Visiting the National Museum of Western Art during Sakura season

Chasing cherry blossoms in Ueno Park in Taito City, Tokyo led me to unexpectedly visit the National Museum of Western Art (NMWA), an architectural work of Le Corbusier, an outstanding contribution to the modern movement. The UNESCO World Heritage museum building is located at the expansive Ueno Imperial Grant Park which is home to the oldest zoo in Japan and six museums. The whirlwind tour of the permanent collection of NMWA is a culmination of a 4-day trip marked by Kan no Modori (brief return of winter chills in spring) which threatened to mar our quest to view cherry blossoms in their full, springtime splendor. Thankfully, the rain was light and drizzly during the first 3 days when we arrived in Tokyo, averting the dreaded premature shedding of petals.

On our last day in the city, Sakura trees were in full bloom, shining brightly against clear blue skies. People milled under the trees gazing in awe at the ethereal beauty of the blossoms. Tokyoites came in droves, taking advantage of the bright sunny skies and delightfully crisp spring weather. Some laid out picnic blankets or enjoyed yakitori or Sakura flavored goodies from the food kiosks located in designated places in the park. I enjoyed a can of warm Boss coffee while I admired the shimmering trees.

We had a Narita Skyliner train to catch at 2PM so we made the most of our 3-hour stroll at Ueno Park. Upon exiting the gardens, we decided to visit the nearest museum instead of queuing at Ueno Zoo which will take us the whole day.

We didn't have time to leisurely view the permanent and special exhibitions of NMWA, so we just opted to see the permanent collection instead. We had a good forty-minute tour of the collection which depicted works from artists like Renoir, Gaugin, Van Gogh, Cezanne, El Greco, Miro and Picasso among others.

In time for the Lenten season, I lingered at the section that housed the museum's18th century religious paintings. For a more immersive experience, visitors were encouraged to scan a QR code.

I would love to come back to Ueno Park and visit the rest of the five museums. For Sakura time in Tokyo, Ueno Park has it all!