The departure of Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece The Annunciation from Tokyo on Wednesday marked the end of Italian art's biggest hit in Japan for three decades.
The painting, which had not been out of Florence's Uffizi gallery since World War II, was viewed by 800,000 people during its three months as the centrepiece of a show called The Mind of Leonardo.
Among the last people to see the work in Japan was the Empress Michiko, the 74-year-old wife of the country's emperor Akihito. The empress was visibly moved at the sight of the famous painting, which shows the Virgin Mary receiving the news that she will be Jesus's mother.
"This was the most successful foreign art exhibition in the last 30 years," said Italian ambassador Mario Bova, who accompanied the empress on her visit to the Ueno museum in Tokyo on Sunday.
After that visit, the painting was carefully packaged, just as it was for the outgoing journey in March, and on Wednesday it left Japan aboard an Alitalia plane scheduled to land in Rome by early evening.
When the painting travelled from Italy to Japan, it was housed in a high-tech packing case including Japanese-made sensors to detect any variation in position, temperature and humidity.
Italian experts are expected to examine the masterpiece thoroughly on its arrival to check that its condition has not been affected by its three months on the other side of the world.
Back in March there were protests against the painting being allowed to leave Italy. Ambassador Bova said this showed how much Italians were attached to their artistic heritage.
The Annunciation, which has been insured for 100 million euros, was housed in a special glass and aluminium frame while in Tokyo. It stood in the same room that welcomed the Mona Lisa in the 1970s.
The Annunciation has left the Uffizi only three times before: for Paris and Milan in the 1930s and for safekeeping during the Second World War.
One of Leonardo's early masterpieces, it has been one of the top draws at the Uffizi since it moved there from a private collection in the mid-19th century.
Leonardo (1452-1519) probably painted it in 1472-75, when he was barely out of his teens. Experts say it has some flaws but nevertheless creates a strong atmosphere and is interesting because if its early date.
