London Samurai Exhibition

PUBLISHED 15 NOV 2025

The British Museum’s Landmark 2026 Exhibition Unmasks a Millennium of Myth

In 2026, the British Museum will unveil one of its most ambitious explorations of Japanese history to date: a sweeping, myth-busting samurai exhibition running from 3 February to 4 May 2026 at its Great Russell Street location in London (WC1B 3DG). For practitioners and historians of ninjutsu—indeed for anyone fascinated by Japan’s warrior traditions—this exhibition promises to be a pivotal cultural moment.

Far from simply celebrating the samurai as armoured champions of battle, the exhibition peels back the layers of legend, nationalism, and global pop-culture reinvention that have shaped our modern perceptions of these iconic figures. What emerges is a more nuanced, deeply human story, one that resonates across centuries and cultures.

Much of what the world believes about the samurai—heroic, noble, death-defying warriors bound by an iron code—is the product of invented tradition. The exhibition brings us back to the roots of the bushi, the warrior class that arose in the 12th century and gradually consolidated political power. Through artefacts and narrative panels, visitors will trace the transformation of the samurai from battlefield tacticians to bureaucratic elites. By 1615, after the end of large-scale warfare, samurai men found themselves not in the chaos of combat but in the structured hierarchies of government, serving as ministers, administrators, and diplomats. Women of samurai lineage held their own status and responsibilities, representing an often-overlooked dimension of samurai culture.

This prolonged peace reshaped samurai identity, emphasising literary, artistic, and scholarly pursuits. Samurai became poets, painters, calligraphers, and patrons of the arts—custodians of culture as much as practitioners of martial skill.

By the late 19th century, the hereditary samurai class had been abolished, but their perceived values endured. The concept of bushidō as we know it emerged during Japan’s modernizing era, reshaped to promote nationalism, patriotism, and self-sacrifice. The exhibition examines how this reimagined samurai ethos travelled to the West and took root in global consciousness. From militaristic propaganda to Hollywood films, from experimental fashion to video games, the “samurai image” expanded far beyond historical reality.

This is where the exhibition becomes particularly compelling for students of ninjutsu and Japanese martial history: it encourages us to question the narratives we’ve inherited and distinguish genuine practice from modern reinterpretation.

Visitors can expect a diverse array of historical and contemporary objects. Highlights include the renowned suit of armour presented by Tokugawa Hidetada to King James VI and I, a beautifully crafted incense connoisseurship game that offers rare insight into elite samurai culture, and a Louis Vuitton outfit inspired by the visual language of Japanese armour. There are also nods to contemporary media such as Assassin’s Creed: Shadows, demonstrating how the samurai continues to captivate modern audiences.

As part of the exhibition, the British Museum is hosting a special online lecture: “The Real Samurai: Myth, Identity, and Global Legacy”. Curators Rosina Buckland and Joe Nickols will lead this Zoom event on 19 February 2026, from 17:30 to 18:30. They will discuss the exhibition’s themes, highlight objects, and explore how samurai identities have evolved over centuries—an especially valuable conversation for martial artists seeking historical context.

You can reserve your place at the lecture here:

https://britishmuseum-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_7qvxw9hcQVKQx8-XnMDORQ#/registration 

For practitioners of ninjutsu, this exhibition offers more than a look at Japan’s warrior elite. It provides a deeper understanding of the social, political, and cultural environment in which shinobi operated—an environment intertwined with the shifting roles and perceptions of the samurai. By examining both historical realities and the myths built upon them, we gain a clearer perspective on our own traditions.

The British Museum’s 2026 samurai exhibition is not simply a showcase of striking armour and legendary figures; it is an invitation to rethink how myths form, evolve, and endure. Whether you plan to attend in person or join the online lecture, this is an experience that promises to reshape how we understand Japan’s most enduring warriors.