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The Nezu Museum of Art was established in 1941 in the private residence of Kaichiro Nezu I (1860-1940), an industrialist who served as president of the Tobu Railway Company, to preserve and exhibit his collection of Japanese and Oriental antiques. Concerned about the outflow of Japanese artwork overseas after the Meiji era, Kaichiro collected an unusually wide range of items for a private collection, including paintings, calligraphy, sculpture, ceramics, lacquerware, textiles, and metalwork. In his later years, while enjoying tea ceremony under the name of Seizan, he collected tea utensils, which are also an important pillar of the collection. The collection currently contains over 7,600 items, including seven national treasures, 88 important cultural properties, and 94 important art objects.

The main building, designed by Kengo Kuma, was newly renovated and opened in 2009. In a space with a Japanese atmosphere, the museum holds seven exhibitions a year, each with a different theme, featuring a wide range of work from its collection. After the exhibitions, visitors can enjoy a stroll in the 17,000㎡ garden, which still retains remnants of the Nezu family's private residence.

Beautiful Lives—Birds and Flowers in Japanese and East Asian Art