Miho Museum

The Miho Museum sits deep in the hills near Shigaraki, and about eighty percent of its structure lies underground to preserve the forested skyline. Designed by the architect I. M. Pei around the idea of a hidden 'Shangri-La', it is approached on foot or by electric cart through a curving, mirror-finished tunnel and across a suspension bridge that frames the reception hall in the valley beyond. Inside are two wings: one for Japanese art including tea utensils and Buddhist works, the other for antiquities from Egypt, the Near East, Greece and Asia. The museum keeps a seasonal calendar and is closed in winter and during exhibition changeovers, so it is essential to check opening dates in advance.