A space-time trip in early spring to a small world! Hotel Gajoen Tokyo "Hundred Stages of Traveling Time" Experience Report | OVO

We are just waiting for spring after the beginning of spring. Hotel Gajoen Tokyo is a unique museum hotel with Japanese beauty that you can see when you go down Gyoninzaka from Meguro Station. At the Tokyo designated tangible cultural property "Hundred Stages" (other than the cultural property "Hundred Stages"), a special exhibition "Hundred Stages Traveling Time" will be held until April 10, 2022 (Sun). It's inside. I went on a journey to explore the beauty of the cultural property "Hundred Stages" with the lovely little world of miniature art and chicks.

Art appreciation at "Hundred Stages", a cultural property with a history of more than 85 years

Inside the gorgeous Hotel Gajoen Tokyo, the so-called "Hundred Stages" is the only existing wooden building built in 1935 and designated as a tangible cultural property designated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. increase.

The seven banquet halls connected by the 99-step corridor of zelkova boards depict the world of beauty created by famous painters of the time, and various special exhibitions are held in each room for each season. increase.

Until Sunday, April 10, 2022, "Hundred Stages of Traveling Time" is being held. January 1st (Sat / holiday) -"Early Spring Tour" (end), January 15th (Sat) -March 27th (Sun) is the world of paper crafts and miniatures, and the "small world" where chicks gather. From March 28th (Monday) to April 10th (Sunday), you can enjoy the joy of spring in three sessions: a walk around the Meguro River, which is a famous place for cherry blossoms, and a "spring tour" where you can enjoy Japanese paintings of flowers in the four seasons. It is unfolding.

This time, I took a peek at the "small world". Since the venue is a Japanese-style room, it is a tour with bare feet NG, taking off shoes, bringing slippers and wearing socks. Let's go now!

Hina in the elevator hall

When you get off the elevator on the 3rd floor, you will be greeted by the chicks of "Harakoushu" in Asakusabashi with the cherry blossoms.

"Takasu Hara" was founded in 1911 (Meiji 44). The world of doll beauty that the second generation, Takasu Hara, elegantly created the noble aesthetic sense of the kimekomi doll completed by the first Mr. Hara Beishu, and the third generation, Yuko Hara, fused and refined the modern sense. The decoration is beautiful in every detail, and the plump and gentle expression is impressive.

Profound beauty "between ten ridges"

The first room is "Ten Ridge Room". The four seasons of bird-and-flower paintings by Japanese painter Araki Jippo are colorfully drawn on the ceiling.

Raden work and cloisonne work are also displayed on the lattice to shine and surround the room. The alcove and Kumiko shoji are also different in each room, so let's go around while watching the structure in every corner.

In addition, each room introduces episodes from the time of its founding with video and audio, so you can know the background while watching!

Gold and powerful "between fishing lumberjacks"

A gorgeous "Lumberjack Room" finished with pure gold leaf, pure gold mud, and pure gold sand.

On the ceiling, the flowers and plants of the four seasons of the original Kikuchi Kashu are embossed, and in the space between the columns, the five festivals of the original Otake Chikuha are embossed.

A scene of "Chinese fishing lumberjack question and answer" is also sculpted on the floor pillar of a large cypress tree estimated to be 200 to 300 years old, and you can still feel the breath of the whole room and be overwhelmed!

Showa when various arts blossomed. In an era when artists and craftsmen who lost their jobs due to the global depression continued, the founder Rikizo Hosokawa bought the works of Japanese painters, hired painters and craftsmen to live in, and made efforts to create art in the hall. .. A place of art, from famous painters to works by young artists.

"Kusaoka no Ma" for a little play

The spacious "Sokyu no Ma" is a spacious room that was originally divided into two rooms.

A "small house" is displayed in the center of a large room surrounded by the flowers and birds of the four seasons drawn by Isobe Sokyu and the scenery of Matsubara with powerful branches.

A nostalgic house owned by the Kaiseki restaurant "Nikiya" in Kitaurawa, Saitama Prefecture.

Inside the house, chicks are displayed in kotatsu and braziers,

The armor of the Dragon Boat Festival is also displayed, hoping for the growth of the child.

Similarly, the kimekomi doll "Small Hina-sama" in the "Futakiya" collection is really small and expressive.

A large collection of cute toys such as haniwa and clogs!

The auspicious tsurushi kazari created by the "Edosaki Tsurushi Kazari" in Inashiki City, Ibaraki Prefecture, and the zodiac dolls are also displayed and lively! Polite affection is transmitted to each one.

This is also an auspicious red uchikake and peach blossom! It is a time when the love of adults who wish for the happiness of children overflows from the "world of chick play" whose etymology is "small play" that loves small things.

"Between still water" in the tiny world

Japanese painters such as Seisui Hashimoto, Shuho Ikegami, and Otsuki Koyama painted phoenixes and flowers in the "Shimizu no Ma". A very small world will spread.

The central table is the work of a miniature wood carving artist, Nobuhisa Koide. A small world that is invisible to the naked eye, created using various materials with wood as the main material! Cats, mice, helmets, ships, etc. can be drawn into the details by looking through the magnifying glass!

