A DAY AT THE MUSEUM! With Ulf Otsuki at the National Museum of Modern Art!

Ulf Otsuki stands outside the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Today I was invited to join Ulf Otsuki and friends at the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, which is right across from the Imperial Palace. It was a rather special occasion, as artwork by Ulf's father, Gosta Georgii-Hemming, was on display as part of a temporary exhibit at the museum called "Visit Japan: Tourism Promotion in the 1920s and 1930s."

Gosta Georgii-Hemming's artwork, as reprinted in the museum's commemorative booklet. Photo by Brett Homenick.

In 1932, Gosta Georgii-Hemming designed the above poster for NYK Line, a major shipping company in Japan. This (among many other fascinating posters, brochures, and other items) were on display for museum patrons to view. The exhibit runs until February 28, so if you'd like to see how Japan promoted tourism just before World War II broke out, you still have time to check it out!

Ulf and I just before dinner at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan.

After we saw the exhibit, we made our way to Yurakucho and had dinner at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan. After parking, we made our way up to the 20th floor of the Yurakucho Denki North Building and sat down at the restaurant. It was my first time there, but hopefully not the last!

The view of the Tokyo shy line as seen from the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan. Photo by Brett Homenick.

We ate a delicious chicken dinner and talked about several things. During the dinner, there was some obligatory picture-taking.

That's a wrap! Thanks very much to Ulf for all his hospitality!