A must-see for art lovers! A recommended plan for a leisurely tour of the Kunitachi Art Center, Tokyo and Nezu Museum

• Table of Contents
• [Morning] The Kunitachi Art Center, Tokyo
• Enjoy a tranquil lunch at Cafe BleuMontagne
• [Afternoon ①] Nezu Museum
• [Afternoon ②] Walk around Omotesando
• [Afternoon ③] Omotesando Hills
• summary

[Morning] The Kunitachi Art Center, Tokyo

The Kunitachi Art Center, Tokyo in Roppongi is the fifth Kunitachi art museum in Japan, which opened in 2007. It is the first new museum in about 30 years since the Kunitachi Museum of Art, Osaka was built.

It was designed by architect Kisho Kurokawa under the concept of a "museum in the Mori," and was designed to harmonize with the greenery of Aoyama Cemetery and Aoyama Park.

The museum does not have a collection, but instead focuses on special exhibitions and public exhibitions, allowing visitors to enjoy a wide variety of art in an exhibition space of approximately 14,000 m2, one of the largest in Japan.

It is close to Tokyo Midtown and Roppongi Hills, making it a recommended spot where you can enjoy both art and nature in the heart of the city.

The National Art Center, Tokyo

The National Art Center, Tokyo 7-22-2 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-8...

The National Art Center, Tokyo is located in Roppongi, Tokyo, and is the only museum in Japan that is free to enter. It opened in 2007, and instead of having a permanent exhibition, it holds various thematic and special exhibitions. It mainly focuses on contemporary art, and features works by a variety of artists from Japan and abroad, making it a place to convey the appeal of art to the general public.

Enjoy a tranquil lunch at Cafe BleuMontagne

Cafe BleuMontagne in Minami-Aoyama is a cafe with a nostalgic atmosphere, built to resemble the Western-style buildings from around 1900 when Western culture first began to enter Japan.

You can spend time here quietly absorbing the waves of your sensibilities, just as you felt after viewing the exhibits. The interior of the store is a perfect blend of Japanese antiques such as porcelain and Western antique furniture and tableware, creating a comfortable atmosphere in which time seems to flow slowly.

In addition to carefully selected coffee and tea, cafe lattes made with Japanese pepper, as well as beef curry, Neapolitan, pudding a la mode, and other good old-fashioned coffee shop menu items are abundant. You can enjoy the menu where you can feel the careful attention to detail in each item.

If you stop by the BleuMontagn coffee shop, you can enjoy a relaxing moment between art tours.

Cafe BleuMontagne

107-0062 Tokyo, Minato-ku, Minamiaoyama 1-26-16 Nogizaka Lilienheim 1F

"Cafe BleuMontagne" is modeled after a Western-style building from around 1900, when Western culture is said to have entered Japan. The interior is decorated with Japanese antiques such as ceramics and Western antique furniture and tableware, creating a harmonious space that blends Japanese and Western cultures, inviting customers to an elegant and special time. We offer a carefully selected menu full of attention to detail, including standard cafe menus such as specialty coffee, curry, and cheesecake, as well as "Flavor Cafe au Lait" with six flavors to choose from, and "Sansho Cafe au Lait" using Japanese spice Sansho pepper, along with polite and warm customer service.

[Afternoon ①] Nezu Museum

Located in a quiet residential area of ​​Minami-Aoyama, Nezu Museum is a relaxing museum that mainly exhibits antique Japanese and Toyo art.

The museum displays a high-quality collection of paintings, calligraphy, tea ceremony utensils, etc. collected by Nezu Kaichiro, the founder of Tobu Railway, including seven national treasures and 92 important cultural properties. In the museum's vast Japanese garden, you can enjoy nature throughout the seasons, including irises that bloom in spring.

The main building, with its distinctive large roof reminiscent of a Japanese-style house, was designed by architect Kengo Kuma in 2009. You can enjoy a luxurious and relaxing time where tranquility and beauty coexist.

Nezu Museum

6-5-1 Minami Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0062

[Afternoon ②] Walk around Omotesando

In addition to art museums, Omotesando is home to many galleries and specialty shops that stimulate the senses.

Near the Nezu Museum is the candle specialty store "Kameyama Candle House." They have a wide variety of candles and related items, including their own candles. You can also take a one-time lesson at the attached candle studio.

Also in Omotesando is the Taro Okamoto Memorial Museum, which displays the artist Taro Okamoto's papermaking space. You can feel his energy still thriving in the buildings and gardens, which still retain the elegance of modernist architecture.

If you head towards Harajuku, you can enjoy shopping at the MoMA Design Store, which is lined with artsy design products, such as collaborative goods with Yayoi Kusama and Nara Nara. This is the perfect course for a stroll around the city to enjoy the afterglow of your visit to the museum.

[Afternoon ③] Omotesando Hills

Designed by architect Tadao Ando, ​​Omotesando Hills was opened in 2006 as an urban complex that blends in with the scenery of Omotesando. The complex is made up of three buildings: the West Building, the Main Building, and the Dojunkan Building. In the Chuo of the Main Building, there is a "spiral slope" with the same gradient as the Saka of Omotesando.

The appeal of Omotesando Hills is that it is lined with a diverse range of shops, about 100 in total. With a wide range of shops, from high-end fashion to lifestyle goods, beauty, cafes, and restaurants, you'll discover something new every time you visit.

There are also gallery and event spaces where you can enjoy art and design, as well as hands-on workshops, etc. This is a cultural spot representing Omotesando where you can enjoy not only shopping, but also architecture and art.

Omotesando Hills

4-12-10 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0001

summary

This time, we introduced a course that takes you around the Kunitachi Art Center, Tokyo, Nezu Museum, Omotesando Hills, etc. In addition to art museums, the Roppongi and Aoyama area has many other spots that stimulate the senses and emotions, making it a place that art lovers will enjoy.

Why not use this article as a reference to spend a relaxing and fulfilling day enjoying art and walking around the city at the same time? Then, be sure to stop by Café BleuMontagne for lunch or a break to enjoy a special moment.