Tokyo | Rainy days are perfect for visiting the Nezu Museum designed by Kengo Kuma

If you like Japanese gardens and Kengo Kuma's designs, then the Nezu Museum located in Minami Aoyama is a must-visit. This private museum, created by Kaichiro Nezu, is also a symbol of Japan's old wealth. He had a personal liking for antiques, bronzes, and Buddhist statues. The museum was originally Nezu's private residence, which was later redesigned by Kengo Kuma into a museum and opened to the public. Apart from the museum's own collection, the Japanese garden is also a highlight, featuring a Japanese tea house surrounded by greenery. However, many of the museum's collections are Chinese Buddha heads, which are quite thought-provoking to see. ☕️Nezu Cafe: Many people visit Nezu, and a big reason must be for this tea house! This cafe, also designed by Kengo Kuma and hidden in the Japanese garden, is enveloped in greenery and is very photogenic. The seats by the window are the most popular. The coffee and desserts here are decent without being exceptional, and the prices are not expensive. 📸Photography tips: If you want to capture the Nezu Museum without any disturbances, look no further ✅Best time to shoot: Weekdays, rainy days, just before closing or right after opening. This timing is particularly important. On the day I visited, it was a light rainy weekday in Tokyo, so there were relatively few tourists. ✅How to get a shot of the usually busy Nezu cafe without people? The tea house actually closes at 4:30 pm, so they stop serving customers after 4 pm. I was actually the last customer that day, and even the tables were already cleaned up. That's how I managed to take pictures freely. ✅Take a shot of the bamboo grove corridor at the entrance before leaving the museum to capture an empty scene ✅A light rainy day is ideal for shooting the garden, as walking with an umbrella in the Japanese garden is very pleasant. If you get tired, you can sit down in a small pavilion and listen to the rain. 🎫Ticket: No reservation needed, just buy on-site ⏰Business hours: 10:00-17:00 (Closed on Mondays) 🌿Surroundings: 🔶Shopping: After visiting the Nezu Museum, you can shop around Minami Aoyama. There are stores like Issey Miyake, Rei Kawakubo, Prada, Lelabo, etc. I also bought a limited edition flap shoulder from Issey Miyake here, which I haven't seen in China, so no worries about clashing bags. Omotesando and Roppongi are not far from here. 🔶Museums: If you have an entire afternoon for exhibitions, you can also visit the National Art Center and the Mori Art Museum, with the Mori Art Museum being a perfect spot to end the day with a sunset or night view. (See other notes for details) 🔶Food: After coming out of the Mori Art Museum, you can have dinner in Roppongi Hills or Omotesando, or take a stroll to the nearby Azabu Juban.