When Japanese arts and crafts from the far east arrived on English shores, they attracted people's attention and were widely sought after. In Britain's diplomatic links, Japanese art has also become an important bridge for cultural exchanges. Recently, the exhibition "Japan: Court and Culture" was held at the Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace, UK. It presents the Japanese artworks collected by the British royal Family, including lacquerware, porcelain, screens and samurai armor, and tells the story of the diplomatic, artistic and cultural exchanges between the UK and Japan over the past 300 years.

In 1881, two young British princes served as cadets in the Royal Navy that is the arts and crafts for kids. They came to Japan for a visit and met with the Emperor of Japan. It was not the most important or extravagant meeting between British and Japanese royalty, but it was emblematic of a long and complex relationship between the two countries. The princes bought metal teapots and cups at a Japanese market and gave them to their father as gifts. While in Japan, the princes were 16 and 17. They got tattoos on their arms, with Prince Albert getting storks and Prince George, the future George V, dragons and tigers.

"Tattoos were part of naval culture, which was aristocratic fashion in late 19th-century Britain," explains Rachel Peat, the curator of "Japan: Court and Culture," a new exhibition that opened recently at the Queen's Gallery at Buckingham Palace. "In Japan, tattoos have a completely different connotation. Tattooing is both a respected art form and historically illegal in Japan, giving it a sense of mystery and danger. That's why it attracts tourists."