Restored Samurai Armour to Feature at Expo 2025
Three sets of Japanese samurai armour, originally gifted to Malta in 1862 as part of a historic diplomatic mission, have been meticulously restored and reassembled by expert conservators in Japan. This remarkable project was made possible through a collaborative initiative between Heritage Malta, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, and the Embassy of Malta in Japan.
In a landmark moment for cultural diplomacy and thanks to the initiative of Malta Enterprise, one of the restored samurai suits will be showcased at the Malta Pavilion during Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai. It will be displayed alongside a historically significant suit of armour from the Order of St John, as Malta and Japan proudly mark 60 years of diplomatic relations this year.
Complementing the exhibition, replicas of key Maltese artefacts, including the Neolithic Seated Figure, the Majmuna Stone, and the Phoenician Cippus of Malta, will represent the island’s rich, multi-layered heritage.
The samurai armours were originally presented to Malta during a visit by a Japanese delegation that included the renowned intellectual Yukichi Fukuzawa; a samurai, educator, philosopher, and a driving force behind Japan’s modernisation. Fukuzawa later founded Keio University in Tokyo and, until recently, his portrait featured on Japan’s 10,000-yen banknote. The delegation, part of the Bunkyu Mission, embarked on this voyage to renegotiate unequal treaties and engaged in high-level diplomatic meetings across Europe. Malta, with its strategic position in the Mediterranean, served as a natural stopover on their journey to France — marking the first recorded visit of Japanese nationals to the island.
Archival photographs reveal that one of the suits remained on display at the Grand Master’s Palace Armoury until the outbreak of World War II, when it was moved into underground storage for safekeeping. Unfortunately, years of exposure to high humidity severely damaged its organic components, rendering it unfit for public display for decades.
Lacking the necessary expertise locally and in Europe, the samurai armours remained boxed and forgotten — until 2016, when Malta’s Ambassador to Japan, H.E. André Spiteri, visited the Palace Armoury and recognised the historical and cultural significance of restoring the long-neglected gift.
Ambassador Spiteri played a key role in connecting Heritage Malta with leading Japanese conservators. His efforts led to a partnership with the Kyoto Art Restoration Centre, directed by Harumasa Miyashita — a master conservator and tea ceremony practitioner, renowned for his expertise in preserving traditional Japanese artefacts. In 2023, the Ambassador personally accompanied the fragile pieces to Japan to ensure their safe arrival at the atelier.
Throughout the restoration, extraordinary care was taken to conserve original materials and techniques. Intriguingly, what was once thought to be the remnants of two suits of armour was revealed — through expert analysis and meticulous reassembly — to include parts of a previously undocumented third suit, making this project not only a restoration, but also a significant rediscovery.
This cross-cultural collaboration stands as a powerful symbol of renewed friendship and shared heritage between Malta and Japan. What was once a forgotten diplomatic gift has been transformed into a vibrant testament to history — soon to be admired by millions at Expo 2025 and, in time, to return to its rightful home at the Grand Master’s Palace in Valletta.
The project highlights Heritage Malta’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding cultural heritage and the extraordinary potential of international collaboration — ensuring the treasures of the past remain alive, accessible, and inspiring for generations to come.
