Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum

Built in 1933 with a traditional Japanese tea garden of maples, wisteria, "sazanqua" winter camellias, a pond, rivulets, stone bridges and lanterns and tea pavilions as the royal residence of Prince Asaka, this small palace is a splendid example of Parisian-style Art Deco, which the prince and princesses loved during the time that the prince was recovering from an accident while on duty in France; and just the building itself is worth the short trip by subway or JR train from Meguro Station. Also formerly used as a State Guesthouse it is beautifully tended and was recently refurbished to be wheelchair accessible with ramps and an elevator, the breath-taking interior decor with fine works, such as Lalique's white porcelain fountain-lamp, Japanese turn-of-the century Western-style paintings and bold new Japanese lacquer installation pieces are complemented by exquisite changing exhibitions through the year. A good Western-style restaurant, coffee/tea shop and 2 museum shops are attached.