The exhibition entitled Amamonzeki: A Hidden Heritage, Treasures of the Japanese Imperial Convents, held from April 14th through June 14th, 2009, was the culmination of more than a decade of research and restoration work carried out in Kyoto and Nara by the Chusei Nihon Kenkyujo directed by Barbara Ruch and with a research team led by chief curator Patricia Fister, and including Monica Bethe, and numerous Japanese professionals.

The fully bilingual catalogue illustrates all 194 exhibited items in full color and includes detailed essays and labels by eleven scholars. It is the first book in any language to give the histories of all 13 remaining Japanese Imperial Buddhist Convents (Amamonzeki jiin) and the biographies of their founding abbesses and later restoration abbesses. These elite women, who lived from the 7th century through the 19th century, are represented by portraits and by a wide range of religious and secular works that they themselves created or that are associated with them. Many of their calligraphies, paintings and sculptures have never been made public before. New discoveries include religious robes (kesa) belonging to 13th and 14th century abbesses.

Objects related to the daily life of the nuns that reflect their background and continuing participation in court culture include furnishings, beautifully lacquered kitchen and bath tools, dolls presented to them by emperor-fathers, card games, board games, and illustrated scrolls.

The exhibition included a representation of the Zenzaidōji rites held at Hokkeji Imperial Convent and reconstructions of the old altar at Chūgūji Imperial Convent and of the jōdan no ma royal reception suite from Reikanji Imperial Convent.