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062
—AN INSIDER’S GUIDE
v o l.

–Both inside and out

 From the editor

A staggering number of large and small museums

throughout Japan offer visitors every opportunity to
explore any and all subjects from animation to zoology.
While the main reason for visiting museums is of course
the exhibits on display, many of Japan’s museums are
worth a visit for their architecture as well.

In this issue we start by looking back at the beginning of

Japan’s love with museums as we explore the three big
national museums in Tokyo, Kyoto and Nara. We also offer
a guide to the top 10 Japanese museum architects that
you should know and provide you an extensive list of
museums to visit throughout the archipelago.

Finally, we have an exclusive interview with starchitect

Kengo Kuma on his humble but brilliant V&A Dundee
museum that just opened this September.

Jens H. Jensen
Chief Contributing Editor

002
Index

–Both inside and out

004_ News

Museum Anatomy

008_
The Tokyo National Museum
017_
Nara National Museum
021_
Kyoto National Museum

025_
Museum Architecture of Japan
028_ Ten Japanese Masters of Hotel Architecture
035_ Must-Visit Japanese Museums
with Stunning Architecture

Kengo Kuma on the V&A Dundee

056_ Art Museums with

Subtle Designs
That Astonish the World
003
 News
Ban’s First Ever Hotel
Opens in Yamagata
1) All guest rooms have large windows over 1.8 metres high and 3.8 metres wide.
2) The hotel features a folded plate structure, creating an open space without pillars and eliminating the need
for floor joists, a central area and lower-level transverse tie beams.
Pritzker winner Shigeru Ban’s first
ever hotel recently opened in
Tsuruoka in Yamagata Prefecture. The
hotel uses ample amounts of wood,
and is in fact the largest wooden
structural hotel in Japan. Located
within Yamagata Prefecture’s Shonai
Science Park, which is being touted as
a model of regional revitalisation, Ban
focused on “gently working the
architecture into the beautiful
landscape of rice terraces, while
preserving the natural surroundings.”
The result is a hotel where guests can
feel at one with nature.
004
Shonai Hotel Suiden Terrasse
23-1 Shimotorinosu, Kitakyoden,
Tsuruoka City, Yamagata
Tel: 050-1745-9721
From ¥10,584 per night for one person
Accepted credit cards: American Express,
Diners, JCB, MasterCard, Visa
143 guest rooms
Check-in: 15:30; Check-out: 10:00
Dinner & breakfast: at the restaurant and bar
Facilities: shop, restaurant, bar, library,
conference rooms, all-natural hot spring
with water directly from the source, fitness suite
WiFi (in communal wings and guest rooms)
Access: 10 minutes by taxi
from JR Tsuruoka station, approx.
10 minutes by car from the Yamagata Expressway
Tsuruoka Interchange
https://suiden-terrasse.yamagata-design.com
 News
Incense That Suits
Any Space

The Kiriiro series of incense items combines the coolness

and warmth of glass, which has been processed to have
thick and polished edges. It comes in three different
shapes, with various sizes of incense plates, a small
rugged stand and a kaori-bako incense box that
releases a pleasant Japanesque scent upon opening the
lid. The obscure and soft colour (iro) combination
evokes the hues of rain and mist (kiri), allowing these
items to effortlessly blend into any space in all seasons.

Kiriiro
¥3,564 (incense plate, long), ¥3,888 (incense plate, round),
¥4,212 (incense plate, square), ¥18,360 (kaori-bako incense box)
Material: glass
Sizes: incense plate, long H13 × W145 × D50mm; incense plate, round Φ110 × H13mm; incense plate,
square H13 × W105 × D105mm; kaori-bako incense box H70 × W70 × D70mm
Azabu Kogado www.kogado.co.jp

005
 News
Wrap Yourself in Artful
Embroidery

Embroidery that conveys

the essence of roses.
This season’s theme is
Keshiki-no-Wa (Circle of
Landscapes) inspired by
everyday scenery.

Minä Perhonen, the

Japanese textile brand with
its poetic and colourful
fabrics, is known for
designing everything from
scratch, and mixing
weaving, prints, embroidery
and other elements to
create truly unique
products. This season’s new
rosy textile embroidery of
clusters of roses is sewn Minä Perhonen
with such perfection that
Sizes: 36, 38, 40
makes them look like an oil Materials: outer/wool 62%, polyester 30%, other fibres (paper)
painting. The natural 8%; embroidery/cotton 39%, acrylic 37%, wool 24%; lining/
polyester 100%
cocoon silhouette is the
Colours: navy, pink, beige
perfect style to dress up ¥84,240
with accessories and heels. Inquiries: Minä Perhonen Tel: 03-5793-3700

006
 News
Freestyle Folk Craft!
1 2
Product designer Naoto Fukasawa is the
director of The Japan Folk Crafts Museum
and also co-director of Japan’s inquisitive
21_21 Design Sight institute, where he will
oversee the upcoming exhibition Mingei
- Another Kind of Art this fall. It highlights
the concept of mingei (folk art) proposed
by the Japanese philosopher and founder of
the folk craft movement in Japan, Soetsu
Yanagi, who recognized the beauty found
in everyday utilitarian objects, and
showcases this in the non-prescriptive and
creative ingenuity of craftspeople and their
free and open way of living. This exhibition
will offer a glimpse of what is to come in
design through over 150 traditional and
contemporary craft items selected by
Fukasawa, and other materials borrowed
from The Japan Folk Crafts Museum.
007
1) Blue-and-white mesh-patterned square
porcelain plate, Jing-de-zhen-yao porcelain
from China, 17th century (Ming Dynasty),
from The Japan Folk Crafts Museum collec-
tion
2) Brazier, Izumo, Otsu (Shimane Prefecture),
circa 1940 (Showa period), from The Japan
Folk Crafts Museum collection
Mingei - Another Kind of Art
Period: from November 2
(Friday) to February 24, 2019 (Sunday)
Venue: 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT Gallery 1 & 2
Midtown Garden, Tokyo Midtown 9-7-6
Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Hours: 10:00 – 19:00 (last entry up to 18:30)
Closed Tuesdays (open December 25), end-
of-year/new year period (December 26 to
January 3)
Entrance fee: adults ¥1,100, university stu-
dents ¥800, high school students ¥500, free
for junior high school students and under
Tel: 03-3475-2121
www.2121designsight.jp
 Museum Anatomy

“Distant View of Ueno Museum” by Josiah Conder

The initial Honkan, as painted by

Josiah Conder. The two-storey brick
building has two small dome-shaped
finials in the central area.

008
The history of the Tokyo National
Museum represents the history of
museums in Japan
he history of Japan’s oldest
PXseXP and Neeper of Japanese ¿ne
arts, the Tokyo National Museum, is
also the story of museums in Japan.
Following the Meiji Restoration in
1872, Japan was still not recognised as
a modern state by the powerful nations
in the West.
This prompted the Ministry of Educa-
tion’s Museum Bureau to assemble a
collection of national treasures from
throughout Japan to exhibit at the
World’s Fair in Vienna in 1873, with
the intention of showing the world that
Japan was indeed a modern nation. The
Ministry of Education publicly exhibit-
ed these treasures for a limited time at
the Taiseiden Hall of the former Confu-
cian temple Yushima Seido, so that the
people of Japan could also view and
appreciate them. ,t’s said this ¿rst gov-
ernment-organised exhibition in Japan
was the origin of the current Tokyo Na-
tional Museum.
Then in 1881, the museum’s new wing
009
(former Honkan) was built at the site of
Kaneiji Temple’s main hall as an exhi-
bition venue for the second National
Industrial Exhibition. In 1889, the mu-
seum was renamed the Imperial Muse-
um when it came under the jurisdiction
of the Imperial Household, and in 1900
it was renamed again to the Tokyo Im-
perial Household Museum.
During the Meiji period (1868-1912),
Museums were regarded as invaluable
institutions in Japan to publicly exhibit
national art and culture, much as the
British Museum in England and the
Louvre Museum in France. Having
seen what foreign countries were doing
to preserve and promote their culture
and art, the Meiji government also be-
gan considering ways to showcase Ja-
pan’s crafts and culture for the sake of
national pride. The Tokyo Imperial
Household Museum was symbolic of
this sentiment.
After World War II in 1947, the muse-
um’s jurisdiction shifted from the Min-
 istry of the Imperial Household to the
Ministry of Education, and it was re-
named the Tokyo National Museum in
1952. The museum then became a
place for appreciating and proliferating
Kokon Chinmotsu Shuran (The Exhibition of Treasures, Old and New) by Kuniteru Ichiyosai
010
the cultural assets that belong to the
people. This also marked the birth of
the museum’s policy that emphasises
the four pillars of collection, research,
archiving & storage, and exhibition &
promotion.
Was it created as a rehearsal for the
World’s Fair at Vienna!?
The National Industrial Exhibition, which
displayed treasures collected from around
Japan, was a great success. This magnif-
icent structure exhibited a diverse collec-
tion of items from all fields and periods.
 What are the functions of a museum?

