Ebara Hatakeyama Museum of Art

The Ebara Hatakeyama Museum of Art is a private museum in Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan, dedicated principally to tea ceremony utensils and related East Asian art. Established in October 1964 as the Hatakeyama Memorial Museum of Fine Art, it was renamed in October 2024 and reopened on 5 October 2024 following renovations. The institution holds particular significance as one of Tokyo's notable private collections of classical Japanese, Chinese, and Korean art, with six National Treasures and thirty-two Important Cultural Properties among its holdings.

The museum was founded by Hatakeyama Issē, born 28 December 1881 in Kanazawa, who established Ebara Corporation (originally Ebara Saisakusho) in 1912 after studying mechanical engineering at the Imperial University of Tokyo. A descendant of the Hatakeyama daimyō family of Noto Province, Hatakeyama was a recognized connoisseur of tea culture and practitioner of the Hōshō school of noh. In 1937, he acquired land in Shirokanedai that had once been the residence of Count Terashima Munenori, a statesman from Satsuma who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs. On this property, Hatakeyama relocated and rebuilt an old guest house from Hannyaji temple in Nara, naming it "Hannyaen," where a housewarming tea ceremony was held in 1943. He also installed a private noh theater on the grounds. In 1960, Hatakeyama established the Hatakeyama Foundation for the Promotion of Science and Technology. Four years later, in 1964, he built the museum adjacent to his residence to preserve his collection and make it accessible to the public and researchers. The museum closed for renovations and reopened on 5 October 2024 under its current name.

The collection numbers approximately 1,300 objects, though some sources cite figures approaching 3,000 items. It is centered on tea ceremony utensils and encompasses old Japanese, Chinese, and Korean works including paintings, calligraphic writings, pottery, lacquerware, and noh costumes. The strengths of the collection reflect Hatakeyama Issē's personal interests: the art of the tea ceremony at its Muromachi-period height, noh theater, and the refined aesthetic traditions of East Asia. The museum holds four exhibitions annually. Among the collection are tea utensils associated with Sen no Rikyū and his disciple Furuta Oribe. The museum has published several scholarly volumes on its holdings and related subjects, including works on Hatakeyama Sokuō, modern sukisha (tea connoisseurs), Rimpa art, and the tea ceremony collection of the fudai daimyo Matsudaira family.

The museum's most distinguished works include six National Treasures and thirty-two Important Cultural Properties. The National Treasures comprise: the Letter of Fujiwara no Sukemasa (Rirakuchō), ink on paper, designated 28 June 1956; Evening Bell from Mist-Shrouded Temple (Enji banshō-zu), attributed to Muqi Fachang, ink on silk from China's Southern Song dynasty; Painting of Apple Blossom (Ringo kazu), attributed to Zhao Chang, painting on silk from the Southern Song; Fragmentary Leaves of Zenki-zu depicting a zen monk's life, attributed to Indara, ink on paper from China's Yuan dynasty; Letter of Daie Sōkō (1089-1163), ink on paper from the Southern Song; and a Kamakura-period lacquerware box with butterfly inlay (Chō raden makie tebako). Important Cultural Properties include bokuseki (ink traces) by Yuanwu Keqin, dated 12 February 1128 and designated 25 May 1939, and by Nanso Shisetsu, dated autumn 1342; a portrait of Toyotomi Hideyoshi on silk with legend dated August 1598, designated 6 May 1936; and notable tea cups including "Kōshin," "Denchū," Amamori, and "Matsudaira kohiki." Other significant works include the Kiyotaki gongen gazō and a handscroll of the Kokin Wakashū with designs of flowers of the four seasons.

The museum occupies a historically resonant site on the border of Minato and Shinagawa wards. During the Edo period, the property held a villa granted to the Shimazu clan in 1669 by the Edo shogunate. The grounds feature a reconstructed reception hall from Hannyaji, a Buddhist temple in Nara, which Hatakeyama relocated and named "Hannyaen." This building served as the inspiration for a chapter in Yukio Mishima's novel After the Banquet. Within the museum building stands the tea house Shō-an, while additional tea houses in the garden are available for rental: Sara-an, Sui-an, Meigetsuken, Shin zashiki, Jōrakutei, and Bishamondō. A guided tour visiting these tea houses is offered once annually. The property also originally contained a private noh theater, reassembled on site to accommodate Hatakeyama's practice of the Hōshō school.

The Ebara Hatakeyama Museum of Art is located in Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan. It is a private museum, originally established through the personal initiative of Hatakeyama Issē and maintained as part of his broader cultural and philanthropic activities. Following its reopening on 5 October 2024 after renovations, the museum continues its role as a public institution presenting exhibitions and supporting research. Information on current access, hours, and programs is available through its official website at https://www.hatakeyama-museum.org/.