Located in a prime location in Aoyama, a sophisticated area of Tokyo, it is one of the few private museums in Japan with a history dating back to before World War II. The museum has a collection of approximately 7,600 Japanese and Oriental antiquities (as of the end of December 2021), including 7 National Treasures, 88 Important Cultural Properties, and 94 Important Art Objects.
The majority of the collection is from the collection of Kaichiro Nezu (1860-1940), a businessman, politician, and tea master, from whom the museum takes its name. Mr. Nezu wished for the collection to be "enjoyed with the public," and Kaichiro Nezu II fulfilled this wish when he opened the Nezu Museum in his private residence in 1941. Later, most of the exhibition rooms and tearooms were destroyed by fire during the war, but the collection was preserved. The building was rebuilt after the war. In 1991, the 50th anniversary of the museum, it was expanded and reconstructed as a commemorative project, and from 2006, it underwent a large-scale renovation designed by Kengo Kuma that took three and a half years to complete. The museum holds seven exhibitions a year, each with a different theme.
The museum is structured to allow visitors to spend a rich and relaxing time, with a museum store and auditorium in addition to the exhibition space. In particular, there is a café and four tea rooms in the Japanese garden, which retain the atmosphere of the Nezu family's private residence, and offer visitors a chance to reminisce about those days.
Highlights
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Approximately 7,600 antiquities including 7 National Treasures, 88 Important Cultural Properties, and 94 Important Art Objects.
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One of the few private museums in Japan with a history dating back to before World War II.
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The majority of the collection is owned by Kaichiro Nezu I, a businessman, politician, and tea master.
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The grounds include exhibition space, a garden, tea ceremony rooms, a café, and a museum store.
