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Tokyo - the cultural and artistic capital of Japan boasts numerous cultural and artistic landmarks. In this segment of 'A Day Exploring Tokyo,' we venture to Komaba Park in Meguro, Tokyo. If you have a penchant for ancient architecture, Japanese literature, and traditional art, Komaba Park is the ideal destination for your day trip. Join us for a leisurely stroll around the park to immerse yourself in nature while discovering the artistic treasures it holds!
Tokyo Spots I'm Eager to Visit
I'm sure many readers have either compiled a list of cafes to explore or have a map marked with various sights to visit on their phones, much like myself. As a long-time resident of Tokyo from Taiwan, my Google Maps is always dotted with a myriad of attractions I wish to visit in the future.
When planning this article, I opened Google Maps and pondered on where I wanted to go. A cafe in Komaba Park called 'Bundan Coffee & Beer' marked on Google Maps caught my attention. This must be a place I've seen in a magazine or TV show long forgotten. Upon checking, I discovered that the park is also home to the Museum of Contemporary Literature of Japan and the Former Maeda Earldom Residence, along with the Folk Craft Museum of Japan nearby. While not a place I frequently visit, I thought I could learn something interesting about Tokyo and Japanese culture, so I invited a friend to join me on this journey of art and literature exploration!
The Komaba Area in Meguro, Tokyo
The word 'Komaba' in Japanese contains a character meaning 'horse.' This originates from the fact that during the Edo period (1603-1868), Japanese generals maintained a falconry farm in 'Komabano,' meaning 'horse field,' where they would tether their horses while out hunting. Of course, in modern-day Tokyo, there are no horses, but the name persists.
We thought Komaba would be a blend of the Okushibu area and Shimokitazawa, but when we disembarked at Komaba-todaimae Station on the Inokashira Line, contrary to our expectations, what lay before us was a quiet entrance leading to the Komaba Campus of the University of Tokyo, a McDonald's, and some small shops along the road. The sound of trains and cicadas made Komaba a completely different area from a bustling university town.
*Okushibu: Oku-Shibuya, also known as Ura (hidden) Shibuya. This area lies between Shibuya Tokyu Main Store and Yoyogi Hachiman Station. In recent years, this location has become popular with tourists due to its elegant cafes and a plethora of shops.
Komaba Park: A green oasis amidst Tokyo's residential area
Following the map and signs, we arrived at Komaba Park, nestled in a quiet residential area. If you take the Inokashira Line, you can enter from the south gate via a narrow road, or walk along Komaba-dori Street and enter the park through the east gate with bamboo fences and plenty of greenery. If you walk from Yoyogi Uehara Station, the main gate is the most convenient option. The entrance gate and guardhouses here have been designated as a National Important Cultural Property, exuding an elegant atmosphere.
Stepping into the park, the lush green scenery made us feel like we were in the middle of Tokyo. Around us, a family was searching for beetles, a man was leisurely reading a book under a tree, high school students in summer uniforms strolled through the park, and other interesting scenes of Japanese summer unfolded.
Former Maeda Count's Residence: A glimpse into the early Showa-era noble life
At the heart of Komaba Park lies a remarkably unique building resembling something you'd find on the other side of the “Anywhere Door” – a magical artifact from “Doraemon”. This was the residence of Count Toshinari Maeda, the 16th head of the Maeda clan, who was once the feudal lord of Kaga (present-day Ishikawa Prefecture).
Count Maeda had traveled extensively throughout Europe and decided to design his new mansion in Komaba upon returning to Japan in 1927 after serving as a military officer at the Japanese Embassy in the United Kingdom. In addition to serving as the residence for the count's family, the “Western-style Building” of this mansion was also used to entertain foreign dignitaries, while the “Japanese-style Building” was used to introduce them to Japanese culture.
The Western-style building was inspired by country estates in rural England, most prominently displayed in the central porte-cochere entrance (an exterior passageway large enough for a car to pass through) with a turret resembling a pointed castle tower on the right side. To the south is a terrace with a three-arched vaulted roof, along with a balcony on the second floor. The porte-cochere, entrance, and corridors all feature flat, vaulted arches, commonly seen in Tudor-style architecture. Upon closer inspection, the brown tiles covering the walls are the same type of tiles used in the former Royal Hotel and other historic buildings in Taiwan. One of the fascinating aspects of admiring these buildings is recognizing their connections to other architectural structures, allowing you to envision past architectural and design trends.
Upon entering the mansion, we encountered various chandeliers of different styles, elegant reception rooms of various sizes, and a large dining room with a fireplace made of white marble. There were also some other remarkable amenities, such as a button to summon butlers and servants. Everything here exuded luxury and sophistication.
However, the dining area of this building is rather simple. This is because this area is used as an internal space for staff, simple yet fully functional.
