One of the favorite pastimes in Ueno is enjoying the changing seasons, including the cherry blossoms that celebrate spring. ASAKURA Fumio was a sculptor who became the driving force of Japanese modern sculpture, and was the first sculptor to receive the Order of Culture. The garden at his studio and residence is a perfect place where you can appreciate the beauty of the four seasons. We visited the ASAKURA Museum of Sculpture in early spring.
The museum is “National-designated Place of Scenic Beauty”
A five-minute leisurely stroll from Nippori Station will bring you to ASAKURA Museum of Sculpture, which was formerly studio and residence of Fumio ASAKURA, Japan’s great sculptor. The place exhibits his work, together with the essence of beauty he pursued relentlessly. The whole site, courtyard and garden, has been designated National Site of Scenic Beauty as “the former ASAKURA Fumio Garden.”
There are two scenic gardens, truly worthy of the designation.
The courtyard garden is surrounded by the studio and residence on four sides. It was designed by the landscape artist NISHIKAWA Sataro based on ASAKURA’s concept. The garden which measures about 10 meters north/south, 14 meters east/west is a dense space filled with rocks brought in from various locations in Japan, beautifully manicured trees and shrubs, and abundant water. Come spring shrubs of himeutsugi (Slender deutzia) and sharinbai (Rhaphiolepis umbellate) start blooming, followed by sarusuberi (Crape myrtle) and mukuge (Hibiscus syriacus) in the summer. Fall is marked by maple leaves changing color, then come plum blossoms and sazanka (Camellia sasanqua) in the winter. Visitors can take in the scenery together with the surrounding architecture which embodies ASAKURA’s beliefs and philosophy regarding beauty.
The view from the rooms and corridor on the first floor is different from impressions garnered from the second and third floors. The same garden will look quite different depending on the vantage point and the different seasons. ASAKURA may have looked out from the veranda taking in the beauty of his garden, his five senses sharp and alert, as he contemplated ideas for his work.
The courtyard can be viewed from the both the studio wing and the residential wing.The residential wing, viewed from the side facing the Tennoji temple. A stone-paved path connects the gate and the entrance.
There is another garden, up on the roof of the studio wing which is a reinforced concrete construction. ASAKURA’s rooftop garden is well known as the forerunner of rooftop greening. It was formerly put to use for the “ASAKURA Sculpture School” that ASAKURA led, for the students to practice gardening. The rooftop garden gave shape to ASAKURA’s belief that “growing plants leads to nurturing an eye for nature”. Visitors can enjoy the airy garden where huge olive trees grow and roses bloom during all four seasons.
The rooftop garden brings sculptures and plants together
The rooftop garden is full of various foliage, two sculptures by ASAKURA, and should be taken in together with the magnificent view. Installed at the tip of the garden, is “Shot putter”. A young athlete wearing a cap backwards, probably a shot-putter, is seated with his left hand holding a ball. His gaze is cast on the Yanaka neighborhood, as if he is keeping watch over ASAKURA’s beloved town.
The other sculpture is a cement bust of “Langdon WARNER”. From this vantage point, you can see the Sky Tree reaching straight into the sky — sculpture, garden and building blend right into Tokyo’s landscape.
The courtyard was carefully planned by ASAKURA and completed in 1935; the rooftop garden was an innovative creation. The ASAKURA Museum of Sculpture is a mélange of two gardens and architecture, a masterpiece worthy of ASAKURA.
The staircase from the rooftop garden leading to the “Orchid room”. The rooftop garden is closed on rainy days. Make sure to plan your visit when the weather is fine.The rooftop garden offers a panoramic view of the Yanaka. The statue “Shot putter” is installed at the center, on the edge, as if keeping watch over the neighborhood.Bust of “Langdon WARNER”. The inside wall is finished with scratched face tiles which were popular at the time.Walls of the studio wing. When you study the black surface carefully, you can see the wood grain patterns left when concrete was poured. The “Shot putter” sitting on the rooftop garden can be seen upper left. The “Orchid room” on the second floor of the studio was a greenhouse where ASAKURA cultivated Asian orchids.
Text: OKUDA Takahiro Photos: MIYOSHI Fumitaka
ASAKURA Museum of Sculpture
Hours: 9:30-16:30 (Last entry 16:00) Closed: Mondays and Thursdays (Next day, if scheduled closing falls on a public holiday), Year-end and New Year May close temporarily for exhibition changes Admission: General 500 yen (300 yen) Elementary, middle and high school students 250 yen (150 yen) ※The price in parentheses is for groups with 20 or more people. ※Please remove shoes when entering building, and make sure to wear socks. Slippers or room shoes are not allowed. ※The rooftop garden may be closed due to bad weather and other reasons. http://www.taitocity.net/zaidan/ASAKURA/
※This article is based on information available as of February 2020. (The museum is currently closed as of April 2020. Please refer to the website for future schedules.)
