Explore Your Sense of Art at 3 Museums in Meguro Area

Meguro area, one of the affluent housing neighborhoods in Tokyo, has always been home to sophisticated Tokyoites that are well versed in art under the influence of that the area used to be the residential area for Daimyos (大名, A Daimyo refers to a magnate ruler to whom sovereignty over a certain area was given by Tokugawa Shogunate, and existed until the end of Edo era) in Edo era (1603 – 1868). In the area, you can find many museums making you feel the history one of which is ‘Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum’ (東京都庭園美術館), a museum in a renovated Prince’s housing. In this issue, let’s take a look at 3 museums that are perfect especially for those who are interested in the history of art, including the one that’s just been renovated this January.

Every museum in this issue is within the walking distance either from Meguro Station (I 01) or Shirokanedai Station (I 02) both of which are easily accessible with Mita Line from Mita Station (I 04) which is a 7-minute walk from Hotel Gracery Tamachi.

“Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum” to have you enjoy the sophisticated Art Deco architectural design and special exhibitions

“Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum” (東京都庭園美術館), a museum in an elegant building named as a National Designated Important Cultural Property, was originally the residence of Prince Asaka (1887 – 1981) who’d inherited the tradition of the former Japanese royal family. The design is unified with the Art Deco style by Rene Lalique and Henri Rapin. Especially the interior design described as ‘phantom architecture’ or ‘Art Deco work of art’ is truly outstanding. At the special exhibition that is being held until 10th of April “MODE SURREAL -A Crazy Love for Wearing-“, you can appreciate historical fashion plates from the 16th century and contemporary artworks in addition to the work ‘Hals Pantser’ by Jan Fabre, an artist known for his artwork made with elytron of scarabs (jewel beetles).

Opening Hours	10:00AM – 6:00PM / Closed on Mondays and New Years Holidays *In case a national holiday is on Monday, closed on the following weekday
Admission	1400 yen *May vary depending on any special exhibition
Address	5-21-9 Shirokaneday, Minato City, Tokyo Prefecture
Access	A 7-minute walk from Meguro Station (JY22, MG01, N01, I01)
URL	https://www.teien-art-museum.ne.jp/en/

A museum where you get to take photos of works collected from London and New York, “Matsuoka Museum of Art”

At “Matsuoka Museum of Art” (松岡清次郎美術館), you can appreciate works of art collected by the founder of Matsuoka Group, Kiyojiro Matsuoka (松岡清次郎, 1894 – 1989), who was mesmerized by calligraphic and antiques since he was young and had been enthusiastically collecting works of art from all over the world throughout his life. Though the museum had been closed for a long period of time since 2019 in order to have restoration research of its owing works of art and renovation of the equipment, it is now reopened from 26th of January. For commemorating its reopening, a special exhibition “Matsuoka Collection-no Shinzui” (松岡コレクションの真髄, the Essence of Matsuoka’s Collection) at which the museum’s masterpieces of 2 bottle jars (青花龍唐草文天球瓶 and 青花双鳳草虫図八角瓶) from Ming Dynasty are exhibited for the first time in 7 years is scheduled. Unlike other major museums, visitors are allowed to take photos of most of the works. Why don’t you explore the works and find your favorite for posting to social media?

Opening Hours	10:00AM – 6:00PM / Closed on Mondays, New Years Holidays and during exhibition change *In case a national holiday is on Monday, closed on the following weekday
Admission	1200 yen
Address	5-12-6 Shirokaneday, Minato City, Tokyo Prefecture
Access	A 7-minute walk from Shirokaneday Station (N02, I02)
URL	https://www.matsuoka-museum.jp/english/

“Kume Museum of Art”, a museum making you feel away from hustle and bustle

A museum located just in front of Meguro Station, the “Kume Museum of Art” (久米美術館) was founded in 1982 in memory of Kunitaka Kume (久米邦武, 1839 – 1931), a historian and a member of Iwakura Mission (岩倉使節団, a Japanese diplomatic mission that traveled to the States and Europe from 1871 to 1873), and his first son Keiichiro Kume (久米桂一郎, 1866 – 1934), a painter who had contributed to foster the development of modern western-style painting in Japan. The museum mainly exhibits documents related to Kunitaka and Keiichiro Kume, oil and watercolor painting works of Keiichiro. Also, the sketch work that’d be the foundation of ‘Fin De Lété’ by Raphaël Collin, the master to Keiichiro, and the painting Seiki Kuroda (黒田清輝, a painter and a friend of Keiichiro, 1866 – 1924) drew the appearance of Keiichiro in his atelier are also admirable. Currently, at its renovated exhibition room, the limited exhibition is now being held. Though it is located just in front of a train station, the museum offers a superb time in peace for you to appreciate the works of art.

Opening Hours	11:00AM – 4:00PM / Closed on Mondays, New Years Holidays and during exhibition change *In case a national holiday is on Monday, closed on the following weekday
Admission	500 yen
Address	Kume Bldg. 8F, 2-25-5 Kamiosaki, Shinagawa City, Tokyo Prefecture
Access	A 2-minute walk from Meguro Station (JY22, MG01, N01, I01)
URL	https://www.gotokyo.org/en/spot/986/index.html