Nezu Museum

Overview

The Nezu Museum is a refined private museum in the upscale Omotesando district, housing a superb collection of pre-modern Japanese and East Asian art within a stunning Kengo Kuma-designed building.

Highlights

• The Garden: A lush, surprisingly expansive traditional Japanese garden hidden behind the museum, featuring stone paths, tea houses, and Buddhist stone sculptures.
• Irises Screen: The museum's most famous work — Ogata Korin's 18th-century National Treasure folding screens depicting irises, displayed briefly each spring.
• Architecture: Kengo Kuma's masterful design uses bamboo, stone, and glass to create a building that seems to dissolve into the surrounding garden.

History

Founded in 1941 to house the private collection of Meiji-era industrialist Nezu Kaichiro Sr. The collection spans 7,400 works including seven National Treasures and 87 Important Cultural Properties. The museum was rebuilt by Kengo Kuma in 2009.

Visitor Tips

• Irises Season: The famous Korin screens are only displayed for about four weeks from late April. Check the schedule.
• Omotesando Walk: The bamboo-lined approach from Omotesando's luxury shops to the museum entrance is architecturally stunning.
• Duration: 1.5–2 hours.