A beautiful and peaceful escape right in the heart of Omotesando!
Nezu Museum is a lovely blend of art, culture, and nature, with exquisite ceramics and a stunning traditional Japanese garden.
Admission is ¥1,400 if booked online or ¥1,600 at the entrance. There’s also a lovely café serving good food(meat pie 😅), so I recommend going early to enjoy a meal and explore the garden after visiting the museum. My personal favorite was strolling through the lush, peaceful garden…such a calming escape from the busy city. Definitely worth a visit!
Nezu Museum is a beautiful cultural retreat in Minami-Aoyama near Omotesando, bringing together pre-modern Japanese and East Asian art, striking contemporary architecture, and a traditional landscape garden in one remarkably peaceful setting.
Built on the former estate of industrialist and tea practitioner Kaichiro Nezu Sr., the museum was redesigned by Kengo Kuma and reopened in 2009. The experience begins with its iconic bamboo-lined approach, while large glass walls throughout the building create a beautiful connection between the galleries and surrounding greenery.
The collection contains more than 7,000 works, including several National Treasures and nearly 100 Important Cultural Properties, spanning Chinese bronzes, ceramics, Buddhist sculpture, lacquerware, calligraphy, and more. Exhibitions rotate regularly, so what you see can differ considerably between visits. Photography and video are prohibited inside the exhibition rooms, meaning you'll have to come and experience the artworks for yourself.
The Japanese landscape garden hidden behind the main building may be just as memorable as the museum itself. Winding paths lead through dense greenery past moss-covered stone lanterns, flowing streams, koi ponds, and historic rustic tea houses. Exploring the garden feels surprisingly removed from the busy streets of Aoyama just outside.
We recommend heading to NEZUCAFÉ in the garden relatively early during your visit. Seating is limited and popular menu items can sell out, so securing a table first can make exploring the museum and garden afterwards much more relaxed.
While same-day tickets may be available at the entrance, booking a timed-entry ticket online in advance is recommended, particularly on busy weekends. Online admission is also cheaper than purchasing at the door. Just make sure to arrive within the one-hour entry window specified on your ticket.
With its art, Kengo Kuma architecture, expansive garden, and remarkably tranquil atmosphere despite its central Tokyo location, Nezu Museum is a wonderful place to slow down for a few hours while exploring Aoyama and Omotesando.
We bought the tickets online to save some money and skip the line. The museum itself is designed by the same architect who designed Sunnyhills. The museum building itself is quiet, refined, and enhances the experience of the exhibition. The outdoor garden and the tea house was also a highlight although we didn’t actually get to go inside because the line was so long. I highly recommend you check this place out. It was one of my fav part of the trip.
I would recommend to be here early and buy tickets in advance since they have 2 different lines, one for reserved customer and the other one is for customers to buy tickets on site. People were rushing to the cafe in the garden but I didn’t do so. I suggest to take a walk in the garden first when barely anyone is there. Then go visit the exhibition. Garden is more attractive to me than what the exhibits are. Great place at center of Tokyo to escape from noise and crowds.
Five star for what this museum exhibits. There are great exhibits however the garden is under-rated and please take time to walk around the garden and if you have feel like open the wallet, please have a coffee in the cafe that resides within the garden. There are great buddism relics.