Collection Research

The museum collects cultural Professional researchers inves-

properties, archaeological docu-
ments and other materials with a
high level of historical and artistic
value. Another important function
is determining which items to
collect.
tigate and study the collected
cultural properties in further detail,
and also publish the research
results.

Archiving & Storage Exhibition & Promotion

As these cultural properties The museum exhibits these cul-

become damaged over time, the tural properties to raise awareness
museum safely stores them in a and interest in their value and
carefully preserved environment to preservation.
minimise their deterioration.

So, how are special exhibitions planned?

The research staff at museums sometimes plan
exhibitions from scratch, and other times they
choose from ideas from suggestions by news-
paper companies. Sharing ideas and information
with museums and art galleries in foreign coun-
tries is another way that the staff plan exhibitions.

011
Tracing the history of the Tokyo National
Museum reveals some of the architectural
masterpieces of 20th century Japan!
lthough the focus of the To-
kyo National Museum is its special ex-
hibitions, the building’s architecture
should not be overlooked. This outdoor
museum’s evolving style reÀects the
history of architecture in Japan throug-
hout the 20th century, from the Meiji to
the Heisei (1989-present) periods.
Walking from JR Ueno station through
Ueno Park will lead you to the front
gate of the museum. At the entrance is
the Honkan, with its tiled roof architec-
ture designed by the contemporary ar-
chitect Jin Watanabe in 1937. This is
where we’ll start our tour of the muse-
um’s architecture.
The Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923
severely damaged the old Honkan,
which was designed by British archi-
tect Josiah Conder; this to a public
competition in 1930 to design an Ori-
ental-style building that emphasises
Japanese elegance. The winning sub-
mission is the current Honkan, which
has a steel-framed reinforced concrete
construction that can withstand strong
012
earthquakes.
The green-roofed Hyokeikan built in
1908 stands to the left of the central
water fountain. It is the oldest exhibi-
tion building on the museum site, hav-
ing withstood the Great Kanto Earth-
quake. On the right is the Toyokan
(Asian Gallery), which opened in 1968.
Comparing the architecture of these
two wings provides a fascinating view
of how building design in Japan
evolved during the 60-year gap be-
tween their construction.
Northwest of the Honkan is the Hei-
seikan (Japanese archaeology and spe-
cial exhibitions), which was built in
1999 to commemorate the crown
prince’s wedding. Nestled behind the
Hyokeikan is the Gallery of Horyuji
Treasures, which opened the same
year. The gallery was designed by
Yoshio Taniguchi, son of Yoshiro Tani-
guchi who was the architect for the
Toyokan. This pair of father-son build-
ings complement each other well.
he Japanese style tile roof is the symbol of the museum
1
Honkan

Design: Jin Watanabe

Completed: 1937

The Emperor’s Crown Style architecture of the Honkan evokes a sense of Japanese
magnificence with its tile roof. The interior also remains virtually untouched from its original
construction. Make sure not to miss the truly impressive front staircase and the mosaic-tiled
lounge area behind it, which affords a breath-taking vista of the garden area.

Drawing inspiration from traditional spaces

2
Toyokan

Design: Yoshiro Taniguchi

Completed: 1968

The modernist construction of the Toyokan incorporates elements of traditional Japanese

architecture. Its gently sloping roof, elongated eaves, and columned front entrance is
reminiscent of the Shosoin Treasure House of the Todaiji Temple in Nara

013
Built to commemorate the crown prince’s wedding
3
Heiseikan

Design: Yasui Architects &

Engineers, Inc.
Completed: 1999

The Heiseikan carries on the Showa-style architecture of the Honkan, with a construction that
is sensitive to the natural surroundings. The first floor houses the Japanese Archaeology
Gallery, large lecture hall and other rooms, while the special exhibition galleries are on the
second floor. The high ceiling also makes it suitable for exhibiting large cultural properties.

Contemporary modernism featuring glass panelling

4
The Gallery of Horyuji Treasures

Design: Yoshio Taniguchi

Completed: 1999

The Gallery of Horyuji Treasures is an example of modernist architecture, with a feature

water basin at the front entrance. The building’s emphasised vertical lines are a nod to
Japan’s traditional architectural style, while the building’s layout that flows to the side rather
than the front entrance evokes images of of the small door of a Japanese teahouse that visi-
tors must crouch to enter.
014
 Modelled on the houses of nobility
in Medieval Europe
5
Kuroda
Memorial Hall
The Kuroda Memorial Hall was built and endowed to
the government to house the works and heritage items
of the Western-style painter Seiki Kuroda. The exterior
design features a row of ionic columns and scratch
tiles that were popular in the early Showa period.

Design: Shinichiro Okada

Completed: 1928
*Open: 9:30-17:00

Western-style architecture that survived the Great Kanto Earthquake

6
Hyokeikan
The Hyokeikan art museum was built
in honour of the wedding of the
Taisho crown prince (who later
became Emperor Taisho). The outer
walls of the upper floor feature relief
work carved using drafting tools and
other implements, and motifs of
musical instruments, while the atrium
under the central dome has stunning
decorative ceiling artwork and
beautiful mosaic tiles.

Design: Tokuma Katayama

Completed: 1908
*The Hyokeikan is only open for
special exhibitions and events.

015
Map

2
5
4

The Tokyo National Museum

13-9 Uenokoen, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Hours: 9:30–17:00
*To 21:00 on Fridays & Saturdays and 10/31 & 11/1
*Last entry 30 minutes before closing
Closed: Mondays (closed the following weekday after holidays)
¥620, ¥410 for university students
*Additional cost for special exhibitions
*Free admission to Kuroda Memorial Hall and the Research and Information Center
Tel: 03-5777-8600 (Hello Dial)

Opened: 1872
Collection: 117,460 items (including 89 National Treasures and 643 Important Cultural Properties)
Top three special exhibitions (by visitors):
1 Mona Lisa exhibition (1974) 1,505,239 visitors,
2 Tutankhamun exhibition (1965) 1,297,718 visitors,
3 National Treasure Ashura exhibition (2009) 946,172 visitors
Annual number of visitors: 2,569,585 (2017)

016
 1
Nara Buddhist Sculpture Hall
The Nara Buddhist Sculpture Hall features a permanent display
of close to 100 bronze sculptures, including national treasures
and important cultural properties. The building is an excellent
example of the authentic French Renaissance architectural
style adopted in the mid-Meiji period in Nara Prefecture. Design: Tokuma Katayama
https://www.narahaku.go.jp/english/guide/02.html Completed: 1894

017
2
Ritual Bronzes Gallery

This former store-

house-turned-gallery has
been the exhibition room
of the Sakamoto Collec-
tion of ancient Chinese
bronzes since 2002.

Design: Unknown
Completed: 1937

3
New West and East Wings

Both new wings were

designed by Junzo
Yoshimura, who incorpo-
rated elements of the
Shosoin Storehouse
(located at Todaiji Temple
in Nara) into the exterior
and used glass walls on
the first floor.

Design: Junzo Yoshimura

Completed:
New West Wing in 1972
New East Wing in 1997

018
Renowned for its Buddhist art and
Shosoin exhibition
he anti-Buddhist movement
that swept through Nara at the start of
the Meiji period to the successive de-
struction and dispersion of precious
treasures stored in its temples and
shrines. During this upheaval in 1874,
a Nara exhibition company of semi-gov-
ernmental management was estab-
lished by the governor at the time; the
company held an exposition at the To-
daiji Temple Great Buddha Hall to
publicly display treasures from the
Shosoin (a large storehouse of trea-
sures at the Todaiji Temple), and other
temples and shrines in Nara. By the
mid-Meiji period, the Japanese had be-
gun to show an increasing interest in
019
preserving such cultural properties and
this shift in cultural consciousness re-
sulted in the opening of the Imperial
Nara Museum in 1895, which was the
predecessor to the current Nara Nation-
al Museum.
The Shosoin exhibition (page 38) is
perhaps what the Nara National Muse-
um is most known for. It was ¿rst held
in 1946, just after the end of World War
II. However, this didn’t stop around
150,000 people from visiting the muse-
um over the 20-day exhibition period
to view the valuable treasures on dis-
play. The Shosoin exhibition continues
to be extremely popular today.
Map

3
2

Nara National Museum

50 Noboriōji-chō, Nara, Nara
Hours: 9:30–17:00
*Open until 20:00 on Fridays, Saturdays, and for feature and special exhibitions
(excluding the Year-end/New Year holiday period)
*Entry is permitted until 30 minutes before closing time
Closed Mondays (or on the following weekday if Monday is a public holiday or other holiday)
¥520 for adults and ¥260 for university students
*A separate fee is charged for special exhibitions
Tel: 050-5542-8600 (Hello Dial)

Opened: 1895
Collection: 1,893 items (including 13 National Treasures and 113 Important Cultural Properties)
A popular past exhibit:
1 The Annual Exhibition of Shosoin Treasures (held annually from 1946 to 2017).
The 69th exhibition in 2017 attracted 217,053 visitors.
2 Todaiji-no-Subete (All about Todaiji) (2002): 419,240 visitors
3 Imperial Envoys to Tang China (2010): 202,166 visitors
Annual number of visitors: 549,211 (fiscal 2017)
*Data on the number of items in the collection and
visitors are sourced from the 2018 Outline of the National
Institutes of Cultural Heritage

020
Photos by Toshiharu Kitajima

1
Heisei Chishinkan Wing
The architecture of this art museum adopts a symmetrical
structure that is distinctly that of Yoshio Taniguchi. The build-
ing’s most notable features are the open-style lobby that lets
in natural light, and the linear exhibition space inspired by the Design: Yoshio Taniguchi
Japanese approach to spatial composition. Completed: 2013

021
2 Meiji Kotokan Hall
( Main Hall of the Former Imperial Meseum of Kyoto )

This brick building

designed in the French
Renaissance architectural
style was originally
intended to be three
storeys high.

