Overview
- Running 3 February to 4 May 2026 at the Sainsbury Exhibitions Gallery in London, the exhibition is now open to the public.
- Roughly 280 objects are arranged across three chronological sections titled warfare (c. 800–1600), peace (c. 1600–1850s) and myth (from 1876).
- Curators foreground roles beyond combat, showing samurai as administrators and patrons of the arts and noting that women made up half of the samurai class in the long peace.
- Many pieces are on public view for the first time, including a newly acquired suit of samurai armour from the British Museum’s collection.
- Popular culture is a key thread, with interactive displays and high-profile loans such as a full-size Darth Vader, and the show is accompanied by a new book and a 16 February public talk at the University of York.