Two armor exhibitions have just started close to each other in Chiba, Japan.
The first (and biggest one of the two) is in Ootaki castle (link to wikipedia) from October 26th till December 9th 2018. It focuses on the evolution of Kanto armor.
The second one is in Kururin, very close to Ootaki, has limited number of pieces but the environment is as it was about 300 years ago. (October 10th till December 2nd 2018)
Be sure to mark your calendars with the 3rd Japanese Legacy Symposium to be held in the beautiful Dutch city of Leiden from February 16-18, 2018. The conference has as its centrepiece the exhibition “The Masked Warrior” curated by Dr. Bas Verberk, featuring 130 pieces from private collections, including that of the Dutch Royal Family. Organized by the Japanese Armor Society, the curriculum will include guest speakers, social events and the opportunity to learn and engage with collectors, dealers, and experts from around the world.
We hope to see you in Leiden.
A new armour exhibition just started at the Yushukan (the Yasukuni Shrine Museum), and will run until December 10 2017. About 60 objects will be on display. At this moment, I’m not aware of the availability of a catalog. 
An excellent Armour exhibition has opened in Itabashi, near Tokyo. The exhibition runs from January 21 till March 26, 2017 and shows the collection of Sekiya Hiromichi, who donated his collection to the museum when he passed away a few years ago. His collection consist of 98 items, many of them on display. The collector was unknown to most people in the armour world, and collected pieces that are in reach for ‘average’ collectors. Every month a gallery talk is scheduled by a member of the Japanese Armour Society: January 28th, February 18th and March 11th, at 13:30 (about 40 minutes). A catalog is also available.
Website of the museum: link.
Some armours that will be on display: link
In 2014, a magnificent Japanese armour exhibition took place in “Le Château des Ducs de Bretagne” in Nantes. At the occasion of the exhibition, two catalogs were published. The fIrst one, “Samouraï – 1000 ans d’histoire du Japon” by Pierre-François Souyri is now already sold out. More unique however was the big collector’s edition, limited to 94. This edition included the original catalog (bound in the Japanese way), plus a special full color book with pictures of several of the armours and other items, and a limited edition, unique print of one of the 47 ronin, specially made for this occasion by Morii Kusuo. The book got the prestigious “le Prix du Livre d’Art 2015” at the “Nuit du Livre, Paris.”. I have been told by the curator of the exhibition that only a few copies are still available. These can be ordered via the website of the castle museum in Nantes.
Video of the normal catalog
Video of the special edition catalog
Some pictures of the exhibition in Nantes.
A new Armour exhibition is underway in the Iyeyasu and Mikawa Bushi Museum in Okazaki, Japan. The exhibition runs from May 20 till July 16, 2016. There will be no catalog.
More info can be found here (Japanese).
Pamphlet (click for larger pictures)
A unique exhibition in Hiroshima castle just opened it’s doors. It is to my knowledge the first time that an exhibition exclusively devoted to menpō and sōmen is held here in Japan. Some 60 pieces from top collections in Japan are on display. A catalog is also available.
Link in Japanese
Poster copyright Hiroshima Castle
A new armour exhibition started today at the Ōtaki Castle Museum in Chiba, Japan and runs till December 6th, 2015: 「甲冑とその時代～甲冑の様式を中心に～」- Evolution in the Style and Form of Japanese Armor.
You can find more information (Japanese only) on the website of the museum: link.
There will be an illustrated catalog (22 pages) and I’m very happy to have been involved in the photography of that catalog. 6 of my pictures also ended up in the flyer.
