This 3-floor building is the former residence and studio of Asakura Fumio (1883-1964) who came to Tokyo from Oita Prefecture at the age of 19 to study sculpture. He set up the studio in 1908 after graduation and worked there until his death at the age of 81 (he is buried in the nearby grounds of Tennoji Temple). Sometimes referred to as the “Rodin of Japan”, from a young age Fumio won numerous prizes for his works, several of which are on display at the National Museum of Modern Art. The Orchid Room on the 3rd floor contains many sculptures of his favorite subject: cats.
The building itself is also a pleasure to walk around. Traditional with a modern façade, it also contains a small Japanese garden with a pond and the oldest roof garden in Tokyo.