Design: Tokuma Katayama

Completed: 1895

3
Main Gate

The refined red brick main

gate is another of
Katayama’s creations. It
was designed to integrate
with the Meiji Kotokan
Hall architecture.

Design: Tokuma Katayama

Completed: 1895

022
Palatial red brick
European-style building
he results of a survey by the
Imperial Household’s Temporary Na-
tional Survey of Treasures Bureau in
1888 revealed that many of the coun-
try’s important cultural properties were
concentrated in Kyoto and Nara. It was
then decided to set up museums in both
cities to preserve these valuable trea-
sures. Prior to the opening of the Impe-
rial Museum of Kyoto in 1897, the red
brick Honkan (now the Meiji Kotokan
Hall) was built in 1895. The Imperial
Court architect Tokuma Katayama de-
023
signed this elegant European-style
building.
Following its renaming to the Imperial
Household Museum of Kyoto, the mu-
seum came under the jurisdiction of
Kyoto City in 1924 as the Imperial Gift
Museum of Kyoto. Then, after World
War II in 1947, the national govern-
ment assumed responsibility for the
museum, which was renamed to its
current title of the Kyoto National Mu-
seum.
Map

3 2

Kyoto National Museum

527 Chaya-cho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto
Hours: main gallery 9:30–17:00, special exhibitions are open until 18:00
*Open until 20:00 on Fridays and Saturdays
*Entry is permitted until 30 minutes before closing time
Closed Mondays (or on the following weekday if Monday is a public holiday or other holiday)
¥520 for adults and ¥260 for university students, admission to the main gallery is free for
high school students and under
*A separate fee is charged for special exhibitions
Tel: 075-525-2473

Opened: 1897
Collection: 7,977 items (including 29 national treasures and 202 important cultural properties)
Top three special exhibitions (by visitors):
1 National Treasures: Masterpieces of Japan (2017): 624,493 visitors
2 Archaeological Treasures Excavated in the People’s Republic of China (1973): 372,496 visitors
3 RINPA: The Aesthetics of the Capital (2015): 327,925 visitors
Annual number of visitors: 941,931 (Fiscal 2017)
*Data on the number of items in the collection, entrusted
items, and visitors are sourced from the 2018 Outline of
the National Institutes of Cultural Heritage

024
 Most people visit art museums simply to see the exhibitions, and
then immediately leave without thinking about the beauty of the
building itself. That is such a waste because there is so much more
to see! Making an appreciation of the museum’s architecture
another aim of your visit will surely make your tour of art
museums an even more rewarding experience.
Text: Takanori Yamauchi

Oita Prefectural Art Museum (P55)

The southern façade is a glass
horizontally-folding door that can be
entirely shut or closed. When opened, the
atrium becomes a public space in which
people can freely come and go. This
creates a contiguous space with the city.
©Hirai Hiroyuki

025
Art museums in Japan are a treasure
trove of architectural masterpieces!
t may not be very obvious in ev-
eryday life, but Japan is actually a mec-
ca for some of the world’s most re-
nowned art museums. Of course, there
are the well-known national museums
and art museums such as the Tokyo Na-
tional Museum and the Tokyo National
Museum of Modern Art, and prominent
private museums like the Nezu Muse-
um and the Ohara Museum of Art;
however, there are also regional art
museums, smaller art museums, and
galleries set up by individuals. Japan
easily has over 1,000 art museums,
ranging from the intimate to the grandi-
ose.
In most cases, people visit art museums
mainly to view the exhibitions. Al-
though recently, it is becoming more
common to take a trip to an art museum
simply to admire its architecture. Those
art museums designed by architectural
legends such as Tadao Ando, Kisho
Kurokawa, and Yoshio Taniguchi are
026
worth visiting just to experience and
see ¿rst-hand these impressive and in-
spiring architectural spaces.
Why is it that Japan has so many art
museums designed by leading archi-
tects, and not to mention an array of
masterpieces? Architectural historian
Isamu Yoneyama offers an explanation
for this.
“Many architects aspire to add art mu-
seums to their design portfolio. The lo-
cations selected for art museums are
often within expansive parks and other
such areas with favourable features.
That’s why so many outstanding exam-
ples of architecture can be found in re-
gional art museums. Also, for an archi-
tect, it’s more appealing to work on a
low-rise structure that expands out-
wards than a high-rise building that
soars skywards. There’s not much of a
chance to design low-rise buildings in
urban areas.”
Basically though, an art museum is de-
signed to archive and display a diversi-
ty of objects from artworks and ceram-
ics to archaeological materials. The
building’s design also garners a great
deal of anticipation and interest, partic-
ularly as the museum often becomes of
symbol of the region it’s located in.
This likely leads to certain design re-
strictions and considerable pressure to
“get it right”.
“Restrictions that are more motivating
rather than limiting can also be quite
appealing to an architect. Sometimes
it’s easier to produce outstanding archi-
tecture by developing a design that
meets all the stipulated requirements.
For instance, the Tokyo Metropolitan
Art Museum is located in Ueno Park,
so it had to be the right height and also
sensitive to the surrounding scenery.
The museum’s architect Kunio Maeka-
wa has made the most of these require-
ments, and designed a low-rise master-
piece that blends beautifully with its
surroundings.“
What vision do these architects have in
their minds when designing art muse-
ums, and why do they select certain
materials? It’s also fascinating to pon-
der these questions while taking in the
area where the museums are built. So
next time you visit an art museum, try
also viewing it from an architectural
perspective–it will likely add an extra
level of enjoyment to your experience.

Lecturer: architectural historian and

research fellow at the Edo-Tokyo Museum

Isamu Yoneyama
Isamu Yoneyama was born in Tokyo in 1965. He completed a
doctoral program at the Faculty of Science and Engineering at
Waseda University, majoring in the history of contemporary and
modern architecture in Japan, and the architecture and urban history
of Edo-Tokyo. His publications include Map of Architecture in Tokyo
Guided by Historical Maps, Art Appreciation of Famous Residences
by Isamu Yoneyama, Kenchiku Exercise, and Compendium of
Modern Japanese Architecture in Eastern Japan.

027
 Ten Japanese Masters of Hotel Architecture

A maestro in constructing art museums,

skillfully using simple bricks and tiles

Kunio Maekawa ［1905-1986］

Kunio Maekawa was an apprentice of the renowned French architect Le

Corbusier, and a leading figure in architecture in post-war Japan. His body
of work includes numerous public buildings, particularly art museums such
as the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum in Ueno, as well as the Saitama
Prefectural Museum of History and Folklore, the Kumamoto Prefectural
Museum of Art, and other such buildings in regional areas. Initially favour-
ing the use of exposed concrete, Maekawa’s preference evolved to favour a
brick and porcelain tile exterior for the art museums he constructed.

Notable architectural projects:

The Saitama Prefectural Museum of History and Folklore
The Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum
The Kumamoto Prefectural Museum of Art

028
Captivating interiors that are quintessentially Murano

Togo Murano ［1891-1984］

Togo Murano is best known for constructing department stores and other com-
mercial buildings rather than art museums, which number only a few among his
many works. Murano’s most renowned projects are his relatively small structures
rather than the grand-scale ones. The Komoro City Koyama Keizo Museum of
Art and the Yatsugatake Museum of Art exemplify Murano’s ingenuity that is
worthy of the title “a magician of spatial composition.” In his later years, he was
inclined to build structures that seemed to rise up from out of the ground. His
final masterpiece, the Tanimura Art Museum, is a fitting finish to his illustrious
career.
Notable architectural projects:
The Komoro City Koyama Keizo Museum of Art
The Yatsugatake Museum of Art
The Tanimura Art Museum

029
From massive yet soulful structures to buildings
that harmonize with the surroundings - a diversified style

Kiyonori Kikutake ［1928-2011］

Kiyonori Kikutake was one of the founding members of the Metabolism move-
ment that arose in post-war architecture in Japan. Metabolism fused ideas on
architectural megastructures and organic biological growth, and revolved
around the concepts of impermanence and change. His wildly famous Edo-Tokyo
Museum is a representative example of the massive public buildings he is re-
nowned for. Kikutake’s works also reached rural areas, and one of his later
masterpieces is the Shimane Art Museum, which maximizes the beauty of the
surrounding lakeside area. He also designed numerous small-scale museums,
including the Tanabe Museum of Art and the Bernard Buffet Museum.

