Yamatane Museum of Art

Founded in 1966 as Japan’s first museum to specialise in the exhibition of Japanese paintings, the Yamatane Museum of Art was first located in Nihonbashi-Kabutocho. The museum focuses on contemporary works, having over 1,800 items in its collection. Thanks to a renovation, it now has two new exhibition halls (one for special exhibitions and one for their permanent exhibition) located on the first basement level of the basement, which together give the museum approximately twice its previous exhibition space; furthermore, a giant moveable wall, incorporated into the new special exhibition hall, allows an additional capacity with which to house particularly large-scale exhibits. In addition to offering visitors a chance to view some particularly high-class Japanese works of art, the museum also has its own café – named Cafe Tsubaki – located on the first floor, which offers a special wagashi (Japanese confectionary) and matcha (ceremonial green tea) set that includes sweets produced by Kikuya, a well-established confectionary shop located in Aoyama. However, if matcha isn’t your style, another set well worth trying is the café’s organic coffee and confectionary set, which includes a rice-based sweet made by pâtissier Jun Honma.