Photography is not allowed in the museum. Photography is OK at the Masaki Memorial House. Very quiet and relaxing. Admission and other fees can be paid by cash or contactless payment only.

+2

I went to see the autumn exhibition "Ikkyu ーIKKYUー A Glimpse of His Eccentric Madness." This was my first time visiting this museum, and it was because I wanted to see 《Portrait of Ikkyū Sōjun and Mori-jo》. My first impression of the museum was "surprisingly small." Maybe because of that, I felt there weren't as many exhibits as I'd expected, both those about Ikkyu himself and overall. Even so, the Zen culture pieces on display and the East Asian antique art collected by the founder were all truly wonderful. 《Portrait of Ikkyū Sōjun and Mori-jo》 is apparently being shown for the first time since its restoration was completed, and the restoration process was also explained in detail at the venue. Seeing that, I really felt the painting had been brought back to life. Still, it was a shame that photography inside the museum is prohibited.

★Practically had the place to ourselves, great for a date too★ The air conditioning isn't too cold—kind to women and to the planet. Photos aren't allowed inside the museum, but the ¥700円 admission lets you see not only the museum but also the Masaki Memorial House at the back of the grounds, so it's a great deal. On top of that, you can have "tea" at the memorial house for ¥500円. Some of the staff ladies are elegant and gentle-mannered, so the atmosphere was calm and pleasant—good for a date too. However, the entrance and gate of the Masaki Memorial House are low, so "watch your head." Apparently quite a few visitors accidentally bump their heads.

+3

If you like them on Facebook, they'll give you 100 yen off. 【Zen Stories】 I visited on the Sunday of the autumn equinox. Maybe because I went in right at opening, there was no one else around, and I could enjoy the artworks at my own pace. Afterwards, I had matcha at the Masaki Residence. With a pleasant breeze blowing, in a calm Japanese-style room, gazing at the well-kept garden, the tea I sipped while totally relaxing was the best. The staff member who looked after me had a lovely personality, and when I asked about the garden, the hanging scroll, the flowers, the architectural decorations, and so on, they answered very courteously, weaving in all kinds of anecdotes. When I said, "I'd love to hear stories this detailed about the museum's works too," they said, "They're not in today, but our email address is on the website, so feel free to ask there and a curator will answer." The aftercare(?) is spot-on too. Apparently the autumn leaves in the garden will be beautiful a little later. Before COVID, tea gatherings open to the public were apparently held at the hermitage beyond the Amigasa Gate, and there's talk of them restarting soon, or maybe not... I really hope they do! It's a place I want to keep coming back to. 【All Living Things】 This exhibition was also well worth seeing. The animals in the paintings and ceramics were so cute. The garden also has a different charm depending on the season and the weather.

+3

I went to a lot of trouble to get here, and it's closed. Google said it was open so I trusted it and came; it'd be a good idea to check the museum's website before coming.