Connecting to the second floor is a grand staircase at the center, intricately carved with acanthus leaf motifs that were very popular in Europe at that time. This impressive design also makes use of the space under the staircase. While such spaces are often used for storage or as bathrooms nowadays, this space has been designed into an inglenook (a cozy nook) resembling the exterior of the building with a fireplace and sofa seats.
On the second floor, we toured study rooms, bedrooms, and children's rooms. We were amazed at the efforts to restore, preserve, and recreate cultural assets here. Through layouts preserved in black-and-white photographs and remnants of wallpaper and carpets, the rooms in the villa have been recreated to closely resemble their original appearance. The books in the study room were retained by later generations of the Maeda clan and are displayed as they were when the mansion was still in use.
To accentuate the inherent charm of the original building, adjustments have been made here, installing various digital devices and more. What used to be the room of the third son is now a library, showcasing travel magazines about Kanazawa in Ishikawa Prefecture, an area closely associated with the Maeda clan. The protrusion on the right side of the building is being renovated and equipped with an elevator, ensuring visitors can easily access it without compromising its original beauty.
The exhibition room also features many contrasting paintings between the past and the present. Through this exhibition room, you can see that the Maeda clan enjoyed skiing and horseback riding in the square, furniture in the bedroom imported from a high-end British furniture manufacturer, along with a munafuda prayer card for the completion of the architectural work. The meeting room here is also used to screen videos to help visitors understand more about the history of the building.
During the tour, the staff here shared with us details about the next renovation plan of the mansion. Listening to them explain, I was deeply impressed by the desire to preserve Japan's history. Although this is a priceless historical monument, admission is free, and visitors can take photos as they please, even organizing free tours with volunteers. The adjacent Japanese-style building also offers accommodation for tourists and hosts various events such as tea ceremonies, flower arrangement, and haiku recitals. Through this, we can clearly perceive the high cultural awareness and respect for Japan's historical architectural landmarks. After the tour, you will definitely want to explore more of Tokyo's historical architectural landmarks – and that's our sentiment too!
Contemporary Japanese Cultural Museum: Reflecting on Japanese literary masterpieces
In Japanese history, the period of 'early modernization' lasted from the Meiji Restoration (1868) to the end of World War II (1945). Despite emerging many years ago, Japanese literature during this era always transcends time and carries a peculiar allure. Renowned Japanese writers of this period include Ryunosuke Akutagawa, Natsume Soseki, Yasunari Kawabata, and Osamu Dazai, whose works have been translated and published in multiple languages and are still widely read today. Ryunosuke Akutagawa's 'In a Grove' has been included in the language textbooks of high schools in Taiwan, my homeland.
For lovers of Japanese literature (and those proficient in Japanese), the Contemporary Japanese Cultural Museum, located right next to the Main Maeda House and Japanese-style Mansion, is an ideal destination.
First, we perused the postcards available at the counter near the entrance on the first floor. Here, there are first-edition covers of famous Japanese works, along with images of manuscripts and other related photos. I found postcards about novels I had read, including 'The Sound of the Mountain,' 'The Dancing Girl of Izu,' and 'Sunset.'
There is also a reading room to the right of the counter, where you can borrow books from the collection. However, you will need to pay an entrance fee. You will also need to purchase tickets to enter the exhibition on the second floor, which is regularly organized by the museum.
Through presentations introducing handwritten manuscripts, this exhibition helped us understand how Kokoro was developed and provided insight into the creative process of literary works. Additionally, it deepened our understanding of the characters in the novel, along with photos depicting the story's setting, even including a 3D image. The exhibition also described the literary characters' reactions to 'the seppuku of Maresuke Nogi,' an important historical event mentioned in the novel.
In addition to exhibitions, the museum also offers many courses and lectures for visitors, including the 'Voice Library' event, where authors read their own works. Visitors can listen to Japanese readings with gentle melodies—a joy lost when reading silently.
If you're interested in Japanese storytelling, we highly recommend spending time at the Contemporary Japanese Cultural Museum. After visiting, you'll surely love and appreciate the importance of places like this in preserving invaluable literary treasures.
Bundan Coffee & Beer: A perfect blend of coffee and books
After indulging in literary exhibitions, we took a break at Bundan Coffee & Beer, nestled in a corner on the first floor of the museum. This café is adorned with gentle lights, cozy antique wooden furniture, creating an incredibly charming vintage atmosphere. However, what caught our attention was a gigantic bookshelf, housing around 20,000 books! Visitors are free to choose any book to read while enjoying breakfast or afternoon tea here.
For many, the most appealing aspect of Bundan café is its intriguing literary-themed menu. Rich in literary essence, this menu features dishes from famous novels, along with drinks named after authors and their works. Additionally, there are detailed explanations behind the origin of each dish's name, as well as quotations from related books.
