Im Garten des Nezu-Kunstmuseums (根津美術館)

Unerwartete Beschaulichkeit in direkter Nachbarschaft zum Mode-Viertel von Minami Aoyama (南青山)

Nezu Kunstmuseum (Garten)

Eine englische Version dieses Artikels finden Sie hier.
An English version of this posting you can find here.

Besucher, die sich in das schicke Mode- und Einkaufsviertel Omotesandō (表参道 / おもてさんどう) und das angrenzende Minami Aoyama (南青山 / みなみあおやま) “verlaufen”, tun dies natürlich in erster Linie, weil sie Ausschau nach den großen Namen der Mode halten. Keine der berühmten Marken darf hier fehlen. Andere verschlägt es hierher, weil gerade in dieser Ecke Tōkyōs seit den 90er Jahren des vergangenen Jahrhunderts atemberaubende Beispiele moderner Stadtgestaltung entstanden sind, die nicht selten eine höchst interessante Symbiose von Architektur und Mode darstellen.

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Minami Aoyama (南青山)

Minami Aoyama (南青山)

Minami Aoyama (南青山)

Minami Aoyama (南青山)

Minami Aoyama (南青山)

Minami Aoyama (南青山)

Minami Aoyama (南青山)

Minami Aoyama (南青山)

Minami Aoyama (南青山)

Dem Kunstliebhaber werden das “Nezu Kunstmuseum” (根津美術館) und seine exquisiten Sammlungen ein Begriff sein – in atemberaubender Weise präsentiert in einem Gebäude des Star-Architekten Kengo Kuma (隈･研吾 / くま･けんご).

Fall Sie sich für beides nicht interessieren, verpassen Sie unter Umständen ein besonders Schmuckstück im Schatzkästlein Tōkyōter Gartenbaukunst. Deswegen möchte ich hier wenigstens einen kleinen Eindruck vom Garten des Nezu Kunstmuseums bieten – wie es der Zufall so wollte, hatte der Garten sich zur Harmonie mit der aktuellen Ausstellung, die Faltwände mit Iris- und Glyzinien-Motiven zum Gegenstand hat, entschlossen. Sprich: Im Garten blüten Iris und Gyzinien um die Wette.

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Nezu Museum of Art (根津美術館)

Nezu Museum of Art (根津美術館)

Nezu Museum of Art (根津美術館)

Nezu Museum of Art (根津美術館)

Nezu Museum of Art (根津美術館)

Nezu Museum of Art (根津美術館)

Nezu Museum of Art (根津美術館)

Nezu Museum of Art (根津美術館)

Nezu Museum of Art (根津美術館)

Nezu Museum of Art (根津美術館)

Nezu Museum of Art (根津美術館)

Nezu Museum of Art (根津美術館)

Nezu Museum of Art (根津美術館)

Nezu Museum of Art (根津美術館)

Nezu Museum of Art (根津美術館)

Nezu Museum of Art (根津美術館)

Das Museum geht auf eine Stiftung des japanischen Industriellen Kaichirō Nezu (根津･嘉一郎 / ねづ･かいちろう) zurück, der von 1860 bis 1940 lebte und auch Präsident der Eisenbahngesellschaft Tōbu (東武鉄道 / とうぶてつどう) war. 1941 war das Museum in der privaten Residenz des Stifters, eingebettet in einen weitläufigen Garten im japanischen Stil, in Minami Aoyama eröffnet worden. Seit 2009 ist das Museum in einem besonders “gelungen” zu nennenden Beispiel der Arbeiten Kengo Kumas untergebracht, das modernen Stil und Materialien mit japanischen Elementen verbindet.

Mit einem Schwerpunkt auf vormoderne Kunst umfassen die Sammlungen des Museums über 7.400 Exponate. Darunter sieben Nationalschätze, 87 wichtige Kulturgüter und 94 wichtige Kunstobjekte.

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Nezu Museum of Art (根津美術館)

Nezu Museum of Art (根津美術館)

Nezu Museum of Art (根津美術館)

Auch wenn Sie sich für dererlei nicht interessieren sollten – Sie müssen doch zumindest die finanziellen Konsequenzen tragen… Der Garten kann nur nach Entrichtung des Eintrittsgeldes für das Museum betreten werden. Aber danach können Sie sich, wenn Sie möchten, mit einem kleinen Päuschen in dem Café (auch von Kengo Kuma) im Garten verwöhnen.