Notable architectural projects:

The Edo-Tokyo Museum
The Shimane Art Museum
The Tanabe Museum of Art

030
Triangles, squares, and cuboids,
a mass of geometrical designs

Arata Isozaki ［1931-］

Arata Isozaki spearheaded post-modern architecture in Japan, and he has been a

leading figure in architectural journalism since the 1970s. The Tsukuba Center
Building that he designed as a logically complete structure shocked the world,
and it continues to confound even those who are authorities on architecture.
Isozaki truly flexes his finesse in the design of art museums, and one can simply
enjoy strolling inside the imaginative interiors of the geometrically shaped
Kitakyushu Municipal Museum of Art, the Art Plaza in Oita City, and The Muse-
um of Modern Art in Gunma.

Notable architectural projects:

The Kitakyushu Municipal Museum of Art
The Art Plaza in Oita City
The Museum of Modern Art in Gunma

031
Motifs drawn from Japanese architecture
randomly yet amusingly arranged

Kisho Kurokawa ［1934-2007］

Kisho Kurokawa designed numerous art museums, his
most well-known being The Museum of Modern Art in
Saitama, the Nagoya City Art Museum, and the Hiroshima
City Museum of Contemporary Art, which are collectively
dubbed the trilogy of art museums. He promoted the
concept of the symbiosis of ideas, in which contrasting
elements can be harmoniously integrated, and actively
incorporated traditional Japanese motifs into contempo-
rary architecture. His final work was also an art museum,
The National Art Center in Tokyo. Kurokawa was truly an
architect of art museums.

Notable architectural projects:

The Nagoya City Art Museum
The Museum of Modern Art in Saitama
The Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art

Well known for glass and concrete structures

and art museums with a water basin

Yoshio Taniguchi ［1937-］

Yoshio Taniguchi has rarely entered any architectural
competitions during his career, so he is rather unpopu-
lar among contemporary Japanese architects; yet, he
remains one of the most popular architects of art
museums. His initial masterpiece was the Shiseido Art
House, and he established himself with the Ken Domon
Museum of Photography, which combines rectangular
box-like structures with a water basin. The Toyota
Municipal Museum of Art is a sophisticated showpiece
of Taniguchi’s signature style.

Notable architectural projects:

The Shiseido Art House
The Ken Domon Museum of Photography
The Toyota Municipal Museum of Art

032
A master in the freestyle use of exposed
concrete and natural light

Tadao Ando ［1941-］

Concrete is what usually comes to mind when mention-
ing Tadao Ando. Although exposed concrete is symbol-
ic of Ando’s architecture, he is also unparalleled in
manipulating natural light into structures. In the Chichu
Art Museum and Chikatsu Asuka Museum, he demon-
strates his exquisite skill in spatial composition. Ando
is also skilled in residential architecture as seen in the
Row House in Sumiyoshi (Azuma House) and other
such buildings, and equally excels in constructing
small-scale art museums such as the Koumi-machi
Kougen Museum of Art.

Notable architectural projects:

The Chichu Art Museum
The Osaka Prefecture Chikatsu Asuka Museum
The Koumi-machi Kougen Museum of Art

Country of origin and era unknown!?

Mysterious structures made of natural materials

Terunobu Fujimori ［1946-］

Terunobu Fujimori’s many fans are fascinated by his
fantastical structures that look like they’re from a Studio
Ghibli film. His maiden work, the Jinchokan Moriya
Historical Museum, dramatically demonstrated his
magical style that defies definition by the country in
which it originated or era. Initially taking on the chal-
lenge of constructing massive structures, Fujimori has
narrowed his focus to polishing his skills in incorporat-
ing natural materials as well as creating cave-like
interiors, as seen in the Akino Fuku Art Museum and the
Mosaic Tile Museum Tajimi.

Notable architectural projects:

The Jinchokan Moriya Historical Museum
The Hamamatsu City Akino Fuku Art Museum
The Mosaic Tile Museum Tajimi

033
Structures of trees and stones that harmonize
with the surroundings

Kengo Kuma ［1954-］

Kengo Kuma is undoubtedly one of Japan’s most
renowned architects, best known for his effective use
of natural materials and designs that harmonize with
the surroundings. Trees and stones are synonymous
with his structures, many of which are also collabora-
tive efforts with local craftspeople using materials from
the area where they are built. The Nakagawa-machi
Bato Hiroshige Museum of Art is one of Kuma’s
masterpieces, while the Nezu Museum and the Yusuha-
ra Wooden Bridge Museum evoke elements of a new
age in Japanese architecture.

Notable architectural projects:

The Nakagawa-machi Bato Hiroshige Museum of Art
The Nezu Museum
The Yusuhara Wooden Bridge Museum

Transparent glass boxes

An architect of orthodox modernism

Kazuyo Sejima (SANAA) ［1956-］

Since 2000, the 21st Century Museum of
Contemporary Art in Kanazawa seems to have
been the most talked about art museum in Japan
for its glass façade facing out to the city and
overwhelming sense of transparency. Sejima’s
style is characterised by her penchant for light
hues, evident in the film pasted onto glass at the
Kumano Kodo Nakahechi Museum of Art and
mirrored aluminium panels used as wall surfaces
at The Sumida Hokusai Museum.

Notable architectural projects:

The 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art in Kanazawa
The Kumano Kodo Nakahechi Museum of Art
The Sumida Hokusai Museum

034
 Must-Visit Japanese Museums with Stunning Architecture

Hokkaido and Tohoku area

Kushiro City Museum

The museum itself is one of the foremost works of Kiko
Mozuna, an architect born in Kushiro City who is known
for his distinctive style of incorporating feng shui into his
designs. The front entrance exterior opens into two
wings, evoking those of the red-crowned cranes that
inhabit the Kushiro wetlands. The exhibits are accessed
by climbing twin staircases in the shape of the double
helix structure of DNA. One set of stairs symbolises
“Kushiro’s nature,” while the other symbolises “the
history of the people of Kushiro.” This masterpiece of
1980s postmodern architecture was recognised with the
Architectural Institute of Japan Award.
Architect: Kiko Mozuna
Completed: 1984

1-7 Shunkodai, Kushiro, Hokkaido

Hours: 9:30–17:00 *Last entry 16:30 Closed: Depends on the season
Admission: General ¥470, high school students ¥250, middle school students and below ¥110
Tel: 0154-41-5809 www.city.kushiro.lg.jp/museum

Aomori Museum of Art

This museum was built adjacent to Sannai Maruyama,
the past site of a village from the Jomon period. The
inspiration for the museum’s design came from archi-
tect Jun Aoki’s observation of the excavation of the
former village, particularly the method of using trench-
es for the excavation. The trenches resemble the lines
on the board used in the game of Go, and different eras
can be discerned from the changes in the trenches’
depth. The exhibit space evokes carved-out trenches
encased in chalk boxes or, as Aoki called them, “white
cubes.” The art museum is thus a unique representa-
tion of the soil it is on.
Architect: Jun Aoki
Completed: 2005

185 Chikano, Yasuta, Aomori, Aomori

Hours: 9:30–17:00 (to 18:00 June 1–September 30) *Last entry 15 minutes before closing
Closed: 2nd and 4th Monday of the month (Closed the following day if Monday is a holiday)
Admission: General ¥510, university and high school students ¥300,
middle and elementary school students ¥100
Tel: 017-783-3000 www.aomori-museum.jp

035
Hokkaido and Tohoku area

Ken Domon Museum of Photography

This art museum specialises in the works of Ken Domon,
one of the leading Japanese photographers of the post-
war period, and is located in his hometown of Sakata City.
The museum was built within the lush Iimoriyama Park far
from the city streets and has a commanding view of Mount
Chokai. With Yoshio Taniguchi’s distinctively simple boxy
architectural style, the concept of the museum is harmony
of nature and architecture. The placement of a lake in front
of the museum and the presence of the forest as back-
ground scenery produces a peaceful atmosphere. The
sculptures by Isamu Noguchi inside and outside the
museum and the garden designed by Hiroshi Deshigawa
Architect: Yoshio Taniguchi are also highlights.
Completed: 1983

