Dear Diary, 

I like to think of myself as a student of life. I hate sitting still in a chair for eight hours or reading dry textbooks out of context. I think the best way to learn is through touch and experience and there's no better way to do this than by visiting museums. Weeks before I hopped on the plane to Tokyo, I came up with a list of all the museums I wanted to visit in the city and all around the country. I still have a few on my list, but the two that spoke to me the most were the clash of old and new: The National Museum of Modern Art,Tokyo and The Tokyo National Museum.

Let's start with the old. The Tokyo National Museum is the oldest and largest museum in Japan with seriously stunning architecture and has six different buildings that could have easily been museums themselves, especially given they were each dedicated to certain themes like Buddist statues or highlights from other Asian countries and their influence on Japan. The main collection is Japanese art and artifacts, spanning thousands of years of history. Its collections include archaeological artifacts, ceramics, sculptures, paintings, textiles, and samurai armor, everything you want to know about Japan’s history. And, between you and me, there are tons of English guides and different language audio tours so if you are still working out those language skills, you won't miss out on any fun. 

But I didn’t forget to check out the new side of history, The National Museum of Modern Art,Tokyo. Right out of the gate it's clear this is a very different kind of museum and the minimalist, modern design reminds me of blocks stacked on top of each other. The museum itself was amazing, and I so desperately wanted to sleep overnight in a Night at the Museum situation. All the collections are from the 1900s or later and the museum hosts tons of impressive Japanese modern artists like Yayoi Kusama, Takashi Murakami, Yoshitomo Nara, and thousands more I need to go look up right now. 

Next time I’ll bring you with me, Diary. 

Xoxo, 

Maria