My last visit to Tokyo in May gave me another opportunity to visit the National Museum of Western Art in Ueno Park, one of the components of Le Corbusier sites that finally successfully approved by ICOMOS to be World Heritage Site. This was actually my fifth times to walk pass this museum building, as I love to go to Ueno Park to relax and explore many museums every time I was in Tokyo. Since the idea to buy ticket to see unknown lesser European arts in Japan was totally absurd, but when I knew that there was a special exhibition to celebrate a century of Italy – Japan diplomatic relationship with many masterpieces of Caravaggio that borrowed from many museums around Italy, I decided that this was the most perfect time to visit this museum and see its interior.

The exterior of the museum really reminded me Le Corbusier’s another famous work, Villa Savoye in Poissy, France with box shape building that second floor is bigger than the ground floor. The nicest part is maybe the concrete columns that support the front staircase which in my opinion the most modernism in overall design. Despite having a nice staircase as entrance in the original design, the actual entrance is on the ground floor and has nothing remarkable. The real art of architecture first appeared in the second lobby, with high concrete column with lovely glass roof that cleverly reflect light into the hall. The decoration is very simple with nice plain tiles similar to old fashioned hospital. Then I took a ramp to second floor, another similarity with Villa Savoye. The museum is simple with square plan. The exhibition hall is quite dim with light, there are glass window from the third floor that let the light into the hall, so if it is not at noon, the hall will be a bit dark. I personally quite appreciated this design that make the light in the museum very soft with no need to have extra curtain or wall to keep light away, but again nothing really inspiring or outstanding in my idea.

I will not review the extension part by Japanese designers as it is quite different in design and the way to use light; however, this differences really made Le Corbusier’s part more unique for normal sightseers. I also did not find anything particular worth to mention for the art works in the normal permanent exhibition. All in all, the museum is quite a fine place to visit, the architecture is quite simple with many loan elements from Le Corbusier’s other works. I don’t think this work of Le Corbusier can be considered a success or masterpiece, compared to Frank Lloyd Wright did with Guggenheim Museum in New York, but I understand this museum has a big impact on Japanese architectural idea so thinking that if we don’t have this building, we will not have beautiful works from Tadao Ando, Shigeru Ban or Kenzo Tange, and that’s really make this building deserve to have a place on UNESCO’s prestigious list.