Sumiyamotenashinobunkabijutsukan Museum of Art

The Sumiya is the only surviving example of ageya architecture — the banqueting houses of the pleasure quarters. It stands in Shimabara, the oldest of Kyoto's six entertainment districts, and conveys the display and polish of Edo culture directly; it is an Important Cultural Property. The museum rotates works from its collection, including sliding-door paintings by Yosa Buson. The upper floor, open only during special viewings, holds rooms built with the finest technique of their day: the Aogai room with its remarkable mother-of-pearl inlay, and the Fan room, its ceiling covered in painted fans.