japan from ancient times to the Edo period. The name—taka-gari or "falcon hunting" in Japanese—differs from other types of hunting in that the falcon is not the bird being hunted, but the one doing the hunting. In addition to the ritualistic aspect of falconry, such as making formal offerings to a superior or bestowing on a subject either the hunting falcon or the captured birds, the special techniques of raising effective hunting birds and obtaining control of territories appropriate for such hunting were also essential elements of the sport.
This exhibition explores the world of taka-gari by spotlighting the people and places that were central to the practice of falconry in Japan.