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Relaxing at the Tokyo National Museum
Talk with the Tokyo National Museum Talk with the Tokyo National Museum
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Hyokeikan gracefully retains the shape of the Western architecture in the Meiji Period.


Main entrance of Hyokeikan (drawing: Xu Ziyan)

Main entrance of Hyokeikan (drawing: Ziyan Xu)
Overall view of Hyokeian (dedication museum)

Overall view of Hyokeian (dedication museum)

Hyokeikan was completed to commemorate the marriage of Crown Prince Yoshihito (future Emperor Taisho) on September 29, 1908, and offered to the Imperial Family on October 10. It was named Hyokeikan on November 30, and brought under the control of the Tokyo Imperial Household Museum. The building was designed by Tokuma Katayama who was a disciple of Josiah Conder and also designed the Togu Palace (present Akasaka Palace), the Kyoto National Museum and the Nara National Museum. Gallant statue of lions, created by Ujihiro Okuma and Ichiga Numata, are placed on both sides of the front entrance. Hyokeikan, which represents the Western architecture in the Meiji Period, was designated as an Important Cultural Property in 1978.
Staircase leading to the exhibition rooms on the second floor

Staircase leading to the exhibition rooms on the second floor
Splendid mosaic tiled floor of the hall

Splendid mosaic tiled floor of the hall
Magnificent vaulted ceiling at the entrance

Magnificent vaulted ceiling at the entrance
Design drawing of Hyokeian (dedication museum)
 In the photograph of crowds flocking to the Tutankhamen exhibition held in 1966, you can see the site where Tokyokan had not yet been built and Hyokeikan on the upper left side.

Design drawing of Hyokeian (dedication museum)

In the photograph of crowds flocking to the Tutankhamen exhibition held in 1966, you can see the site where Tokyokan had not yet been built and Hyokeikan on the upper left side.
The ornaments created in the motif of drafting tools and musical instruments are attached to the upper part of the building's outer wall. The ornaments created in the motif of drafting tools and musical instruments are attached to the upper part of the building's outer wall.

The ornaments created in the motif of drafting tools and musical instruments are attached to the upper part of the building's outer wall.
Eastern sculptures

Eastern sculptures


Hyokeikan is a neo-baroque style building. Since the building got older and its roof began to leak since around 2001, large-scale repairs were carried out in 2006. The walls of exhibition rooms were painted in cream, pillars in white and wooden door fittings in pale green during the repairs, and brought back to the original state. Eastern sculptures, craftworks and archaeological remains are displayed in the exhibition rooms.
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