"Dead Sansui" of "Midoriya Nikogusa" that sells mini bonsai and moss balls. When you look at the world of a small garden, you will gradually feel the tranquility in your heart.

This is a light painting by "Chiharu Irie" who lives in Fukuoka City. A unglazed doll lives alive in a small house with a traditional tiled roof.

The title of the work is Hakata dialect full of local love! The title of the work, "Anshan, Hayohayo," is just a festival of the Dragon Boat Festival with a carp streamer in hand. Wearing a newspaper helmet and straddling the horse's older brother, you can hear the laughter of the child.

In the title of the work, "Machitto Hanare Minshai," the little ones are crazy about CRT TV, but maybe it's a souvenir, my brother is happy to open Hakata's famous "Hakata-dori-mon"! The warm everyday moments are cut out in each house, and the viewer can think of his hometown.

"Between Starlight" in the world of cooking

Itakura Seiko's "Starlight Room" depicts the flowers of the four seasons. Drawing with familiar motifs such as persimmons and dragonflies that nostalgic for your hometown, the lower the ceiling, the narrower it is, and it is a mysteriously calming space.

At the time of the founding of "Meguro Gajoen", the predecessor of "Hotel Gajoen Tokyo", Japanese food and Beijing food were the main dishes. It seems that the rotary table was introduced from the heart of hospitality.

In the back, the cushion, the turntable, the shadow of Mr. Nakai carrying the food, and the state of the banquet at that time are reproduced. It is calculated that when you sit down, you can see the ceiling painting and immerse yourself in a sense of luxury.

Here is an exhibition of miniature dishes and tables from "Kenelephant," which develops capsule toys that are very popular with both adults and children. It looks delicious in pop and you want to collect it!

"Kiyokata no Ma" that gets into the famous scene

A tea room-style "Kiyokata no Ma" created by Kiyokata Kaburagi, a master of bijin-ga.

The DIY kit brand "Tsukuru" was born with the concept of "enjoying the things to make" between the floors of the space where the flowers of the four seasons and beautiful paintings are drawn, and the shoji fittings and kumiko that are transparent to the sun cast shadows on the tatami mats. ® ”paper crafts and wood puzzles,

In the detailed Japanese and Western rooms and shopping streets of "Billy" that handles dollhouse kits and miniature parts,

House models such as animations and movies by the three-dimensional floor plan artist "Takamanobuo" are on display.

Inside the house, the lights are on and the story seems to continue, making me feel like a giant!

The work of the paper artist "Ryuji Ota" is a retro Showa-style scenery of downtown Tokyo, such as cars, signboard typefaces, and people's clothes. A piece of paper overlaps to create a three-dimensional atmosphere of the blessing of marriage.

Wedding beauty "between the summits"

The ceiling painting of the "top room" that you reach at the end is the work of Eikyu Matsuoka.

The grid making here is so beautiful that it goes deeper into the shadows ...

You can see the history of the ceremony hall of Hotel Gajoen Tokyo, the first general wedding hall in Japan, and the gorgeous color uchikake in the collection, and you can experience the richness and value of Japanese art and culture.

By the way, the reason why 100 steps is actually 99 steps is that the indivisible odd number is an auspicious number, and 1 is intentionally subtracted from the perfect number of 100, leaving room for improvement. It seems that there is a Japanese-style theory of carrying out trials, saying, "To a number with potential."

Create a small world at home and continue your journey

On your way home, stop by the "Museum Shop". Miniature houses and 3D wooden puzzles are on display and for sale, so you can enjoy the continuation of a small world at home.

"Hundred steps of traveling through time" where the works of former artists and the works of modern artists intersect across time and space. Why don't you go out to celebrate spring by looking into the small world and touching the infinite world where you can't stop taking pictures with lots of highlights?

"Hundred Stages of Traveling Time" Period: January 1, 2022 (Sat / holiday) -April 10 (Sun) "Early Spring Tour" January 1 (Sat / holiday) -January 13 Sunday (Thursday) ends "Small World" January 15th (Sat) -March 27th (Sun) "Spring Tour" March 28th (Mon) -April 10th (Sun) ● Time: 12: 30-18: 00 (Last admission 17:30) * Closed at 17:00 on Sunday, March 27 (Last admission 16:30) ● Fee: Same-day ticket is 1,000 yen for adults and 500 yen for students (student certificate required) ) / Online limited (limited quantity with benefits) is 1,800 yen for tickets with miniature tableware, 2,500 yen for tickets with 3D wood puzzles, 1,000 yen for tickets with commentary for a dedicated guide for specifying the date and time ● Event HP: https://www.hotelgajoen-tokyo. com / 100event / timetravel ● Venue: Hotel Gajoen Tokyo Tokyo designated tangible cultural property “Hundred Stages” ● Address: 1-8-1 Shimomeguro, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-0064 Inquiries: 03-5434-3140 (Event planning) (10: 00-18: 00) ● Transportation: Approximately 3 minutes on foot from “Meguro Station” ● HP: https://www.hotelgajoen-tokyo.com/

[All photos by kurisencho]