Nezu Museum

The Nezu Museum in Minato, Tokyo, houses the collection of railway industrialist Nezu Kaichiro (1860 to 1940), who amassed over 7400 pre-modern Japanese and Asian art treasures. Seven works in the collection are classified as National Treasures, including Ogata Korin's famous Irises folding screens from the early 18th century, shown for just a few weeks each spring. The museum was rebuilt in 2009 by architect Kengo Kuma; its bamboo roof and long entrance corridor are themselves a pilgrimage for architecture fans. Behind the galleries opens a roughly 17000 square metre Japanese garden with teahouses, stone lanterns, Edo-period Buddha statues and a cafe overlooking the pond. The Aoyama location makes Nezu a quiet island amid the fashion boutiques.