2-13 Iimoriyama, Sakata, Yamagata (Inside Iimoriyama Park)

Hours: 9:00–17:00 *Last entry 16:30
Closed: Mondays January–March, New Year’s holiday period
Admission: General ¥430, students ¥210, middle school students and below free
Tel: 0234-31-0028 www.domonken-kinenkan.jp

Kanto

Nakagawa-machi Bato Hiroshige Museum of Art

A masterpiece by Kengo Kuma, the large roof and eaves
of this one-story museum immediately command
attention. The way the structure blends into the sur-
rounding greenery with remarkable ease is an example
of Kuma’s makeru kenchiku “losing architecture” that
advocates harmony with nature. The lattice on the outer
wall is made with local Yamizo cedar, the interior wall is
made with Karasuyama washi paper, and the alcove is
made with Ashino stone. The sunlight hitting the lattice
produces a plethora of fascinating shadows. Also
notable is that the construction was carried out using
local materials, in collaboration with local artisans.
photo: Mitsumasa Fujitsuka

Architect: Kengo Kuma

Completed: 2000

116-9 Bato, Nakagawa-machi, Nasu-gun, Tochigi

Hours: 9:30–17:00 (Last entry 16:30)
Closed: Mondays, days after holidays
Admission: General ¥500, university and high school students ¥300, middle school students and below free
*Additional fee for special exhibitions
Tel: 0287-92-1199 www.hiroshige.bato.tochigi.jp

036
Kanto area

Tomihiro Art Museum

Facing the Watarase River in the mountainous region of
Gunma Prefecture, this museum has the distinctive
appearance of a square box containing a collection of
33 cylindrical rooms both large and small. The muse-
um’s interior consists of an expanse of rooms in an
organically curved arrangement without angles, in stark
contrast to the exterior. The interior space, with its lack
of pillars, inspires awe among visitors and, according to
architect Makoto Yokomizo, is based on the aesthetic of
artist Tomohiro Hoshino who unites the abstract and the
tangible in his works. Because there are no walls,
visitors can freely wander through the building and take
Architect: Makoto Yokomizo in the works on display.
Completed: 2005

86 Azumachokusagi, Midori, Gunma

Hours: 9:00–17:00 *Last entry 16:30
Closed: Mondays December through March (closed the following day if Monday is a holiday),
December 26–January 4
Admission: General ¥500, middle and elementary school students free
Tel: 048-824-0111 www.city.midori.gunma.jp/tomihiro

The Museum of Modern Art, Saitama

Located in Kita-Urawa Park, this museum was first
designed by Kisho Kurokawa. Its height was kept to
under 15 meters because the park is surrounded by a
quiet residential area. The structure combines lattice
pillars and beams reminiscent of shoji paper doors, with
a uniform colour of Rikyu grey favoured by Kurokawa.
The lobby atrium is a bright, open space illuminated
naturally by the skylight. A “capsule house” from
Kurokawa’s architectural masterwork the Nakagin
Capsule Tower Building is also displayed in the park.

Architect: Kisho Kurokawa

Completed: 1982

9-30-1 Tokiwa, Urawa-ku, Saitama, Saitama

Hours: 10:00–17:30 *Last entry 17:00
Closed: Mondays (open on holidays and November 14), New Year’s holiday period
Museum admission is free. Fees for exhibits vary.
Tel: 048-824-0111 www.pref.spec.ed.jp/momas

037
Kanto area

Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum

Built as a residence for Prince Yasuhiko Asaka, the uncle
of Empress Kojun, this elegant building has now become
an art museum. The museum is full of items in the Art
Deco style, which, at the time, had just arrived in Japan
from Paris, and represented Prince Asaka’s artistic
tastes, developed while studying abroad in France.
Although the construction design was by Yukichi Gondo
of the Construction Bureau of the Imperial Household
Ministry, the interior design was chiefly the work of Henri
Rapin. The glass relief of a woman in the front entrance
and the chandelier in the large drawing room were
created by glassmaker René Lalique.
Architect: Construction Bureau of the Imperial
Household Ministry (Yukichi Gondo)
Completed: 1933

5-21-9 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Hours: 10:00–18:00 *Last entry 17:30
Closed: 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month (closed the following day if Wednesday is a holiday),
New Year’s holiday period
Admission: General ¥1,200, university, specialised, and vocational school students ¥960,
high school and middle school students and people over 65 years old ¥600
Tel: 03-5777-8600 (Hello Dial) www.teien-art-museum.ne.jp

Hara Museum of Contemporary Art

Constructed in 1938 as the residence for businessman
Kunizo Hara, this modernist building has since been
converted to a museum specialising in contemporary
art. The base colour is white, a hallmark of modernism
at the time, giving the building a clean and simple
design. There is also a characteristic space with a
gentle arc enveloping a garden. As an architect, Jin
Watanabe worked freely between different styles. He
also designed the Tokyo National Museum (P8), created
in the Imperial Crown Style, at nearly the same time,
which illustrates the breadth of his architectural abilities.

Architect: Jin Watanabe

Completed: 1938

4-7-25 Kitashinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo

Hours: 11:00–17:00 (to 20:00 on Wednesday excluding holidays) *Last entry 30 minutes before closing
Closed: Mondays (closed the following day if Monday is a holiday),
exhibition change periods, New Year’s holiday period
Admission: General ¥1,100, university and high school students ¥700,
middle and elementary school students ¥500
Tel: 03-3445-0651 www.haramuseum.or.jp

038
Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum
Large drawing room, main building
An assembly of Art Deco chic. The
chandelier by René Lalique glitters
above, while the upper portion of the
walls is covered by a wooden board
with a fresco by Henri Rapin.
Kanto area

Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum

Opened in 1926 as the first public art museum in Japan,
the building’s outer wall appears to be brick but was
actually created with Kunio Mayekawa’s characteristic
“Uchikomi Tile” method of construction. The museum
resembles a shrunken town, with its height restrained in
order to blend into Ueno Park. A plaza was constructed
to serve as the central entrance, allowing visitors to
come and go freely. Mayekawa once said, “It’s unthink-
able to go to an art museum and not be able to eat
something delicious” and was meticulous about the
location of the museum restaurant.

©Tokyo Metoroporitan Art Museum

Architect: Kunio Mayekawa

Completed: 1975

8-36 Ueno-Park Taito-ku, Tokyo

Hours : 9:30-17:30 (Last admission 17:00)
*Fridays: 9:30-20:00 during Special Exhibitions (Last admission 19:30)
Closed : Every 1st and 3rd Monday (If a national holiday, the museum will be closed the following day instead)
*Special Exhibitions, Thematic Exhibitions: Mondays
Museum entry is free. Exhibition admission fees vary by exhibition.
www.tobikan.jp/en/

Edo-Tokyo Museum
A massive museum that will overwhelm you with its
extraordinary scale. A panoramic view of the structure
can be enjoyed from the platform of JR Ryogoku
Station. Its height of about 62 meters is said to roughly
correspond to the height of Edo Castle, which was built
during the early Edo period. The exhibition space is held
up by four thick legs resembling a warehouse with an
elevated floor, creating the enormous “Edo-Tokyo Plaza”
beneath it. The dynamic configuration has visitors
ascend an elevator from the plaza to reach the exhibits.
The exhibition space is impressive as well. Just about
everything in this museum is extraordinary.
Architect: Kiyonori Kikutake
Completed: 1993

1-4-1 Yokoami, Sumida-ku, Tokyo

Hours: 9:30–17:30 (to 19:30 on Saturdays) *Last entry 30 minutes before closing
Closed: Mondays (closed the following day if Monday is a holiday), New Year’s holiday period
Admission: General ¥600, university and vocational school students ¥480,
middle school students (from outside Tokyo) and people over 65 ¥300,
middle school students (who study or live in Tokyo) and
elementary school students and below free
Tel: 03-3626-9974 www.edo-tokyo-museum.or.jp

040
Kanto area

Shibuya Municipal Shoto Museum of Art

This museum is a masterpiece completed in the last
years of the aloof architect Shirai Seiichi, who carved out
a distinctive position for himself in the post-war architec-
tural world. Shirai christened the outer wall “Red Cloud
Stone,” made with pink granite collected from a quarry
on the outskirts of Seoul, South Korea. Because the
museum is situated in a posh residential area, it has two
floors above ground and two below. Although closed
from the outside, the central atrium has a mysterious
ambience created by the lighting. The building interior is
dimly lit like a cave, allowing visitors to experience both
positive and negative space.
Architect: Seiichi Shirai
Completed: 1980

2-14-14 Shoto, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Hours: 10:00–18:00 (to 20:00 Fridays)

Closed: Mondays (closed the following day when Monday is a holiday), exhibition change periods,
New Year’s holiday period (December 29–January 3)
Admission: General ¥1,000, university students ¥800, high school students and people over 60 ¥500,
middle school students and below ¥100 *Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays are free for middle school
students and below. Fridays are free for Shibuya residents.
Tel: 03-3465-9421 www.shoto-museum.jp

