Near the starting point of "Walk-through Japan Mint" stands Fujita Museum. It's a small private museum, but its collection is impressive -- with nine artworks qualified as Nationals Treasures and 52 objects as Important Cultural Properties.
Denzaburo Fujita (藤田伝三郎: 1841 - 1912) was a business magnate and a founder of Fujita Conglomerate. His old residences are now converted to major hotels; Taikoh-en (太閤園) in Osaka, Chinzan-so (椿山荘) in Tokyo, Kowaki-en (小涌園) in Hakone, and the former Hotel Fujita in Kyoto.
Right after the Meiji Restoration when Japan opened its doors to the Western world, many of Japan's traditional artifacts were sold cheaply and dispersed overseas. Fujita was deeply concerned about the loss of important cultural heritage items, and spent his significant fortune to build his collection.
His museum is open in the spring and the fall. The beautiful maki-e box created by Ogata Korin is now on display through June 12.
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