* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Gotoh Museum
五島美術館
Overview
Overview of the Museum
The Gotoh Museum is a private art museum housing a collection of Oriental antiquities assembled over a lifetime by Keita Gotoh (1882–1959), founder of the Tokyu Group. Opening in 1960 (Showa 35), the museum is located atop a quiet hill in Uenoge, Setagaya Ward, and displays approximately 5,000 pieces in a refined environment where the main building and garden form an integrated whole. The architecture, designed by renowned architect Isoya Yoshida, is modern Japanese architecture in the sukiya style, and its appearance blending seamlessly into the Japanese garden greenery provides an unparalleled setting for displaying Oriental art. As a private museum housing five National Treasures and more than fifty Important Cultural Properties, the Gotoh Museum ranks among Japan's highest standards for cultural preservation and art appreciation.
Principal Collections
The Gotoh Museum's collection spans calligraphy, paintings, ceramics, crafts, swords, and textiles. Most celebrated are the National Treasure fragments of the "Tale of Genji Picture Scroll." Created in the late Heian period, this scroll is among the most important works in Japanese art history as the oldest extant illustrated version of the Tale of Genji, and during the spring special exhibition period each year it draws crowds so great that lines stretch far down the street. In calligraphy, works by the Three Brush Masters—Fujiwara no Sari, Fujiwara no Yukinari, and Ono no Tofu—along with other celebrated Heian and Kamakura calligraphies are displayed, establishing it as a treasure house of calligraphic history.
Sword Collection
The Gotoh Museum's sword collection ranks among the highest quality and quantity of any private museum. It houses multiple masterpieces designated as Important Cultural Properties, with superior examples spanning from old blades of the Heian period to new swords of the Edo period, illustrating the historical development of Japanese swords. Particularly in the old blade category, it includes notable works from the Yamashiro and Bizen traditions. The sword collection assembled by Keita Gotoh with his refined connoisseurship continues to receive high evaluation from specialists. Regarding sword fittings as well, it includes exceptional metalwork such as tsuba, kogai, and kanzashi, and exhibitions allow visitors to experience the complete aesthetic world of sword art.
Japanese Garden and Museum Environment
One of the museum's principal attractions is the Japanese garden spanning approximately 6,000 tsubo (roughly 20,000 square meters) on the Uenoge hill. This undulating garden, designed to make best use of the natural topography of the Tama Hills, features seasonal beauty such as plum blossoms, cherry blossoms, autumn foliage, and a tea house, providing an ideal contemplative space before and after viewing exhibitions. This combination of garden and museum, separated from urban bustle, represents one of the most fitting environments for appreciating Japanese traditional art. The aesthetic sensibility of Keita Gotoh, himself deeply versed in the way of tea, is embodied throughout the architecture, garden, and exhibitions.
Special Exhibitions and Collection Displays
Multiple special exhibitions are held throughout the year, each featuring themed displays from the collection. The National Treasure "Tale of Genji Picture Scroll" is displayed with limited hours each spring, captivating numerous visitors. During special sword exhibitions, Important Cultural Properties are displayed, offering an unmissable opportunity for sword enthusiasts. Despite its location somewhat removed from central Tokyo, its proximity to Uenoge Station on the Tokyu Oimachi Line—just a five-minute walk—makes it accessible to a broad range of visitors.
Highlights
- National Treasure 'Tale of Genji Picture Scroll'—Housing the oldest extant illustrated version of the Tale of Genji, among the highest peaks of Japanese art history. Its limited spring exhibition each year draws viewers from across the nation, a masterpiece of overwhelming renown.
- Important Cultural Properties designated swords—Centered on Yamashiro and Bizen traditions, a group of superior examples demonstrating the historical development of Japanese swords from Heian through Edo periods. A collection selected by Keita Gotoh's discerning connoisseurship.
- Pinnacle of sword fittings and metalwork—A complete array of Edo-period metalwork masterpieces including tsuba, kogai, and kanzashi, some designated Important Cultural Properties. Appreciating these alongside the blades themselves reveals the comprehensive aesthetic world of sword art.
- Sukiya architecture designed by Isoya Yoshida—A masterwork of Showa modernism unified with the Japanese garden, creating an exhibition environment of exceptional refinement. Highly esteemed both domestically and internationally as Tokyo's most elegant museum space.
- Approximately 6,000-tsubo Japanese garden—A hillside garden in Uenoge where plum blossoms, cherry blossoms, autumn foliage, and a tea house paint the seasons. Before and after viewing exhibitions, a retreat from the city where one can savor the quiet beauty of Japanese nature.
* Opening hours and exhibitions are subject to change. Please check the official website before visiting.