Okura Museum of Art
The Okura Museum of Art (Okura Shukokan) in Toranomon, Tokyo, is Japan’s first private art museum, established in 1917 by industrialist Ōkura Kihachirō to preserve Japanese and East Asian art from export during the rapid modernisation of the Meiji era. Its 1927 exhibition hall, designed by architect Itō Chūta in a classical Chinese style with a distinctive bronze roof, is itself a Registered Cultural Property housing three National Treasures and twelve Important Cultural Properties.
At a glance
- Type
- Private art museum (Japan’s first)
- Period
- Founded 1917; current building 1927; major renovation 2014–2019
- Style
- Classical Chinese revival; reinforced concrete with bronze roof
- Location
- 2-10-3 Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo, Japan
- Coordinates
- 35.6669° N, 139.7432° E
Overview
The Okura Shukokan sits within the grounds of the Hotel Okura Tokyo in Toranomon, a few minutes’ walk from the US Embassy. It houses approximately 2,500 works of Japanese and East Asian art spanning painting, sculpture, ceramics, lacquerware, and decorative objects assembled by its founder over decades. The museum reopened in 2019 after a lengthy renovation that modernised its facilities while preserving the architectural character of the 1927 hall.
History
Ōkura Kihachirō began collecting in the late 19th century, alarmed by the volume of Japanese art objects leaving the country in the wake of the Meiji Restoration. He opened the original museum building in Akasaka in 1902 and then the purpose-built Toranomon hall in 1917, making it the first facility in Japan dedicated exclusively to private art display. The 1923 Great Kantō Earthquake destroyed the building and many of its displayed pieces, though works in storage survived. Architect Itō Chūta designed the replacement hall in 1927 in a Chinese palace style using reinforced concrete, and this structure has since been designated a Registered Cultural Property. The museum underwent its most extensive renovation from 2014 to 2019.
What you see
The 1927 hall’s Chinese-style tile roof, sweeping eaves, and double-tiered facade immediately distinguish it from Tokyo’s surrounding modern streetscape. Inside, the three National Treasures include a Heian-period wooden sculpture of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva on a white elephant, a 13th-century scroll painting of Imperial Guard Cavalry, and a preface to the Kokinshū attributed to Minamoto no Shunrai. Twelve further Important Cultural Properties and a broad range of ceramics, lacquerware, and paintings from Japan, China, and Korea complete the permanent holdings.
Cultural significance
As Japan’s first private museum, the Okura Shukokan established the model of enlightened industrial patronage that shaped Japanese private collecting through the 20th century. Its founding mission — to prevent the dispersal of national cultural heritage abroad — remains directly relevant in today’s global art market, and the museum’s three National Treasures give it a scholarly importance well beyond its relatively modest size.
Practical information
- Address
- 2-10-3 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0001
- Opening hours
- Check official website for current hours and temporary exhibition schedule
- Website
- www.shukokan.org
Getting there
The closest station is Toranomon Hills Station (Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line), a short walk from the museum entrance. Kamiyacho Station (Hibiya Line) and Toranomon Station (Ginza Line) are also within easy walking distance. The museum is located on the Hotel Okura Tokyo grounds, making it straightforward to identify from the street.