Öffnungszeiten

(Museum, Garten, Café):
10:00 Uhr bis 17:00 Uhr (letzter Einlass: 16:30 Uhr).
Montags geschlossen (fällt ein Feiertag auf Montag, bleibt das Museum statt dessen dienstags geschlossen) und während der Installation neuer Ausstellungen.
Außerdem geschlossen während der Neujahrs-Feiertage.

Eintrittsgebühren

Zutritt zu den ständigen Ausstellungen
Ewachsene: 1000 Yen
Oberschüler und älter: 800 Yen

Zutritt zu den Sonderausstellungen
Erwachsene: 1200 Yen
Oberschüler und älter: 1000 Yen

Gruppen von 20 und mehr Personen erhalten einen Nachlass von 200 Yen pro person.

Wie man hinkommt

• Ungefähr 8 Minuten zu Fuß vom Ausgang A5 der U-Bahnstation Omotesandō station (表参道駅) der Linien Ginza (銀座線), Hanzōmon (半蔵門線) und Chiyoda (千代田線) der Tōkyō Metro (東京メトロ / とうきょうメトロ).
• Falls Sie keine Stufen laufen möchten, nehmen Sie den Ausgang B3 – von dort sind es ungefähr 10 Minuten bis zum Museum.

Sehen Sie auch:

Nezu Museum (根津美術館)
– Ein Gipfel der Eleganz (鏨の華)
– Beschläge und japanische Schwerter
– aus der Sammlung von Toshimo Mitsumura (光村利藻)
– (1877 – 1955)

In the Garden of the Nezu Museum of Art (根津美術館)

Unexpected tranquility just next to the fashion district of Minami Aoyama (南青山)

Nezu Museum of Art (Garden)

A German version of this posting you can find here.
Eine deutsche Version dieses Artikels finden Sie hier.

People who come to Tōkyō’s posh fashion and shopping street, Omotesandō (表参道 / おもてさんどう), and the adjoining Minami Aoyama (南青山 / みなみあおやま) mostly do so because they are seeking the big names in fashion. None of the famous brands are missing here.

Others may be here for the breathtaking architecture that has found its home in this part of Tōkyō in the 90s and recent years – and in many cases: fashion and architecture find a most intriguing symbiosis here.

Click to enlarge!

Minami Aoyama (南青山)

Minami Aoyama (南青山)

Minami Aoyama (南青山)

Minami Aoyama (南青山)

Minami Aoyama (南青山)

Minami Aoyama (南青山)

Minami Aoyama (南青山)

Minami Aoyama (南青山)

Minami Aoyama (南青山)

The art lover will be acquainted with the „Nezu Museum of Art“ (根津美術館) and its exquisit collections – breathtakingly exhibited in a building by the renowned architect Kengo Kuma (隈･研吾 / くま･けんご). But everybody who isn’t interested in either of them will probably miss at least a gem in Tōkyō’s treasure box of gardens. Therefore, this is just to give you a glimpse of the charm of the garden of the Nezu Museum of Art – which just happened to match a current exhibition of folding screens with irises and wisteria.

Click to enlarge!

Nezu Museum of Art (根津美術館)

Nezu Museum of Art (根津美術館)

Nezu Museum of Art (根津美術館)

Nezu Museum of Art (根津美術館)

Nezu Museum of Art (根津美術館)

Nezu Museum of Art (根津美術館)

Nezu Museum of Art (根津美術館)

Nezu Museum of Art (根津美術館)

Nezu Museum of Art (根津美術館)

Nezu Museum of Art (根津美術館)

Nezu Museum of Art (根津美術館)

Nezu Museum of Art (根津美術館)

Nezu Museum of Art (根津美術館)

Nezu Museum of Art (根津美術館)

Nezu Museum of Art (根津美術館)

Nezu Museum of Art (根津美術館)

The museum is based on a foundation by the Japanese industrialist Kaichirō Nezu (根津･嘉一郎 / ねづ･かいちろう) who lived from 1860 to 1940 and was also the president of the Tōbu Railway Company (東武鉄道 / とうぶてつどう). 1941 the museum was opened in his private residence in Minami Aoyama, gorgeously set in a spacious garden with quite a number of tea houses. Since 2009 the museum found its home in an outstanding example of Kengo Kuma’s work that combines modern style and materials with traditional Japanese elements. Dedicated to pre-modern arts the collection comprises more than 7,400 objects, including seven National Treasures, 87 Important Cultural Properties and 94 Important Art Objects.

