Nezu Museum 根津美術館

Featuring over 7,600 Japanese and East Asian pre-modern works of art, the Nezu Museum's diverse and extensive collection draws art lovers from around the world.

The Nezu Collection includes National Treasures, and ranges from Japanese ink paintings to ancient Chinese bronzes. The tea ceremony collection is first class, and there is a special gallery devoted to it.

Many of the exhibits have very helpful English explanations.

Nezu Museum is located in Aoyama, near Harajuku and Omotesando , and is accessible via several subway lines.

Take either the Ginza, Hanzomon, or Chiyoda Metro lines to Omotesando Station. From there, it's a 10-minute walk.

The museum was officially opened in 1941 according to the dying wish of influential Japanese industrialist, tea practitioner, and one-time president of Tobu Railway, Nezu Kaichiro. His private collections form the majority of the museum's pieces.

During the war bombings in 1945, the museum's collections were evacuated, and survived the devastating fires which destroyed the original museum buildings. Thanks to this, the museum was able to reopen in 1946. Located on the site of the former Nezu family residence, the museum was renewed in 2009 by famous Japanese architect Kengo Kuma.

When the doors were first opened in 1941, the museum boasted 4,642 works of art, all sourced from Nezu's personal collection.

As the years went on, the collection expanded through acquisitions and donations, and now houses 7,600 works of art. Nezu's approach to art appreciation was all-encompassing, and as a result, the museum features gorgeous pre-modern paintings, ceramics, armor, textiles, woodwork and more from across Japan, China, and East Asia, with some pieces dating back over 3,000 years. Here, you can get a glimpse of a truly representative body of Asian art.

The galleries house both a permanent collection and a rotating cast of exhibits, so no matter what time of year you visit or whether you've been before, there's always something new to explore within the museum's walls.

The Nezu Museum's well-maintained English website hosts a list of upcoming and past exhibits, giving you a good idea of what to expect and look forward to during your visit.

Outside the gallery walls is the almost-hidden Nezu Garden, one of Tokyo's best spots to unwind. The 17,000 square meters of rolling hills and trees make for a true oasis in the middle of fast-paced Tokyo. The garden has been carefully landscaped to embody the natural beauty of the Japanese mountains, and includes four very distinctive tearooms.

Although the tearooms aren't open to the public, you can still have a relaxing drink in picturesque surroundings by visiting the beautifully designed Nezucafe, which features modern Japanese architecture and full-length picture windows framing the gardens outside. Visit to enjoy a traditional tea time.