海を越えたふすま絵、東京で150年ぶりの再会

Welcome to Japanese Daily News. I'm Maya. Today is August thirteenth. Today's story is about three old Japanese paintings that were separated about one hundred fifty years ago — one stayed in Japan, and two crossed the ocean. Now they are together again in Tokyo. Let's listen.

Now let's break it down, sentence by sentence.

At an art museum in Tokyo, old Japanese sliding-door paintings kept in Japan, Britain, and America were placed side by side for the first time in about one hundred fifty years.

It means art museum — a place where you can see paintings and other works of art.

Long ago, the paintings were at a shrine in Nara Prefecture. But about one hundred fifty years ago, in the Meiji era, they were scattered.

It means long ago, or the old days.

One of them was carefully protected for more than one hundred years by an old family in Nakadomari Town, Aomori Prefecture. It is a painting of spring flowers and birds.

It means to protect, or to keep something safe.

The other two paintings crossed the sea — one went to the British Museum in the United Kingdom, and one to the Seattle Art Museum in the United States.

It means to cross the sea — to go over the ocean to another country.

Through research in twenty twenty-four, experts found out that these three paintings were originally part of the same set.

It means survey or investigation — studying something carefully to learn the facts.

Let's listen to the whole story one more time.

Time for a short quiz. Listen and try to answer.

They were at a shrine in Nara Prefecture.

For more than one hundred years.

At the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum in Ueno, Tokyo. The exhibition runs until October eighteenth.

That's all for today. Three paintings that were separated for one hundred fifty years are finally side by side again in Tokyo. If you are in Japan this autumn, you can go and see this once-in-a-lifetime reunion. See you tomorrow!