On a social networking service, I learned that in early January, Akasaka Rikyu, a state guesthouse, will allow visitors to take pictures in a part of the main building on a trial basis. Let me quote from the official website as follows
As Akasaka Rikyu celebrates its 50th anniversary, photography is allowed in the Hagoromo Room on a trial basis. The purpose of this trial is to identify problems that might arise if photography were allowed, and to help us consider ways to solve them. We hope that you will take this opportunity to visit the museum with us.
This is a valuable opportunity and you will have to go and take pictures.” While being careful not to be the “photographer” who gets the problems identified…
I went to the “Hagoromo Room” in the main building only from January 6 to 16, because it was open for photography.
Here it is.
As one would expect from a guesthouse directly under the control of the government (Cabinet Office), there were strict precautions such as baggage checks for visitors, and precautions against taking out photographic equipment including smartphones. (There was also strict surveillance).
I brought my LUMIX S5, LUMIX S 14-28mm, and LUMIX S 20-60mm because I thought it was important to be able to take wide-angle and high-sensitivity pictures indoors.
This chandelier is gorgeous. It was imported from France at the time of its construction and is said to be the largest chandelier in the guest house. The explanation staff in the room told us that each chandelier was light for its appearance, weighing less than one ton, or about 900 kg, but as a layman, I thought to myself, “If it is that heavy, it is enough!”
I could not take pictures of the rooms other than this one, but the entire guest house was gold in color! I was just impressed by the lavish decoration, which was not vulgar, but intelligent and elegant, and they were not ashamed to invite foreign guests, or rather, they did not want to be licked.
The Hagoromo Room is also known as the Dance Room, where music is played indoors to entertain guests. The grand piano made in France is decorated with the chrysanthemum crest.
And the mezzanine you see behind the piano is the “orchestra box”. Whew.
The ceiling is covered with beautiful paintings. According to the explanation on the official website, this is what it looks like.
The French artist painted a passage from the song “Hagoromo,” which goes, “In the void you can hear the music of flowers sprinkling, and the fragrance of incense is wafted in all directions.” In the painting, the scene is as if one were looking up at the sky from the courtyard of the building.
This was my first time to visit Akasaka Rikyu, and I was quite impressed by the effort Japan has made, including the rooms other than the Hagoromo Room, which I was allowed to photograph, and how amazing and beautiful it is.
In a questionnaire for visitors, we received the following comments: “I support the wise decision to lift the ban on photography inside the building. I hope that you will continue to do so in order to increase visitors’ opportunities to experience the wonderful history and culture of our country.”
Since we were allowed to take pictures freely after we went out of the main building into the garden, I would like to introduce the scenery of the main and front gardens of the guesthouse in the next issue.
