Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on July 2011

Among Tokyo’s numerous obscure but intriguing small museums is the Yayoi Museum in Bunkyo Ward. The space is devoted to the works of Taisho-era artist Yumeji Takehisa, famous for his portraits of beauties, but is currently hosting an exhibition focusing on Kasho Takabatake, another artist of the era known for his illustrations of lovely young maidens. Takabatake developed a style termed “lyrical pictures,” which appeared in magazines of the era and remains influential today for its blend of tradition and modernism. Young women in kimonos, for example, are portrayed in modern short hairstyles speaking on early telephones or clutching phonograph records.

Yayoi Museum, until Sep 25. See exhibition listings (other areas) for details.