Located in the Taito-Ku area of Tokyo, The National Museum of Western Art is known for its amazing collection of drawings, sculptures and paintings by European artists. Designated a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO, the architecture of the main building can be credited to renowned Swiss Architect Charles-Edouard Jeanneret-Gris, famously known as Le Corbusier. You can admire the great works of Monet, Cezanne, Manet, Signac and many masters that shaped the history of art. Visitors are treated to the rich artistic heritage of the West during the numerous thematic exhibitions held regularly at the museum's gallery.
The Tokyo National Museum displays a bevy of sculptures, paintings, calligraphy, archaeological objects and other decorative arts. Divided into sections spanning Japanese as well as Korean and Chinese art, the museum's collections are nothing short of artistic preservation of Asian history and culture. Exhibitions, lectures, gallery talks and workshops are held regularly, so visitors can gain access to some valuable information about the world's largest continent. The museum also stores historical documents dating back to the 10th and 11th Centuries.
Located in a nostalgic area of Tokyo, the collection is housed in the former residence of Fumio Asakura (1883-1964). In 1948, Asakura was awarded the Order of Culture. In government-backed shows, he often won prizes. Animals, figures and portraits executed in plaster and bronze give the visitor an historical overview of Japan's contribution to Western-style sculpture. The garden which is dominated by a pond is delightful, as there is something enchanting blooming throughout the year.
Taro Okamoto Memorial Museum is home to the works of the great artist, Taro Okamoto. Magnificent sculptures and paintings fill the museum. This Museum was his house and atelier, where he created many famous artworks. Here you can also catch a glimpse of rare manuscripts, which also hosts variety of exhibitions. His strange artworks will stimulate your creativity. For a nominal price you can learn all about this visionary artist and truly learn the meaning of abstract art.
For many years this was a major venue in Japan for Indian, Egyptian, Roman, Grecian and Chinese pottery. Even with the arrival of many other museums, Seijiro Matsuoka's collection is still worth seeing. Favorites are the Chinese embellished jades and Korean celadon. The balcony overlooking the exhibits is also an attractive feature. In the Western art section, Millais, Chagall, van Dongen, Picasso and Renoir are all represented.
Gallery Tom was built in 1984 by Ado Muraya and Harue Murayama. They wanted visually impaired people to feel and enjoy sculptures. One day their son, Ren Muraya, said "we visually impaired people also have the right to enjoy Rodin's artworks," this was the inspiration that made them build this gallery. Since its opening, it has given visually impaired people the pleasure of enjoying art pieces.
The Contemporary Sculpture Museum is located in a quiet residential area in Nakameguro. It is well known that Japan is short on space, so the two-floored venue for this collection of contemporary sculpture comes as a pleasant surprise. The building provides ample room for the imposing works, some of which would be classified as cutting edge. A pleasant garden and a coffee shop are additional facilities on the site.
Located in the quiet Edogawa Ward, the Sekiguchi Museum has been showing works of Hirayanagi Yoshitatsu who was one of the representative modern sculptors in Japan. After he learned about sculpture in Europe, he created his own way of modeling. Here you can see unique sculptures, as well as his woodblock paintings and drawings. This museum also has a patio, where you can enjoy tea in a relaxing atmosphere.