Chubu area

Tanimura Art Museum

You’ll forget you’re in Japan when you stand in front of
this museum with an appearance reminiscent of a stone
cavern temple. The museum interior is also cave-like
with a curved ceiling, and is a space specially con-
structed by Togo Murano to suit the individual artworks
housed inside. Bathed in a mixture of natural and
artificial light, visitors will feel themselves enveloped in a
kind of gentleness as they view the various works. The
outside wall has darkened over the 35 years since the
museum’s construction – an intentional design feature
by Murano to use deterioration to evoke a historic ruin
in the desert.
Architect: Togo Murano
Completed: 1983

2-1-13 Kyogamine, Itoigawa, Niigata

Hours: 9:00–16:30 (Illumination 17:00–19:30) *Last entry 30 minutes before closing
Closed: Tuesdays December through mid-March (closed the following day if Tuesday is a holiday),
December 29–January 3
Admission: General ¥500, high school students and below ¥300
Tel: 025-552-9277 (Garden and Museum Management Committee) www.gyokusuien.jp

041
Chubu area

21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art,

Kanazawa
An iconic work of SANAA and a masterful example of
Japanese art museum architecture. The design
concept was for a museum open to the city like a
park, located in the centre of Kanazawa City. The
museum has entrances from all four directions with no
distinction between the front and back, designed to
invite people in for a casual visit. Although the free
spaces and paid exhibitions are clearly marked, the
design’s unique round shape and glass sides succeed
in creating an appealing departure from the formality
of conventional museums.
photo: Osamu Watanabe Provide photo: 21st Century
Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa

Architect: Kazuyo Sejima + Ryue Nishizawa / SANAA

Completed: 2004

1-2-1 Hirosaka, Kanazawa, Ishikawa

Hours: Exhibition Zone 10:00–18:00 (to 20:00 Fridays and Saturdays), Public Zone 9:00–22:00
Closed: Mondays for the Exhibition Zone (closed the following day when Monday is a holiday),
New Year’s holiday period. New Year’s holiday period for the Public Zone.
Admission: General ¥1,000, university students ¥800, middle and elementary school students ¥400,
people over 65 ¥800
Tel: 076-220-2800 www.kanazawa21.jp

Yatsugatake Museum of Art,

Hara Village History Folk Customs Data Hall
Togo Murano excelled at designing museums
dedicated to one artist. This museum was built to
primarily exhibit the works of Takashi Shimizu. The
roof, composed of successive semi-circular dome
shapes nestled among the trees, is reminiscent of
the nearby Yatsugatake mountain range. But the
best can be found inside the museum. Once you go
through the entrance, the elegant ceiling will take
your breath away with its lace curtains that softly let
in the light. The space is splendidly designed, uniting
the artworks and architecture.

Architect: Togo Murano

Completed: 1979

17217-1611 Hara-mura, Suwa-gun, Nagano

Hours: 9:00–17:00 *Last entry 16:30 Closed: New Year’s holiday period
Admission: General ¥510, children ¥250
Tel: 0266-74-2701 www.lcv.ne.jp/~yatsubi1

042
Chubu area

Mosaic Tile Museum Tajimi

The museum’s design is representative of the style of
Terunobu Fujimori, transcending time and nationality
with its distinctiveness. Fujimori considers earth to be
the most fundamental material in a building and his
design for the exterior evokes clay mountains from
which clay is extracted to serve as the raw material
for tiles. The uneven, unique shape of the museum,
which has trees growing from its roof, seems less like
a work of architecture and more like a magnificent
hill. The must-see highlight of the interior is the fourth
floor exhibition room covered from floor to ceiling
with tiles.
©Akitsugu Kojima

Architect: Terunobu Fujimori

Completed: 2016

2082-5 Kasahara-cho, Tajimi, Gifu

Hours: 9:00–17:00 *Last entry 16:30
Closed: Mondays (closed the following day if Monday is a holiday),
New Year’s holiday period (December 29–January 3)
Admission: General ¥300, high school students and below free
Tel: 0572-43-5101 www.mosaictile-museum.jp

Shiseido Art House

This 1970s modernist masterpiece was awarded the
Architectural Institute of Japan Prize. It is arranged
with two blocks forming the letter S with connected
holes, separated by a concrete wall with glass curved
surfaces and an outer wall with lustre glaze tiles with
white as the keynote colour. The Tokaido Shinkansen
runs through land adjacent to the museum site. The
curved glass windows were designed to beautifully
reflect the shinkansen trains as if looking into a mirror.

Architect: Shinsuke Takamiya and Yoshio Taniguchi

Completed: 1978

751-1 Shimomata, Kakegawa, Shizuoka

Hours: 10:00–17:00 *Last entry 16:30
Closed: Mondays (closed the following day if Monday is a holiday), summer season (end of August),
New Year’s holiday period (mid-December to early January, closed on November 26 in 2018 only due to
construction), temporary closure due to exhibition changes
Admission: Free
Tel: 0537-23-6122 www.shiseidogroup.jp/art-house

043
Chubu area

Toyota Municipal Museum of Art

The museum was built on high ground on the former site
of Koromo Castle and the different elevations of the
various sections give it an interesting configuration. The
eye-catching architecture combines the water basin at
the front of the museum, fresh, milky white glass, and
emerald slate. The construction’s light, thin, simple,
clear construction produces a sense of tension. It is the
greatest masterpiece of Yoshio Taniguchi, who is highly
evaluated both in Japan and internationally as an expert
in art museum architecture. It is currently undergoing
renovations, but will host a Klimt exhibition when these
are finished.
Architect: Yoshio Taniguchi
Completed: 1995

8-5-1 Kozakahon-machi, Toyota, Aichi

Hours: 10:00–17:30
Closed: Mondays, New Year’s holiday period
*Currently closed for renovations until Friday, May 31, 2019
Admission: General ¥300, university and high school students ¥200, middle school students and below free
*For regular exhibitions. Fee for special exhibitions varies.
Tel: 0565-34-6610 www.museum.toyota.aichi.jp

Akino Fuku Museum

The museum was created by the architect Terunobu
Fujimori. Artist Fuku Akino personally chose Fujimori for
the job, having been deeply impressed by his first work,
the Jinchokan Moriya Historical Museum. The structure’s
architectural style is not defined by any particular national
aesthetic and uses many natural materials, including local
Tenryu lumber, teppeiseki stones from Suwa City, Nagano
Prefecture for the roof, and plaster for the walls. In
contrast, the interior features a fusion of natural and
manmade materials, including exposed concrete walls.
The floor is made with rattan mats and marble, a style
that one can only truly appreciate while barefoot.
Architect: Terunobu Fujimori, Yoshio Uchida
Completed: 1997

130 Futamata, Futamata-cho, Tenryu-ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka

Hours: 9:30–17:00
Closed: Mondays (closed the following day if Monday is a holiday), New Year’s holiday period,
exhibition change periods
Admission: General ¥300, high school students ¥150,
middle schools students and below and people over 70 free
Tel: 053-922-0315 www.city.hamamatsu.shizuoka.jp/akinofuku

044
Toyota Municipal Museum of Art
Yoshio Taniguchi’s masterful technique
was to place a water basin in front of
the museum to create a peaceful
space. 23 years have passed since the
museum was completed, but it still
retains its modernist construction that
evokes universal beauty.
Mosaic Tile Museum Tajimi
This museum presents the world of
mosaic tiles as selected by designer
Terunobu Fujimori. It features
various products like toilets and an
interior covered with ornate decora-
tive tiles. It is a bright space with
white as the base colour.
Chubu area

Nagoya City Art Museum

Located in Shirakawa Park in central Nagoya City, this
architectural masterpiece was designed by Kisho
Kurokawa. Kurokawa incorporated Japanese tradition-
al methods and colours down to the smallest details
for the interior and exterior. For example, the “ap-
proach grid” leading to the entrance evokes the
orderly lines of torii gates at Fushimi Inari Shrine in
Kyoto. The exterior has many design features that
evoke local scenery, from the Kiso River to the stone
wall of Nagoya Castle. The appeal of Kurokawa’s
designs is that you can enjoy them without any special
knowledge of architecture, arts, or theory.
Architect: Kisho Kurokawa
Completed: 1988

2-17-25 Naka-ku, Nagoya, Aichi (inside the Forest of Art & Science in Shirakawa Park)
Hours: 9:30–17:00 (to 20:00 on Fridays) *Last entry 30 minutes before closing
Closed: Mondays (closed the following day when Monday is a holiday)
Admission: General ¥700, university and high school students ¥600,
middle school students and below free
*Those who purchase tickets for the special exhibitions can also view the regular exhibitions
Tel: 052-212-0001 www.art-museum.city.nagoya.jp

