Exhibition on Lithuanian history planned in Japan next year

VILNIUS – The Lithuanian National Museum plans to open an exhibition on Lithuanian history in the Japanese city of Nagoya in the fall of 2026.

The Lithuanian museum said Monday it had signed a memorandum of understanding to hold a major exhibition on Lithuanian culture and history in Japan. 

Titled "Lithuania – Songs Echo in the Baltic Forests," the exhibition in the Special Exhibitions Hall of the Nagoya City Museum will run from September 5 to November 1, 2026.

"At the heart of the exhibition are the images of the forest and song – deeply rooted in Lithuanian culture and transformed into symbols of resistance and freedom, from the armed partisan struggle against Soviet occupation in the forests to the Singing Revolution and the Baltic Way," the museum said in a press release. 

"Visitors will discover the key turning points in Lithuanian history and explore how the bond between nature and people, along with traditions of song and dance, has shaped national identity and the pursuit of independence," it said.

It will be the first exhibition of this scale in Japan to present Lithuania through two of its key cultural symbols – forest and song.

Nagoya Mayor Ichiro Hirosawa said that Lithuania is still relatively unknown to many Japanese people and that the two countries have different historical backgrounds and experiences.

The exhibition will feature archaeological artifacts, wooden household items and examples of folk woodcarving that reflect traditional life close to nature.

"Another highlight of the exhibition is Lithuania's vibrant singing culture. Visitors will learn about the Song Festival, a UNESCO-listed element of intangible cultural heritage that played a vital role in the country's struggle for freedom and continues to bring thousands together today," the museum said.

"Colorful national costumes, musical instruments, and archival recordings will illustrate how collective singing fosters community spirit and has historically held special meaning in the pursuit of independence," it said.

"The exhibition will also present the major historical milestones in Lithuania's journey toward freedom – episodes of both armed resistance and diplomacy that reflect the country's place between the spheres of influence of East and West. A special focus will be given to the work of Chiune Sugihara in Kaunas."

Sugihara was a Japanese diplomat who served as vice consul in Kaunas in 1939–1940. Risking his career and his life, he issued transit visas to Jewish people, helping them escape Nazi persecution.

This historical narrative will be complemented by a look at modern Lithuania – its high-tech sector, renewable energy, and achievements in sports and other areas that reflect the country's openness to the world and its ability to preserve its unique cultural heritage.