Voting for the "Zodiac Collection Award 2026 Horse" will begin at 3:00 PM on Wednesday, December 10th on the museum information site "IM [Internet Museum]" (hereinafter "IM") operated by Tanseisha.
[Zodiac Collection Award URL] https://www.museum.or.jp/eto-colle/
The Zodiac Collection Award is a project to discover the appeal of the zodiac-related collections held by museums and make them widely available.
This year's contest will feature the horse, the zodiac sign for 2026. Museums, science museums, and other institutions from across the country have submitted a wide variety of horse collections across genres, including art pieces, archaeological materials, and folklore artifacts.
We will promote the appeal of this diverse collection and have you vote to determine the most popular. Voting will close at 3:00 PM on Friday, January 23, 2026.
Please read the explanations of the entries and comments from the curators in charge, get a sense of the museum's passion for its collection, and vote for your favorite "horse." We look forward to your participation in livening up museums across the country.
*For voting methods, please check the Zodiac Collection Awards webpage (https://www.museum.or.jp/eto-colle/).
Last year's results
Last year's "Zodiac Collection Award 2025 Snake" received 57 entries from museums across Japan, and out of a total of 16,964 votes, the Fukuoka City Museum's National Treasure "Gold Seal 'King of Wa'" won the Grand Prix with 2,818 votes.
Comments from the Grand Prix winner, Fukuoka City Museum, are featured on the results page.
"Zodiac Collection Award 2025 Snake" results page (within "IM")
Comment from Mikio Furukawa, Editor-in-Chief of IM [Internet Museum]
A journey of intellectual curiosity that begins with a single horse.
This year, we will be holding the "Zodiac Collection Awards," which will showcase collections filled with the individuality and passion of museums across the country.
The year of the horse, 2026, is of course the year of the horse. Since ancient times, horses have been messengers of the gods, companions in battle, and partners who have supported people's lives. This exhibition brings together a wide variety of horse-related collections from museums across Japan, including vibrant art and crafts, archaeological materials that convey ancient beliefs, and folk materials rich in regional flavor.
The greatest joy of this project is that, through the familiar theme of the zodiac, you can rediscover the charm of the museum's profound collection, which is usually overlooked, and its diverse possibilities. Your passionate votes, such as "I like this piece" or "I want to support this museum," are more than just a popularity contest. They will become a solid source of support for the museum's activities, which support local culture, and will provide great energy for the next project. Please cast your vote for your favorite "horse" while feeling the museum's passion, which is expressed in the explanations and comments from the curators.
We hope that this award will lead to new encounters between you and museums across the country and be a step towards fostering a love of culture.
What is IM [Internet Museum]?
This is one of Japan's largest museum information websites, introducing approximately 8,000 museums across the country, with the concept of "Life with Museum."
In addition to information about museum facilities, special exhibitions, events, and more, the site offers a wide range of content, including original reporting, curator recruitment information, and exhibition ticket giveaways, making it popular with museum fans all over the country.
https://www.museum.or.jp/
Please note that this may be subject to change without prior notice.