Kinki area

Toba Sea-Folk Museum

The exhibition buildings of this museum were built
with wood to blend into the surrounding natural
scenery of Shima. Their dynamic vaulted ceilings
made with laminated fir lumber are reminiscent of
those of European cathedrals. There are five exhibi-
tion buildings in total, each with its own unique
design, and they are arranged in a way that enables
smooth movement between them, making it easy to
add artworks to future exhibitions and move materi-
als. Few other museums have as many exhibition
materials, so you will want to spend a good amount
of time here to enjoy it all.
Architect: Hiroshi Naito
Completed: 1992

1731-68 Daikichi, Uramuracho, Toba, Mie

Hours: 9:00–17:00 (to 16:30 December 1 – end of February) *Last entry 30 minutes before closing
Closed: June 26-30, December 26-30
Admission: General ¥800, university students and below ¥400
Tel: 0599-32-6006 www.umihaku.com

047
Kinki area

Miho Museum
This museum was designed by I.M. Pei, known for also
creating the “glass pyramid” of the Louvre. His grand
design called for the construction of the utopia de-
scribed in the Chinese poet Tao Yuanming’s Taohua
Yuan Ji (The Peach Blossom Spring). The approach to
the museum is magnificent, with visitors passing
through a tunnel and crossing a bridge before the
building comes into view. The architectural frame is
made up of many triangles. This is the distinctive style
of Pei, who excels at geometric modelling.

Architect: I.M. Pei

Completed: 1997

300 Momodani, Tashiro, Shigaraki-cho, Koka, Shiga

Hours: 10:00–17:00 *Last entry 16:00
Closed: Mondays (closed the following day if Monday is a holiday); Tuesday, October 9 to Friday, October
19; Monday, December 3 to the end of winter
Admission: General ¥1,100, university and high school students ¥800,
middle school students and below ¥300
Tel: 0748-82-3411 http://miho.jp

The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto

Located in a corner of Okazaki Park far from the city
centre of Kyoto lies this art museum, with a noble
appearance across from the giant torii gate of
Heian-jingu Shrine. While its metallic exterior looks like
a simple box, it incorporates characteristic designs
from Japanese architecture including the gabled roof
overhead. There are granite panels attached to the
surface of the walls. The distinctive polish of Fumihiko
Maki’s architectural style can easily be seen in the
conducting wires in the interior. It is a classic work of
1980s art museum architecture.

photo: Kunihiro Shikata

Architect: Fumihiko Maki

Completed: 1986

26-1 Okazaki Enshoji-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto

Hours: 9:30–17:00 (to 20:00 Fridays and Saturdays) *Last entry 30 minutes before closing
Closed: Mondays (closed the following day if Monday is a holiday), New Year’s holiday period
Admission: General ¥1,500, university students ¥1,100, high school students ¥600,
middle school students and below free
Tel: 075-761-4111 www.momak.go.jp

048
Kinki area

Osaka Prefecture Chikatsu Asuka Museum

This museum is located in southern Osaka in an area
once known as Chikatsu Asuka as described in the
Kojiki, where there are still many ancient kofun burial
mounds (tumuli). Tadao Ando’s design was especially
created for a museum dedicated to historic ruins in the
shape of a keyhole-shaped kofun, and has been de-
scribed as a “kofun of the Heisei period.” The surround-
ing historical park contains the Ichisuka tumulus cluster.
A distinctive element of the museum is its rooftop plaza,
which doubles as sets of stairs, a design that allows
visitors to look out over the surrounding scenery as if
being on top of a hill. The interior gives the impression of
Architect: Tadao Ando being inside a kofun, inviting you on a journey to the
Completed: 1994 ancient underworld.

299 Higashiyama, Kanan-cho, Minamikawachi-gun, Osaka

Hours: 10:00–17:00 *Last entry 16:30
Closed: Mondays (closed the following day if Monday is a holiday), New Year’s holiday period
Admission: General ¥650, university and high school students and people over 65 ¥450,
middle school students and below free
Tel: 0721-93-8321 www.chikatsu-asuka.jp

The Museum Yamato Bunkakan

This is one of Isoya Yoshida’s foremost works, with a
traditional Japanese architectural aesthetic, expressed
with reinforced concrete. The exterior features namako-
kabe walls made with a traditional plaster technique.
The interior corridor is a space reminiscent of temple
priests’ living quarters with a thick wooden framework.
Enveloped in the soft light coming from the paper
screen doors, the corridor leads you along a tranquil
path to the exhibition hall, a vivid representation of
traditional Japanese architecture. The Take no Niwa
(bamboo garden) in the centre of the exhibition hall
resembles a tsuboniwa small garden and was created
Architect: Isoya Yoshida to allow visitors to enjoy the artworks in a natural
Completed: 1960 environment.

1-11-6 Gakuen Minami, Nara

Hours: 10:00–17:00 *Last entry 16:00
Closed: Mondays (closed the following day when Monday is a holiday)
Admission: General ¥930, university and high school students ¥720,
middle school students and below free
Tel: 0742-45-0544 www.kintetsu-ghd.co.jp/culture/yamato

049
Kinki area

Kumanokodo Nakahechi Museum of Art

This museum is known for being the first art museum
designed by the internationally-active architectural duo
Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa. This grand,
eye-catching structure is located within the mountainous
region of the UNESCO World Heritage Kumano Kodo
pilgrimage routes. The light exterior consists of a glass
cloister surrounding the exhibition space. Besides the
exhibits themselves, taking in the river scenery is a must
as well. The museum is characterised by the unification
of architecture and scenery, as the green from the
surrounding environment is lightly reflected on the glass.

Architect: Kazuyo Sejima + Ryue Nishizawa / SANAA

Completed: 1997

891 Nakahechicho Chikatsuyu, Tanabe, Wakayama

Hours: 10:00–17:00 *Last entry 16:30
Closed: Mondays (closed the following day if Monday is a holiday), New Year’s holiday period
Admission: General ¥400, under 18 and students free
Tel: 0739-65-0390 www.city.tanabe.lg.jp/nakahechibijutsukan

Shikoku and Chugoku area

Shoji Ueda Museum of Photography

This photography museum is located at the foot of
Mount Daisen, awash with nature. The line of bold
boxes made with heavy exposed concrete are a distinc-
tive and imposing sight, even from afar. Look out for the
slit-like openings in the buildings. Mount Daisen, also
known as the “Fuji of the Hoki area,” is visible from
inside the museum. An “inverted Daisen” can also be
seen reflected in the basin outside the front entrance.
The museum’s refined architecture is truly outstanding,
and allows visitors to feel the imagination of architect
Shin Takamatsu.

Architect: Shin Takamatsu

Completed: 1995

353-3 Sumura, Hoki-cho, Saihaku-gun, Tottori

Hours: 9:00–17:00 *Last entry 16:30
Closed: Tuesday (closed the following day if Tuesday is a holiday), December 1 – end of February
Admission: General ¥900, university and high school students ¥500,
middle school students and below ¥300
Tel: 0859-39-8000 www.houki-town.jp/ueda

050
MIHO MUSEUM
The scenery of this museum in a
mountainous region is truly worthy of
being called “the Peach Blossom
Spring utopia.” The building’s geomet-
ric architectural form harmonises
splendidly with the surrounding nature
in an almost mysterious way.
Shikoku and Chugoku area

Shimane Art Museum

This museum is a masterpiece produced by Kikutake in
his last years. The structure facing Shinji Lake has a
wave-like curve, integrated with the water and the
surrounding scenery. The curve creates a shore-like form
connecting the water’s surface and the earth. Kikutake
was also conscientious of the view from the opposite
shore of the lake, and created a roof with a subdued
texture of titanium at a low height. Visitors should enter
the lobby to savour the profound view of the scenery of
Shinji Lake stretching before them from the structure.
The view at sunset is especially beautiful and will surely
take your breath away.
Architect: Kiyonori Kikutake
Completed: 1998

1-5 Sodeshi-cho, Matsue, Shimane

Hours: 10:00–18:30 October–February, to 30 minutes after sunset March–September *Last entry 30
minutes before closing
Closed: Tuesdays, New Year’s holiday period (December 28 – January 1)
Admission: General ¥1,000, university students ¥600, high school students and middle and elementary
school students ¥300 Tel: 0852-55-4700 www.shimane-art-museum.jp

Ohara Museum of Art

This is the first private museum centred on Western art in
Japan, and was established by the businessman Magos-
aburo Ohara to commemorate the painter Torajiro Kojima.
This structure styled after Greek temples is located in the
centre of the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter and is the
symbol of the area. The two-story reinforced concrete
building appears to have a stone exterior, but it is actually
formed with manmade cement. The annex was designed
by Shizutaro Urabe, an architect who was based in
Kurashiki. The building’s height was determined by Urabe
by using the “Kurashiki module,” a measurement stan-
dard passed down by the local people.
Provide photos: Ohara Museum Of Art