For instance, the grilled salmon sandwich inspired by Ango Sakaguchi is derived from Ango Sakaguchi, a native of Niigata Prefecture and author of the works 'Buraiha' and 'Decadent School.' Sakaguchi authored 'Waga Kufuseru Ojiya' (My Cooking Recipe) at the age of 44, where he vividly described how he improved his hometown dishes, including the grilled salmon sandwich. Bundan has slightly adjusted the cooking recipe, adding onions and bell peppers to make the salmon more flavorful. We relished this hearty meal for breakfast and gained a lot of energy!
In addition to food, Bundan is renowned for its desserts. The sundae, based on the novel 'Lemon,' a masterpiece by Japanese writer Kajii Motojiro, has a light and refreshing sweetness. The baked goods named after the great writer William Shakespeare, topped with a special salty caramel sauce, are equally enticing. Even if you don't speak Japanese, you can still immerse yourself in the local literary world through these exquisite dishes!
Museum of Japanese Folk Crafts: Exploring the Allure of Traditional Handicrafts
Leaving Komaba Park, we headed to our final destination of the day: the Museum of Japanese Folk Crafts.
Those fond of Japanese tableware and design aficionados may be familiar with the name Sori Yanagi. Yanagi's household goods are beloved for their modern design, smooth curves, and user-friendly functionality, all crafted to fit 'the hands of the users'. Yanagi's creative philosophy may have stemmed from his father, Muneyoshi Yanagi, renowned as the 'father of the folk crafts movement'.
'Traditional handicrafts' are handmade crafts crafted by artisans. In 1926, Muneyoshi Yanagi published 'Nihon Mingei Bijutsu-kan Setsuritsu Shuisho' (Establishment Declaration of the Museum of Japanese Folk Crafts). He spearheaded a unique movement in Japan to elevate the beauty of everyday utensils. With the support of like-minded individuals, he established the Museum of Japanese Folk Crafts in 1936 to promote this philosophy. Muneyoshi Yanagi served as the museum's first director, later passing the reins to his son, Sori Yanagi—the third to bear this title.
After establishing the museum, Muneyoshi traveled across Japan to study and collect folk crafts, while also promoting the handicraft culture of Korea, Ainu, and indigenous tribes of Taiwan. He championed pottery, paintings, dyed fabrics, lacquerware, woodwork, and other handicrafts made by anonymous artists, products unrecognized in the contemporary Western art context and prevailing artistic philosophies at the time.
The collection at the Museum of Japanese Folk Crafts comprises over 17,000 traditional and contemporary crafts from across Japan and abroad. In addition to collecting, preserving, and conducting research on folk art, the museum also organizes various exhibitions to further elevate Muneyoshi Yanagi's philosophies.
Upon entering the museum, we were impressed by the high ceilings and wooden staircase leading left and right, creating an incredibly refined ambiance. Unlike most museums, there's no set route to follow. Visitors can decide their own tour sequence with a museum map. Notes about the artworks only include the name, technique, and creation date, allowing visitors to understand the displayed items without referring to external information.
The second floor features a large Exhibition Hall, part of the commemorative reconstruction project for the museum's 80th anniversary in 2021. Hosting special exhibitions, natural light from the ceiling reflects down along with the refreshing greenery from Komaba Park, creating a highly relaxing atmosphere. On the first floor is a shop selling exclusive items for the Museum of Japanese Folk Crafts, as well as publications about Muneyoshi Yanagi and folk art. Naturally, there are also countless other magnificent folk art pieces available here.
Although the photos used in this article were taken with permission from the Museum of Japanese Folk Crafts, and there were no visitors in the images, this museum was actually quite bustling with a long line at the registration counter. We were truly impressed by the local community's keen interest in folk art. We look forward to visiting the West Wing area (Muneyoshi Yanagi's former residence), across the street, on our next visit!
The literary experience will surely leave you wanting more
Initially, I only planned to visit a café I randomly marked on my phone, but upon arrival here, the remarkable material collection drew me into a fascinating literary journey. From now on, I am certain that I will regularly visit the Museum of Contemporary Japanese Literature and the Museum of Japanese Folk Crafts and participate in their events. I also look forward to visiting the fountain plaza on the wall and the hallway leading to the Japanese-style building at the Maeda Clan Residence, something we couldn't do this time. From what I know, this location is only open to the public on special occasions.
Through this experience, I feel like I've been handed the key to unlocking an entirely new world. Now, I look forward to visiting more historical landmarks and architectural marvels in Tokyo, reading more Japanese literature, and acquiring some handmade artisanal pieces. I'm sure there are many more literature-based gems in Tokyo that I haven't explored yet, and most importantly, the journey to discover deeper aspects of my city is far from over!
Posted by: Vincent
Keywords: Exploring Tokyo's Komaba Park for insights into Japanese literature, historical architecture, and traditional handicrafts
