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Samurai swords and Japanese art: Rugby fans in Oita can look forward to a unique cultural experience

Fans heading to Oita for the Rugby World Cup will have lots of interesting Japanese cultural activities to take part in away from the field. Top of the list should be a visit to OPAM, the Oita Prefectural Art Museum, where you can attend a unique exhibition on Samurai Swords as well as get a special look at some historical Japanese art.
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Starting on October 2nd, Oita – one of the three host locations in the southern main island of Kyushu – will host three Pool matches, namely between New Zealand and Canada, Australia and Uruguay and Wales and Fiji. Oita will then also host two quarter finals, on the weekend of the 19th October.

Fans in attendance can explore the city and surrounds but should definitely make a stop at OPAM, an interesting museum built in 2015 that will have a bespoke outside fan area, as well as two unique exhibitions that are sure to give you a fascinating insight into Japanese history and culture.

Symbolizing the spirit of the warrior, extremely valuable, masterpiece swords will be brought in from all over Japan, as this exhibition will give visitors a truly unique look at swords made with traditional Japanese techniques, as well as accessories like metal rings and other metalworks from the Meiji period.

OPAM metals

THE UKIYO-E ART

Focusing on the Utagawa School, this exhibition will display a variety of Ukiyo-e print work that shows the lifestyle of the Edo period.

The works vary from portraits of beautiful women, Ukie with Western perspective, and other interesting traits by Ukiyo-e masters.

With the hypothesis that Toyoharu Utagawa, the founder of Utagawa School, might be considered originally from Usuki, the exhibition introduces Toyoharu’s successors such as Toyokuni, Toyohiro, Hiroshige, and Kuniyoshi, as well as the competitive Hokusai.

OPAM art

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The museum is located a few minutes from the city centre and is easily accessible on foot from the main train station.

You can find out more information at opam.jp

All image credits, left to right:

1. GOTO Ichijo
Sheath of Kiku Karakusa Sword/The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto/Photo: Kimura Yoichi
2. UTAGAWA Kuniyoshi
Play in First Snow/Kitakyushu Municipal Museum of Art
3. UTAGAWA Kuniyoshi
Tametomo Rescued by Tengus Sent by Sanuki-no-in/Hagi Uragami Museum
4. UTAGAWA Kuniyoshi
The Haunted old Palace at Soma / Hagi Urgami Museum
5. SADATOSHI (National Treasure)
Sword/Tokyo National Museum/Image: TMN Image Archives
6. UTAGAWA Hiroshige
One Hundred Famous Views of Edo: Plum Park in Kameido/Shimane Art Museum
7. UTAGAWA Hiroshige
One Hundred Famous Views of Edo: Boats, Towed on the Canal along Yotsugi Road/Kitakushu Municipal Museum of Art

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JW 52 minutes ago
The All Blacks need Rennie, but they also need the public

Sounds like a phrase learnt from experience in South Africa?

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JW 53 minutes ago
The All Blacks need Rennie, but they also need the public

Yup, why don’t aussies have their favourite kiwi team?

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JW 54 minutes ago
The All Blacks need Rennie, but they also need the public

Yep, I don’t know how the guy can think staying on was a good idea for the country and their team. Even applying in the first place tells you something was wrong with him.

I don’t want to hear about the word care like we constantly did from the last regime though, like that shouldn’t be something that’s needed to be drilled into them. I hope Rennie gets rid of the players that don’t have the same emotions as he and Barnes do.



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JW 57 minutes ago
The All Blacks need Rennie, but they also need the public

Yup started with the lop sided SR back when SA and new teams were part of it. Like fn get over yourselves people, its a fn continental competition, its impossible to fair and competitive. Hard enough in a domestic league like NRL.

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The All Blacks need Rennie, but they also need the public

The worst NZ league fans are the ones who hate the Warriors and support another team instead. And the ones who watch State of Origin but don’t watch and support either the Warriors or the Kiwis or both.

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BH 3 hours ago
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BH 3 hours ago
The All Blacks need Rennie, but they also need the public

Hahaha you sound so sensitive. And you’re too lazy to debate any of my points with any intelligence or rationale. Stay drunk on the haterade.

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BH 3 hours ago
The All Blacks need Rennie, but they also need the public

You’re South African and you guys don’t play league because it’s just not a thing. So we don’t expect you to know. And your opinion doesn’t matter on this particular subject.

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SS 3 hours ago
The All Blacks need Rennie, but they also need the public

We build huts on the rim of the volcano and hope it doesn’t blow

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Jordon 3 hours ago
The All Blacks need Rennie, but they also need the public

As a bok fan its hard to understand. Part of the reason the ABs have been so great over time is because that is the expectation of the nz public, to be great. The NZ public has a relationship with the ABs that few if any national populations have with an elite team anywhere in the world. It is the strong link, not the weak one. And it’s why we still have a winning record over you despite SAs obvious advantages. We will always produce the players capable of being the best team in the world at any moment.

High performance starts at the top. The nz rugby public has been let down by inept leadership and decisions that resulted in us burning our best coaches and sending them overseas disgusted at how they were treated by NZR. There is good reason that for years NZR has been referred to as the politburo. Dave rennie should have got the job in 2019, JJ and TB should have got the job in 2023. Our optimism now is because the top brass looks a lot different than it has for a long time



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Jordon 4 hours ago
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I’m talking about guys I knew at school and in my 20s who had probably never even been to aus

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