Romanian Pavilion donates traditional folk costume pieces to Japan’s National Museum of Ethnology in Osaka

The Romanian Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, represented by Commissioner General Ferdinand Nagy, made a special donation on Tuesday, October 7, to Japan’s National Museum of Ethnology (Minpaku) in Osaka, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced. The gift includes authentic pieces of traditional Romanian folk costume.

The donation consists of an embroidered bead-adorned blouse, a hand-crafted sheepskin vest, and a pair of traditional leather shoes known as opinci, all originating from the Bistrița region. The items were created by artisan Leon Burbulea, a master craftsman dedicated to preserving Romania’s rural traditions.

“These objects, created with great care and respect for nature, complement the existing collection of Romanian exhibits in Minpaku’s holdings and offer the Japanese public a vivid glimpse into the craftsmanship of artisans from Romania’s villages,” reads the ministry’s press release.

The Romanian delegation also presented an art book by textile researcher and expert Florica Zaharia, which explores the subtle connections between the Romanian folk costume and the Japanese kimono - “two cultural expressions rooted in harmony with nature, refined craftsmanship, and aesthetic precision.”

Founded in 1974 and opened to the public in 1977, the National Museum of Ethnology in Osaka is Japan’s largest institution of its kind. Designed by renowned architect Kisho Kurokawa, it promotes anthropological and ethnological research while fostering understanding of global cultural diversity through exhibitions and educational programs.

Minpaku houses a permanent section dedicated to Romania, established through the work of professor Shinmen Mitsuhiro, a leading Japanese ethnologist who has long studied Romanian rural civilization. The collection features wooden crosses from Săpânța, painted glass icons, folk costumes, traditional masks, farming tools, and church-painting instruments - artifacts “reflecting the depth and spirituality of Romania’s rural heritage.”

Representatives of the Romanian Pavilion praised the museum’s approach, which presents traditional costume not only as clothing but as an expression of a lifestyle connected to nature, organic materials, and seasonal cycles.

“We deeply appreciate this curatorial vision that emphasizes harmony between people and their environment. It is a message that lies at the heart of Romania’s Pavilion at Expo 2025 - Romania, Land of Tomorrow - where tradition, innovation, and sustainability coexist within the same value horizon,” said Ferdinand Nagy, Commissioner General of the Romanian Pavilion.