On Tuesday, November 14, 2023, an opening ceremony for an exhibition of Japanese dolls titled “NINGYO: the art and beauty of Japanese dolls” was held at the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is a traveling exhibition organized by the Japan Foundation, with co-hosting by the Embassy of Japan in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In the ceremony, Mr. Mirsad Sijarić, Director of the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, expressed his satisfaction with the National Museum’s opportunity to host another Japanese exhibition, and stated that this exhibition would greatly attract people in Bosnia and Herzegovina because most of them have never had the opportunity to get a close look at Japanese dolls before.
H.E. Masami Kinefuchi, Ambassador of Japan to Bosnia and Herzegovina referred to the previous cooperation with the National Museum of BiH, namely, the installation of the Peace Stone from Hiroshima in the Department of Natural Sciences of the Museum in 2017, and the exhibition of Japanese ceramics “Yakishima” in 2019. He also expressed his strong expectation that visitors will greatly enjoy this exhibition and try to find the similarities and differences between Japanese dolls and Bosnian ones.
At the end of his opening remarks, Ambassador Kinefuchi made a major announcement, that is appealing not only for the Museum but also for the whole of Bosnia and Herzegovina, saying that the Government of Japan has approved the grant for the Project for the Improvement of Digital Archive Environment at the National Museum. The signing of the grant contract and the project launch are scheduled for early next year.
This exhibition is a quite unique opportunity for people in Bosnia and Herzegovina to be able to experience a part of Japanese culture that has been nurtured over the years. You can enjoy the exhibition from Tuesday to Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and on weekends from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. until December 10, 2023.
