INFORMATION

• addressMeiji Seimeikan 1F, 2-1-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda City, Tokyo
• tel050-5541-8600
• business_hour10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (Fridays: 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.）　　
  Admission until 30 minutes before closing
• accessDirectly connected to Subway Nijubashimae <Marunouchi> Sta. Exit 3
  5-minute walk from JR Tokyo Sta. Marunouchi South Exit
  5-minute walk from JR Yurakucho Sta. International Forum Exit

Seikado Bunko Art Museun proudly houses many kinds of national treasures and historic artworks, one of the greatest archives in Japan.

To get to Seikado Bunko Art Museum, it is 3 minutes walk from Subway Nijubashimae Station and 5 minutes walk from JR Tokyo Station or Yurakucho Station. On the occasion of the relocation of the exhibition gallery inside the Meiji Seimei Kan in October 2022, we will introduce the history of the foundation of Seikado Bunko Art Museum and attractions of the exhibition after relocation.

Photo by Koji Fujii / TOREAL

Seikado Bunko Art Museum was founded and expanded by two generations (father and son), the second president IWASAKI Yanosuke and the fourth president Iwasaki Koyata of Mitsubishi. Before having a function of a museum, the museum was operated as a library named Seikado Bunko in Iwasaki Yanosuke's residence. In 1940, Iwasaki Koyata built Seikado Bunko in Setagaya today. Then 1945, after Iwasaki Koyata died, artworks mainly national treasures and important cultural properties were donated according to his will.

In 1977, the artworks began to be open to the public in an exhibition pavilion attached to Seikado Bunko. Later, in 1992, Seikado Bunko Art Museum was newly established to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the founding of Seikado Bunko. And in October, 2022, 130 years after the establishment, the exhibition gallery was relocated to the 1st floor of Meiji Seimeikan and the Seikado@Marunouchi was opened.

Meiji Seimeikan, designated as an important cultural property.

At Seikado@Marunouchi, there are several rotating exhibitions depending on the time of year. The highlight is called "Celebrate early spring―Seven good luck rabbits are coming!" from January 2nd to February 4th, 2023. At the exhibition, Seven Good Luck Gods with crowns of rabbits with their Treasure ship towing and Palaquin Procession as well as as many as 58 Japanese Gosho dolls made by "Master Craftsman of Showa era", OKI Heizo.

"Treasure ship towing" from "Woodcarving colored Japanese Gosho Dolls" (1939) by Oki Heizo, the fifth

National Treasure ”Yohen tenmoku (Inaba tenmoku)" Southern Sung period (12th~13th century)

At the exhibition, you can also see the national treasure, Yohen tenmoku (Inaba Tenmoku), said to have been handed down from the Tokugawa Shoguns. It is said there are only 3 of them in Japan that exist in complete form.

In addition, among exhibits, there are auspicious subjects of paintings of Japan and China, as well as bowls and tea ceremony utensils with auspicious designs perfect for New Year's Day. You can see many pieces that are appropriate for the new year and bring you luck.

You can meet national treasures and artworks exhibited only here at Seikado Bunko Art Museum. If you like art and history, you can enjoy yourself even more. Another highlight of the museum is the architecture of the newly relocated building. Please visit the Seikado Bunko Art Museum to sharpen your aesthetic sense.

The information is current as of January 2023.