Kimono exhibition at the Musée du Quai Branly: a reflection of cultural cooperation between France and Japan
On the occasion of the Kimono exhibition at the Musée du Quai Branly in Paris, which ran from November 2022 to May 2023, the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs met with Julien Rousseau, curator and head of the museum’s Asia collections.
Japan, a strategic partner in Asia, has an exceptional cultural heritage. The kimono appeared more than one thousand years ago, and is an emblematic and characteristic item of clothing in Japanese identity. In the 1850s, when Japan opened up to external trade, the kimono was exported to the West.
In 2018, the Franco-Japanese diplomatic relationship celebrated its 160th anniversary. Furthering this diplomatic relationship, the Kimono exhibition reflects the promotion of Japanese cultural heritage in France and French cultural diplomacy.
Video interview with Julien Rousseau
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