Click to enlarge!

Nezu Museum of Art (根津美術館)

Nezu Museum of Art (根津美術館)

Nezu Museum of Art (根津美術館)

Even if you don’t care for all that, you’ll have to bear the consequences… The garden is only accessible through the museum itself, hence, only by paying the admission fee for the museum. But feel free to make up for it by spoiling yourself with a little break in the coffee shop in the garden.

Opening hours

(museum, the garden & the coffee shop):
10:00 am to 5:00 pm (last entry: 4:30 pm).
Closed on Mondays (should a national holiday fall on a Monday the following Tuesday will be closed instead) and during exhibition installations
Also closed during the New Year’s holiday period.

Admission fees

General admission to museum collection
Adult: 1000 Yen
High School Student or above: 800 Yen

General admission to a special exhibition
Adult: 1200 Yen
High School Student or above: 1000 Yen

Groups of 20 or more persons will receive a discount of 200 Yen each person.

How to get there

It is about 8 minutes walk from Exit A5 of Omotesandō station (表参道駅) of the Ginza (銀座線), Hanzōmon (半蔵門線) and Chiyoda (千代田線) Tōkyō Metro lines.
Should you like to avoid stairs, take exit B3 – it’s about 10 minutes walk from there.

Naha – Heiwa Dōri / Ichiba Dōri / Makishi Public Market – 那覇市・平和通り／市場通り／ 牧志公設市場

Okinawa’s invitation to shopping and amazement

A German version of this posting you can find here.
Eine deutsche Version dieses Artikels finden Sie hier.

Naha – Heiwa Dōri (那覇市・平和通り)

To leave the capital of Okinawa (沖縄 / おきなわ), Naha (那覇 / なは) without having had a look at the Heiwa Dōri (平和通り / へいわどおり) and the Ichiba Dōri (市場通り / いちばどり) in the centre of the city, would mean to miss one of the very interesting attractions of it.

This roofed maze of shopping streets stretches out over more than a whole block in the south of the Kokusai Dōri (国際通り / こくさいどおり), the main shopping & entertainment street in the centre of Naha. Also those who knows the large number of roofed shopping malls in the rest of Japan will be caught in amazement here. Everything seems to be more ethnic, the merchandise is much more out of the ordinary and, at least in parts, these shopping malls breath a bit of a Chinese air. Maybe that’s due to the bottled and otherwise conserved snakes one can buy here and there – which look “exotic” even in the eyes of Japanese of more northern prefectures.

Naha – Kokusai Dōri (国際通り

Naha – Heiwa Dōri (那覇市・平和通り)

Naha – Heiwa Dōri / Ichiba Dōri (那覇市・平和通り／市場どおり)

Naha – Heiwa Dōri / Ichiba Dōri (那覇市・平和通り／市場どおり)

Naha – Heiwa Dōri / Ichiba Dōri (那覇市・平和通り／市場どおり)

Naha – Heiwa Dōri / Ichiba Dōri (那覇市・平和通り／市場どおり)

Naha – Heiwa Dōri / Ichiba Dōri (那覇市・平和通り／市場どおり)

Apart from all that rather exotic stuff, there is also a lot a tourist’s heart may desire. But you will find ordinary shops for any kind of textiles, lots of drugstores and also quite a number of shops that offer the rather strong local liquor specialty, the Awamori (泡盛 / あわもり). Awamori a kind of schnapps made from long-grained rice and usually comes in a range of alcoholic strength between 30 and 43 vol.%. Not unlike the Shōchū (焼酎 / しょうちゅう) in other areas of Japan, this Awamori may be compared with Wodka. Furtheremore, it has the reputation of being one of those elixirs that make the inhabitants of Okinawa the most long-living ones in Japan.

You can drink Awamori in all thinkable combinations. But it seems to be most popular with the local people, if it’s combined just with water and ice. And, by the way, Awamori is one of the liquors that actually mature with age (age of the liquor – not age of the drinker….) and get more expensive the older they get.

