A screen of Japanese Zelkova trees separate a bustling modern metropolis and the Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum, once an avant-garde masterpiece of French artistry and Japanese craftsmanship, and now an Art Deco time capsule. The building was, until the 1940s, the residence of the Asaka family, a branch of the Japanese Imperial House. A screen of Japanese Zelkova trees separates a bustling modern metropolis and the Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum, once an avant-garde masterpiece of French artistry and Japanese craftsmanship and now an Art Deco time capsule.
The building was, until the 1940s, the residence of the Asaka family, a branch of the Japanese Imperial House. Its history is filled with sea crossings, the. A valuable historic structure that accurately embodies the Art Deco style and provides a glimpse of receptivity to other cultures that flourished in Tokyo in the early Showa period, the residence has been designated as one of the Japanese nation's Important Cultural Properties.
The elegant Teien Museum standing amid spacious green lawns in Minato-ku was once the home of Japanese royalty. Prince Yasuhiko Asaka and his wife, Princess Nobuko, became enamored with Art Deco during a stay in France in the 1920s and decided to construct their home in this style upon their return to Japan. Tokyo doesn't have a great many historic houses, but the ones it does have are real treasures.
One historic house in Tokyo is truly unique: Prince Asaka's Art Deco palace in Meguro. The palace, which was completed in 1933, was opened to the public as the Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art. Today the home remains an outstanding example of Art Deco.
Think France's Henri Rabin, Rene Lalique, Max Ingrand and Raymond Subes. They all contributed substantial work to this exquisite home. Marry their talents with the finest designers and craftsman of the age in Japan, and the result is an art deco treasure trove.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum is renowned as a jewel of Art Deco architecture in Japan. Once a year, the building itself-a designated National Important Cultural Property-becomes an exhibition, with visitors able to about this iconic architectural work. The Art Deco movement swept through Europe in the 1910s to 1930s.
Prince and Princess Asaka were introduced to Art Deco during their stay in France and were fascinated by its stylistic beauty. After returning to Japan, they actively adopted the essence of Art Deco for the construction of their residence, and the interiors of the main rooms were designed by famous French designers such as Henri. The Teien Art Museum hosts a diverse and thoughtfully curated program of temporary exhibitions, rather than maintaining a large permanent collection of traditional art.
The exhibitions are often designed to engage with and highlight the unique Art Deco setting of the former princely residence. Visitors can expect a wide range of themes. Fan of Art Deco? Nature lover? Want to tread in the footsteps of royalty? You'll love the Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum and Institute for Nature Study.
Even better, both are just steps from Tokyo's bustling Meguro station. The Teien Art Museum (which once served as Prince Asaka's residence) is nestled along the outer edge of the Institute for Nature Study's forests. Meanwhile.