Mitsui Memorial Museum

Mitsui Memorial Museum has huge collection with 4000 items including 6 national treasures and 73 important cultural properties. Half of the collection is related tea ceremony.

Mitsui family was one of the biggest merchants in Edo era.
They started Kimono store in Edo in 17th century.
These items have been collected mainly during Edo era by Mitsui family.

Tea ceremony is a good opportunity to exhibit arts in the old age when there's no museum for public. There's a replica of tea ceremony room as a show case.

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<The Nearest Station>

Mitsukoshimae station on Ginza Line / Hanzomon Line (G12/Z09/Tokyo Metro)

<Admission>

1000 yen : Regular exhibition
1300 yen : Special exhibition

10:00-17:00     Closed on Mondays

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Keio Mogusaen

Keio Mogusaen is located in the western part of Tokyo.
To get to the entrance of Mogusaen, you have to clime steep hill.

Then you have to clime steep hills even in the garden.
Actually, this garden is almost in the mountain.
But you can enjoy variety of flowers in all seasons.

At the highest point in the garden, you can see distant view of skyscrapers in Shinjuku.

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<The Nearest Station>

Mogusaen station on Keio Line (from Shinjuku)

<Admission>

300 yen

9:00-17:00     Closed on Wednesdays

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Takahata Fudo Temple

Takahata Fudo Temple was opened in the year of 701 or earlier according to old documents.
It is told that a priest built a temple in the mountain in early Heian era (about 1100 years ago).

This temple has been popular among people in Kanto area.
But it suffered a big fire, so most of current buildings were restored in 1970's.

There's a kind of short hiking course to visit 88 sacred places in the mountain.  

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<The Nearest Station>

Takahata Fudo station on Keio Line (from Shinjuku)

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Nezu Shrine

Nezu Shrine is not related to Nezu Museum. Nezu museum is named after the founder.
Nezu Shrine is a shrine in Nezu town.

The origin of this shrine is said that Yamato Takeru, a prince of the 13th emperor set this shrine in Sendagi in the 1st century.

And Ota Dokan who built Edo castle made a shrine building in 15th century.
Then 5th Shogun Tsunayoshi moved this shrine from Sendagi to current location in 17th century.

Nezu Shrine is famous for Azalea garden in early summer.

Otome Inari Shrine has a line of torii gates which looks like an orange tunnel.

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<The Nearest Station>

Nezu station on Chiyoda Line (C14/Tokyo Metro)
Todaimae station on Namboku Line (N12/Tokyo Metro)

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Kyu Yasuda Kusuo Tei

This house was built in 1919 for Kozaburo Fujita, the founder of Toshimaen Amusement Part.
Just after Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923, Yasuda financial group family bought this house from Fujita.

It's almost 100 years old but this building is maintained well and keep originals.
Though this house is in traditional Japanese style, there're a lot of the latest technology and ideas at that time.

This house is designed to enjoy the view of the garden.
View from each room is excellent.
Especially, season of cherry blossoms and autumn leaves are great.

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<The Nearest Station>

Sendagi station on Chiyoda Line (C15/Tokyo Metro)
JR Nippori station on Yamanote Line etc.

<Admission>

500 yen

10:30-16:00   Open on Wednesdays and Saturdays

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Sudo Park

Sudo Park is a compact park but has variety of landscapes.
There's a small shrine on the island in the pond.
Red bridge is impressive.

This place used to be a garden of a feudal load's house and owned by a politician.
Kichizaemon Sudo, a business man bought this place from the politician in late 19th century.
Sudo family donated this park to Tokyo City in 1933.

Water of the pond comes from a water fall (Sudo fall).
Since this park has big trees, shade and water fall make you cool in summer.

This park is an oasis when you take a walk in Ya-Ne-Sen (Yanaka - Nezu - Sendagi).

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<The Nearest Station>

Sendagi station on Chiyoda Line (C15/Tokyo Metro)
JR Nippori station on Yamanote Line etc.

<Admission>

Free of Charge

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Toyo Bunko Museum

Toyo Bunko is a library of Oriental studies.
This museum exhibits historical books about Oriental world.

In the Orient Hall on the 1st floor, you'll see many old original books in a long exhibition case and books in the library on graphic screen.

The second floor is dark to protect books.
When you get to the second floor, there's an impressive Morrison's library.

Hisaya Iwasaki, the founder of Toyo Bunko and a member of Iwasaki financial group bought 24,000 books from Australian Professor Morrison who studied about Orient in Beijing.

Also, some Ukiyo-e arts are exhibited in turn only for 1 month in 100 years.

Exhibitions here are unique and beautiful.

A fine restaurant is on the back side of museum and some sentences in foreign languages are on the wall of the hall way to the restaurant. Garden between the museum and the restaurants is nice to see.

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<The Nearest Station>

JR Komagome station on Yamanote Line
Komagome station on Namboku Line (N14/Tokyo Metro)
Sengoku station on Mita Line (I14/Toei Subway)

<Admission>

900 yen

10:00-1900   Closed on Tuesdays

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Kagurazaka

Kagurazaka is a fashionable town with combination of old and new style.
Kagurazaka has many restaurants and shops beside a long slope street.

But fun part is to walk in alleys behind the main street.
Narrow alleys with black wooden walls are like a maze and you'll find fine restaurants and small shops on these alleys.

Visiting this town at night is fun as well as daytime.
This town is popular among young ladies because of its fashionable air.

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<The Nearest Station>

Kagurazaka station on Tozai Line (T05/Tokyo Metro)
Ushigome Kagurazaka station on Oedo Line (E05/Toei Subway)
JR Iidabashi station on Chuo Line / Sobu Line
Iidabashi station on Oedo Line/Tozai Line/Yurakucho Line/Namboku Line
(E06/Toei Subway/T06/Y13/N10/Tokyo Metro)

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