Founded in 1966 as Japan’s first facility specializing in Japanese-style painting, nihonga, the Yamatane Museum of Art’s mission statement is “Contributing to society through art.” The museum collects 1,800 modern and contemporary Japanese paintings from the Meiji Period (1868–1912) onward.
The collection is also made up of ukiyo-e woodblock prints and Edo-period paintings and includes six Important Cultural Properties such as Hayami Gyoshu’s “Dancing in the Flames,” widely regarded as the author’s best work and a masterpiece of modern Japanese art, as well as Takeuchi Seiho’s “Tabby Cat,” one of the most renowned pieces of animal art in Japan.
Due to the delicate nature of nihonga paintings, which are made from mineral pigments and silk or washi paper, the museum doesn’t have a permanent exhibition in order to protect the works. Instead, it holds special showcases throughout the year. After enjoying the treasures of modern Japanese art, stop by Cafe Tsubaki (“Cafe Camellia”), located by the first-floor entrance, where visitors can enjoy traditional Japanese sweets and green tea. The sweets are specially ordered from Kikuya in Aoyama and are inspired by motifs from selected works exhibited inside the Yamatane Museum of Art.
* Tea is extra charge.