Awamori (泡盛)

Makishi Publci Market (entrance) (牧志公設市場の入り口)

Located at the western edge of the maze of shopping malls between the Heiwa Dōri and the Ichiba Dōri you’ll find the one place you might not have expected, the Makishi Public Market (牧志公設市場 / まきしこうせついちば). This market was established in the early 50s of the last century. Since then the premises were refurbished and extended various times. The most interesting part is located on the ground floor of the market building, because it’s there that you can see all the delicacies of Okinawa at a glance – and how they look before they are “processed” for eating purposes.

If you know that the people of Okinawa favour pork meat much more than the people in the rest of Japan, you’ll probably not that surprised to see one of the undisputed attraction of the market – all others should prepare themselves for some kind of a shock. One of the local delicacies are “pig’s faces”. Not the more or less usual “pig’s heads”! It’s just the faces – then boned heads. And, prepared the right way they are obviously much more delicious than the pure sight might suggest.

I know, these “pig’s faces” are rather weird stuff, even for hard-boiled Bavarians who fancy pig’s heads now and then. But every traveler to Japan ought to be equipped with a generous degree of impartiality.

Makishi Public Market (牧志公設市場)

Makishi Public Market (牧志公設市場)

Makishi Public Market (牧志公設市場)

Makishi Public Market (牧志公設市場)

If pork meat of any kind isn’t your sort of thing, you will find lots and lots of vegetables and all sorts of seafood just as well. But even in this respect Okinawa is a bit different from the other parts of Japan: It’s the most colourful tropical fish that make it to the market and to the dinner tables.

Makishi Public Market (牧志公設市場)

Makishi Markt (牧志公設市場)

Naha – Heiwa Dōri / Ichiba Dōri (那覇市・平和通り／市場どおり)

Naha – Heiwa Dōri / Ichiba Dōri (那覇市・平和通り／市場どおり)

This market surely completes the rather exotic face of this part of Naha and adds some absolutely fascination extra.

Naha – Heiwa Dōri / Ichiba Dōri (那覇市・平和通り／市場どおり)

Naha – Heiwa Dōri / Ichiba Dōri (那覇市・平和通り／市場どおり)

How to get there:

It’s about 10 minutes walk from „Makishi“ (牧志 / まきし)-statio of the Monorail of Naha, the Yui-Rail (ゆいレール). Just follow the Kokusai Dōri (国際通り / こくさいどおり) in southwestern direction and turn left at the Mitsukoshi Department Store (三越 / みつこし) into the Heiwa Dōri (平和通り / へいわどおり), or the next street, the Ichiba Hon Dōri (市場本通り / いちばほんどおり) respectively.

Opening hours of the Makishi Public Market:

Daily 8 am to 8 pm.
Closed every 4th Sunday, as well as during the New Year holidays (January 1st to 3rd).

Zenpukuji & Igusa Hachimangū – 善福寺/井草八幡宮

Architectural liberty & shintō sense of style

A German version of this posting you can find here.
Eine deutsche Version dieses Artikels finden Sie hier.

Today’s excursion introduces us to yet another corner of  Tōkyō which is largely unknown to foreign tourists. However, every step you take in this area may find you thinking: “Yes, indeed! That’s the real Japan!”

It’s about the quarters of Nishi Ogikita (西荻北 / にちおぎきた) and Zenpukuji (善福寺 / ぜんぷくじ) in Tōkyō’s Suginami distrikt (杉並区 / すぎなみく), the westernmost of the city’s 23 central wards. While Nishi Ogikubo station (西荻窪 / にしおぎくぼ), the starting point for our little walk, still has a rather metropolitan flair, it doesn’t take long after you’ve left the station via its north exit, to know that you’ve left the centre of Tōkyō behind you. Not much unlike the other quarters alongside the Chūō main line (中央本線 / ちゅうおうほんせん) of Japan Rail (JR), also the area around Nishi Ogikubo station is a lively business and shopping district. The shopping street, pardon, shōtengai (商店街 / しょうてんがい) here is, however, a bit more comfy, a bit more quirky than around the stations closer to the centre of the big city. And since the area north of Nishi Ogikubo station is mainly residential (largely consisting of detached houses), it should also not come as a big surprise, if the facades lack the names of internationally renowned brands. But that is more than compensated by a more rustic atmosphere. Everyone who loves old furniture and curios of the world (however, mainly Japanese items) is in the right place here.

