10-Minute Walk: A Loop Around the Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum ~With Glass Art Exhibition and Lunch~

The Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum is a 10-minute walk around its perimeter according to Google Maps.

This museum, which was renovated from the former Asaka Palace, features elaborate interior decorations and a charming garden.
Above all, it seems to have plenty of shade, so it might not be too tough even on a summer day.

I heard that a glass art exhibition is being held here. I thought, 'Now is my chance!' and went to enjoy it.

About the Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum

A museum located in the elegant Shirokanedai area of Minato Ward.
Built in the early Showa period, the exterior is relatively simple, but the interior is full of Art Deco elements that tickle a girl's heart.

Originally the Asaka Palace, it has now been renovated into a museum and has become a popular spot.

Glass Art Exhibition

The Teien Art Museum is currently hosting a glass art exhibition. It's a chance to enjoy both the building and the art at the same time.

First, let me introduce the glass art exhibition at a leisurely pace...

Extra sparkle with lighting

Glass art with beautiful lines and cuts.
The use of light doubles the glamour. I'm sure the artists would be delighted with such stunning lighting.

The guide is a pigeon

Come to think of it... I see pigeons from time to time. They are in charge of guiding here.

There must be someone who loves pigeons here, right? They appear at key points!
I also saw cute touches like footprints on the floor where you wait in line.

Thank you for the fun exhibition, Mr. Pigeon.

No videos allowed

The horizontally striped vase is my favorite.
It's fun to see how the overlapping colors change depending on the viewing angle. It's beautiful.

So, I was doing some stretches while trying to record a video to report back... but I was told, "You can't do that here." I thought maybe I was too close, but it turns out videos aren't allowed. Please be careful.

The person was kind enough to let me know discreetly. I'm sure everyone around me thinks I'm "the person who got scolded for doing stretches"... Sorry for being so restless.

Former Asaka Residence

Along with the exhibition, what really caught my eye was the meticulous interior design of the former Asaka residence.

I might want to see the pendant lights at night

There are so many wonderful pendant lights.

Even the reflections of the stained glass are beautiful... Fine decorations and soft light.

Even pendant lights that are a pain to clean have a charm that makes the effort seem like it would lead to happiness♪

Beautiful cutwork

Have you ever seen such beautiful window decorations? Perhaps the intricate design is to keep the light from being distracting; it was applied to an interior window.

There were also zigzag borders on the ceilings, decorative air conditioner covers (?), and the fixtures like door knobs were lovely too... If I had more time, I'm sure I could have found even more exciting things♪

A great person's study

The desk is placed right in the middle of the room—a "CEO-style" layout you wouldn't find in an ordinary home. Doesn't that sound appealing? I'm sure the writing would flow easily there. I'd love to try writing with a heavy, suction-style fountain pen♪

Garden

The garden is one of the highlights. It is broadly divided into a lawn area, a Japanese garden, and a Western-style garden.

A wide lawn area

A lawn area full of openness.

This time, I gave in to the summer sun and admired it from afar.
It would be truly pleasant around April or May... it's a place where I'd love to leisurely munch on a sandwich.

A refined Japanese garden

There is also an authentic Japanese garden.
I feel like it's been calculated so that it looks picturesque from every angle.

The beautiful tea house is apparently designated as an Important Cultural Property.
It had a veranda that looked so cozy. I want to spend the whole day just zoning out there. No, I want to spend about three days there reading books and relaxing.

A Western-style garden for strolling

This place also features an attractive, spacious lawn.
Since there are paths provided, you can fully enjoy the feeling of a stroll.

Lunch

I had planned to have lunch at the Italian? French? restaurant inside the art museum, but unfortunately, it was reserved for a private event... I really wanted to eat while looking out at the garden.

A spicy lunch at Meguro Chaya

We went to Meguro Chaya, located about two minutes from the art museum.
With its Nishijin-ori textiles and chandeliers, the interior is quite flashy, but it's surprisingly relaxing.

My husband had a hearty hamburger steak, and I had the taco rice. It was well-spiced and perfect for a hot day.
Thank you for the meal. It was very delicious.

Summary of the 10-minute stroll

The stroll around the Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum took a little under two hours.
The intensity of the sun was indeed tough, and I only spent about 30 minutes in the garden.

The garden is also well-maintained, and I think it's a place where you could normally spend a pleasant time.
This was entirely my mistake in choosing when to visit...

If I were by myself, I could spend all day looking at the building and the glass art exhibition! I'm sure there are wonderful discoveries to be made the more you look.

I am already very interested in the event scheduled for February–May 2024, 'Decoding the Former Asaka Residence: A to Z'.