Within the boundaries of Tennoji Park, a botanical oasis in the heart of the city, is the Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts. The museum’s collection spans over 8,000 pieces of art from within the country and other parts of Asia. Not only are there traditional kakejiku (Japanese hanging scroll art), ceramics and lacquerware; Chinese paintings are also on display, in addition to religious art from Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples.
The property, originally the estate of the affluent Sumitomo family, was donated to create one of the first art museums in Japan. The grounds also include the Keitakuen Garden, a gorgeously landscaped Japanese garden centred on a pond. Opened in 1936, the museum is a landmark of Osaka.