Nishi Ogikubo (西荻窪)

Nishi Ogikubo (西荻窪)

Nishi Ogikubo (西荻窪)

We are crossing the residential area north of the station on our way to the ravishingly beautiful shrine, Igusa Hachimangū (井草八幡宮 / いぐさはちまんぐう). And that is the perfect opportunity to have a closer look at Japanese everyday-architecture. Should you believe that Japanese major cities are monsters without any cognizable urban planning, you may find that it doesn’t look much different in settlements of a smaller scale. Architectural liberty appears to be of greater importance than rules of urban development. At the sight of these “individual” houses you may come to wonder how it is possible that “harmony” is the Japanese reason of state. However, like elsewhere in Japan, you should not look for harmony in the “big picture” (because that’s where you won’t find it), but in the detail.

Zenpukuji (善福寺)

Zenpukuji (善福寺)

Here some examples for private residences and smaller businesses/restaurants in the “central suburbs” of  Tōkyō (I know, I know, “central suburb” sounds strange, but after all, Tōkyō is so large that even the central districts have their own suburbs):

Zenpukuji (善福寺)

Zenpukuji (善福寺)

Zenpukuji (善福寺)

Zenpukuji (善福寺)

Zenpukuji (善福寺)

Zenpukuji (善福寺)

Zenpukuji (善福寺)

Zenpukuji (善福寺)

Zenpukuji (善福寺)

Zenpukuji (善福寺)

Zenpukuji (善福寺)

Zenpukuji (善福寺)

Zenpukuji (善福寺)

Zenpukuji (善福寺)

The contrast of this aimless-looking and individualistic way of building a town could hardly be starker when compared with the sublime but simple elegance of traditional and sacral buildings. Just 1,500 metres (as the crow flies – by foot it may take you some 20 to 30 minutes) north of Nishi Ogikubo staition you’ll find such a gem in form of the shintō shrine called Igusa Hachimangū (井草八幡宮 / いぐさはちまんぐう). This shrine is not only famous for its annual festivals and Nō-plays, but also for a yabusame (流鏑馬 / やぶさめ / horseback archery) festival that is held here every five years. And, to top things off: The Igusa Hachimangū is surely one of the most beautiful in the city. Dip into an atmosphere of serenity and tranquility.

Igusa Hachimangū (井草八幡宮)

Igusa Hachimangū (井草八幡宮)

Igusa Hachimangū (井草八幡宮)

Igusa Hachimangū (井草八幡宮)

Igusa Hachimangū (井草八幡宮)

Igusa Hachimangū (井草八幡宮)

Igusa Hachimangū (井草八幡宮)

Igusa Hachimangū (井草八幡宮)

Igusa Hachimangū (井草八幡宮)

Igusa Hachimangū (井草八幡宮)

Igusa Hachimangū (井草八幡宮)

The Zenpukuji park (善福寺公園 / ぜんぷくじこうえん), in the vicinity of the Igusa Hachimangū, may invite you to a leisurely stroll along the banks of the two ponds that have been formed of the waters of the Zenpukuji river (善福寺川 / ぜんぷくじがわ). Should you forget there that you are still in the heart of the multi-million-metropolis, it won’t necessarily mean that you are developing signs of temporary amnesia. You’ll be just a victim of the magic that may happen to you in many of  Tōkyō’s parks.

Even in winter this park is a sanctuary for all sorts of birds. And if it’s true that the kingfisher is sign for a sound natural environment, you’ll be in the very heart of nature here – with a little luck you’ll also be able to watch the tiny kingfisher.

Zenpukuji Park (善福寺公園)

Zenpukuji Park (善福寺公園)

Zenpukuji Park (善福寺公園)

Zenpukuji Park (善福寺公園)

Zenpukuji Park (善福寺公園)

Zenpukuji Park (善福寺公園)

How to get there:
The easiest way is by taking the  JR Chūō line (JR中央線 / JRちゅうおうせん) to Nishi Ogikubo (西荻窪 / にしおぎくぼ). Leave the station via its north exit and follow the little shopping- and business street on the left for about 400 metres in north-western direction. At the next T-crossing take the main street in northern direction – or, if you think you can trust your sense of direction, have a little stroll right through the residential area there.