Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum
Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum, Art Deco museum in Shirokanedai, Tokyo, Japan
The Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum is an art museum inside a former residence in Shirokanedai, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, presenting a white exterior with symmetrical lines and geometric ornaments. A maintained Japanese garden surrounds the main house and connects traditional landscaping with the modern architecture of the thirties.
A member of the imperial family commissioned the construction of this residence in 1933 after spending time in Europe. French craftsmen worked with Japanese architects to create rooms using imported materials and furnishings.
The building preserves its original interiors and shows how Japanese aristocrats adopted Western styles during the 1930s. Visitors walk through rooms where original lighting fixtures and wall coverings remain in place.
Access is via the Yamanote Line to Meguro, from where the grounds are reachable after a short walk. The ground floor with cafe and sales area can be entered without a ticket, while the upstairs exhibition rooms require admission.
The main staircase features a wrought iron banister with floral motifs imported from France. The princess dressing room contains a hidden passage leading directly into a private garden section.
Location: Shirokanedai
Location: Minato
Location: Tokyo
Inception: October 1, 1983
Architects: Yōkichi Gondō, Kume Sekkei
Official opening: October 1, 1983
Architectural style: Art Deco architecture
Accessibility: Wheelchair limited access
Fee: Yes
Operator: 東京都歴史文化財団
Address: 5 Chome-21-9 Shirokanedai, Minato City, Tokyo 108-0071
Phone: +815055418600
Website: https://teien-art-museum.ne.jp
GPS coordinates: 35.63686,139.71927
Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:22
Art Deco shaped cities from the early 1920s through the late 1930s. The style combines geometric patterns, metallic surfaces, and decorative ornament with functional architecture. Buildings display characteristic vertical lines, stepped forms, and symmetrical facades. The Chrysler Building in New York and Marine Building in Vancouver demonstrate the height and elegance of the style in skyscrapers. The Palais de Tokyo in Paris and Museum of Applied Arts in Budapest show its cultural applications. The Hoover Building in London and Daily Express Building in Manchester represent commercial architecture of the era. Cincinnati Union Terminal, Warner Theatre in Washington, and Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles document the style's popularity in public buildings. The reach extended worldwide. Edificio Bacardi in Havana, Kavanagh building in Buenos Aires, and New India Assurance Building in Mumbai show regional interpretations. Villa Empain and Stoclet Palace in Brussels, Municipal House in Prague, Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum, and Universum Kino in Berlin document European and Asian presence. Tiong Bahru Estate in Singapore demonstrates the application to residential developments. The Miami Design Preservation League preserves one of the largest concentrations of Art Deco buildings in the United States. This collection includes public, private, and commercial structures that document the movement's international influence.
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