Three sets of Japanese Samurai armour, originally gifted to Malta in 1862 as part of a diplomatic mission, have been restored and reassembled by expert conservators in Japan.

Heritage Malta said the artefacts had been restored thanks to a collaborative initiative between Heritage Malta, the Foreign Affairs Ministry and the Embassy of Malta in Japan. This year, Malta and Japan celebrate 60 years of diplomatic relations.

Artefacts before restoration. Photo: Heritage Malta

Artefacts before restoration. Photo: Heritage Malta

The heritage agency said in a statement that in a landmark moment for cultural diplomacy, and on the initiative of Malta Enterprise, one of the restored Samurai armours - alongside a historically significant suit of armour of the Order of St John - will be on display at the Malta Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai.

On display, there will also be replicas of a Neolithic seated figure, the Majmuna Stone and the Phoenician Cippus of Malta.

Once it returns to Malta following the expo, the Samurai armour will be put on display at the Grand Master’s Palace in Valletta.

The samurai armours were donated during the visit of a Japanese delegation that included Yukichi Fukuzawa - a Samurai, educator, philosopher, and later a prominent figure in Japan’s modernisation who founded the prestigious Keio University in Tokyo and whose portrait until recently featured on the Japanese 10,000 yen banknote.

The delegation formed part of the Bunkyu Mission, which aimed to renegotiate unequal treaties and engaged in high-level diplomatic meetings across Europe.

One of the pieces remained on display at the Grand Master’s Palace Armoury until the onset of World War II, when it was moved to underground storage to protect it from bombings.

Unfortunately, prolonged exposure to humidity caused severe deterioration of its organic components, rendering it unexhibitable for decades.

Restored artefacts. Photo: Heritage Malta

With no local or European specialists capable of restoring such artefacts, the Samurai armours remained boxed and in storage until 2016, when Malta’s Ambassador to Japan André Spiteri visited the Palace Armoury and recognised the significance of restoring the long-forgotten gift.

Coordinating closely with Heritage Malta, the ambassador accompanied the fragile artefacts to Japan in 2023 to ensure their safe transport to the atelier.

Restored artefacts. Photo: Heritage Malta

Restored artefacts. Photo: Heritage Malta