Art Deco in the Former Prince Asaka Residence

Tokyo's shrine to art deco was built at the behest of Prince Asaka Yasuhiko (Emperor Hirohito's uncle), who developed a taste for the aesthetic while he was living in Paris during the 1920s. With its Henri Rapin-designed interior and glass panels by Renè Lalique, it's now one of the city's most unique art spaces – though one that requires a fair amount of upkeep. As the Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum – as it's now known – prepares to close for renovations at the end of the month, the building is being transformed into an exhibition in itself. Sections that are usually closed to the public will be opened up, and visitors are being encouraged to take photos while they're there (details in Japanese available here). On Oct 28-30, the museum will stay open until 9pm, complete with evening music recitals and nocturnal illuminations.