Suntory Museum of Art

Art museum in Tokyo, Japan

35°39′59″N 139°43′49″E / 35.66639°N 139.73028°E / 35.66639; 139.73028

The Suntory Museum of Art (サントリー美術館, Santorī Bijutsukan) is an arts museum located in Tokyo Midtown, Roppongi, Tokyo. It is owned by the Suntory corporation. The collection theme of the art works is "Art in life" and they mainly have Japanese antiques. The museum houses more than 3,000 cultural objects, one of which have been designated by the Japanese government as National Treasures, 15 as Important Cultural Properties, and 21 as Important Art Objects (ja).^[1]

History

In 1961, Suntory President Keizo Saji opened the Suntory Museum in the Palace Building in Marunouchi, Chiyoda, Tokyo with the theme of "Art in life". In 1975, it was moved to Suntory Building in Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo. When the Tokyo branch of Suntory was to move to Odaiba in January 2005, the museum was temporarily closed. On March 30, 2007, the former site of the Defense Agency was redeveloped and reopened as a new "Suntory Museum of Art" to be moved into the "Tokyo Midtown". It was temporarily closed in November 2019, renovated, and reopened in July 2020. As a result, the ceiling was made more earthquake-resistant, the indoor lighting was changed to LED, and the entrance, shops and cafes adjacent to the building, and staff uniforms were renewed. The design of the renewal was supervised by Kengo Kuma, who designed the Tokyo Midtown Garden Site, where the museum is located, and the museum. The Suntory Museum of Art, Mori Art Museum and The National Art Center, Tokyo, comprise the "Roppongi Art Triangle" ^[2]

Gallery

Box with fusenryō design in mother-of-pearl inlay and maki-e, Kamakura period, 13th century, National Treasure
Toyotomi Hidetsugu's gusoku armour, Azuchi–Momoyama period, 16th-17th century
Nanban byōbu, by Kanō Sanraku, Azuchi–Momoyama period, 17th century, Important Cultural Property
Container, earthenware, by Ogata Kenzan. Edo period, first half of 18th century, Important Cultural Property
Dancers painting. Edo period (17th century), Important Cultural Property