Architect: Kazue Yakushiji (Main Gallery),

Shizutaro Urabe (Annex)
Completed: 1930 (Main Gallery), 1961 (Annex)

1-1-15 Chuo, Kurashiki, Okayama (toward the Ohara Museum of Art)

Hours: 10:00–16:30 (gallery hours 9:00–17:00) *Last entry 30 minutes before closing
Closed: Mondays (open on Monday if it is a holiday, and all Mondays from the end of July to August 10),
New Year’s holiday period *The gallery is open on New Year’s Day
Admission: General ¥1,300, university students ¥800,
high school students and below ¥500 (general admission to Yurinso is ¥1,000, and ¥500 for students)
Tel: 086-422-0005 www.ohara.or.jp

052
Shikoku and Chugoku area

Chichu Art Museum

The majority of this museum was constructed
underground to avoid impairing the surrounding
scenery of the Seto Inland Sea. It is one of the core
facilities of Benesse Art Site Naoshima carefully
created by Tadao Ando to house works by three
artists only. Although it is an underground space, it
does not have a closed feeling, and is actually quite
comfortable due to the natural light pouring in. The
way the appearances of the works and the space
change with the time and season is also remarkable.
Ando’s signature exposed concrete walls complement
the exhibited works perfectly.
photo: Mitsumasa Fujitsuka

Architect: Tadao Ando

Completed: 2004

3449-1 Naoshima-cho, Kagawa-gun, Kagawa

Hours: 10:00–18:00 (to 17:00 October 1 – end of February) *Last entry one hour before closing
Closed: Mondays (closed the following day when Monday is a holiday)
Admission: General ¥2,060, free for children under 15 (reservations necessary)
Tel: 087-892-3755 http://benesse-artsite.jp/art/chichu.html

Teshima Art Museum

Part of Benesse Art Site Naoshima, this museum is
located on a slightly elevated hill overlooking the
Seto Inland Sea and exhibits a single artwork by Rei
Naito. The formerly fallow terraced rice fields
surrounding the museum were restored in collabora-
tion with local residents. The elegant exterior
resembles a drop of water, while the interior contains
no pillars or partition walls. This was achieved with a
concrete shell construction. The openings in the
ceiling let in natural elements like the wind, sounds,
and light. On sunny days, the view from the building
of the blue sky is particularly beautiful.
photo: Noboru Morikawa

Architect: Ryue Nishizawa

Completed: 2010

607 Karato, Teshima, Tonosho-cho, Shozu-gun, Kagawa

Hours: 10:00–17:00 (to 16:00 November 1 – end of February)
*Last entry 30 minutes before closing
Closed: Tuesdays (closed Tuesday–Thursday December 1 – end of February)
Open on national holidays, but closed the next day.
Admission: General ¥1,540, children under 15 free
Tel: 0879-68-3555 http://benesse-artsite.jp/art/teshima-artmuseum.html

053
Shikoku and Chugoku area

Toyo Ito Museum of Architecture, Imabari

This museum dedicated to a single architect is a
rarity in Japan. Its creation was born out of Toyo Ito’s
wish to convey his ideas to children and future
generations. This resonated with Atsuo Tokoro
Entrepreneur and Koji Hasegawa, Owner of Gallery
Hasegawa who helped to make Ito’s vision a reality.
Ito designed two “Steel Hut” buildings for the
museum, modelled after his own “Silver Hut” resi-
dence in Tokyo. Visitors not only have the opportunity
to enjoy Ito’s distinctive architecture, but can also
enjoy the picturesque view of the Setouchi Inland Sea
from the premises.
Architect: Toyo Ito
Completed: 2011

2418 Urado, Omishima-machi, Imabari, Ehime

Hours: 9:00–17:00
Closed: Mondays (closed the following day when Monday is a holiday),
New Year’s holiday period (December 27-31)
Admission: General ¥800, students ¥400
Tel: 0897-74-7220 www.tima-imabari.jp

Kyushu area

Kitakyushu Municipal Museum of Art

The geometrically dynamic structure of this
eye-catching museum combines cubic and rectan-
gular shapes, a feature often seen in Isozaki’s works
from the 1970s. The two tubular protruding boxes
serve as the collection exhibition spaces. Although
their unique appearance has earned the museum the
pet name “binoculars on the hill” Isozaki had actually
envisioned a cathedral when designing them. The
entrance hall is a three-story atrium. The café inside
has a splendid location with a beautiful view of
Kitakyushu.

Architect: Arata Isozaki

Completed: 1974

21-1 Nishisayagatani-machi, Tobata-ku, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka

Hours: 9:30–17:30 *Last entry 17:00
Closed: Mondays (closed the following day when Monday is a holiday), New Year’s holiday period
Admission: General ¥150, university and high school students ¥100,
middle and elementary school students ¥50
Tel: 093-882-7777 http://kmma.jp/

054
Kyushu area

ART PLAZA. ++ Oita City

The former Oita Prefectural Library was reborn as a
gallery designed by Arata Isozaki. It is characterised
by its powerful appearance with the combination of
exposed concrete walls and hollow beams. Isozaki’s
design used his unique “process planning” method to
add to the building without compromising its original
aesthetic. Isozaki had just debuted as an architect
when he won the Architectural Institute of Japan (AIJ)
Prize for this work, and from 1970 he became a
leader in the architecture world.

Architect: Arata Isozaki

Completed: 1966 (renovated in 1998)

3-31 Niage-machi, Oita, Oita

Hours: 9:00–22:00 (10:00 to 18:00 for the abovementioned exhibition, 9:00 to 18:00 for the Isozaki New
Architecture Exhibition Room)
Closed: New Year’s holiday period (December 28 – January 3) *Sometimes closed for events
Admission: Free
Tel: 097-538-5000 www.art-plaza.jp

Oita Prefectural Art Museum

Shigeru Ban’s theme for the design was how to
attract people who do not go to art museums and
create a space where people regularly gather to
appreciate art. The first floor has a glass side so you
can see into the museum from outside, and the
two-story atrium, museum shop, and café are free to
enter, encouraging people to stop by whenever they
like. The southern façade can be opened or shut
entirely, creating a space that can blend with the
street.

Architect: Shigeru Ban

Completed: 2014

2-1 Kotobuki-machi, Oita, Oita

Hours: 10:00–19:00 (to 20:00 Fridays and Saturdays) *Last entry 30 minutes before closing
Closed: N/A
Admission: General ¥800, university and high school students ¥500,
middle school students and below free
Tel: 097-533-4500 www.opam.jp

055
 Kengo Kuma on the V&A Dundee

Art Museums with

Subtle Designs
That Astonish the World
Kengo Kuma is the architect behind a succession of art museums
that have captured the media and public’s attention. We talked
to him about his latest work, the V&A Dundee, completed in
September 2018, and his vision for art museums of the future.
Text: Takanori Yamauchi Photo: Benjamin Lee Coordination: Noriko Sakayori (L.STUDIO)

Kengo Kuma
Born in 1954. Architect and pro-
fessor at the University of Tokyo.
After graduating in architecture
from the Department of Architec-
ture at the University of Tokyo,
he set up his own office “Kengo
Kuma & Associates” in 1990.
Kuma has received numerous
awards throughout his career in-
cluding first place in the Architec-
tural Institute of Japan Award for
Noh Stage in the Forest in 1997,
and the Mainichi Art Award for the
Nezu Museum in 2010. He has
also published several books such
as Shizen na Kenchiku (A Natural
Architecture) (Iwanami Shinsho),
and Kenchikuka, Hashiru (An
Architect Runs) (Shinchosha).
An art museum is
a community’s living room
he world renowned and quintes-
sential Japanese architect Kengo Kuma
has designed a multitude of art muse-
ums both in Japan and overseas. His
latest creation, the Victoria and Albert
Museum of Design (V&A Dundee),
was just completed on the waterfront in
Dundee, Scotland, this September. If
anyone is worthy of the title “an au-
thority in art museum architecture”, it’s
Kuma.
The building is garnering attention for
its striking architecture reminiscent of
a boat Àoating on Scotland’s longest
river, the River Tay, which seems to ex-
tend out from this waterfront structure.
“An art museum is not just for ¿ne art
enthusiasts. First and foremost, it
should be built for the local communi-
ty. In designing the V&A Dundee, I re-
alized that people want a place where
they can easily gather. So I focused on
creating a comfortable space, and it
just so happened the locals here em-
057
braced the ‘living room for the city’
concept that has underpinned my ap-
proach to constructing art museums.”
The Guggenheim Bilbao in Spain’s
Bilbao City is famous for its spectacu-
larly-shaped building designed by the
Canadian-born American architect
Frank Gehry. Similar to the V&A
Dundee, this is another waterfront mu-
seum that attracted attention during its
construction. Kuma shares with us his
impression of the building.
“While Gehry’s architecture is un-
doubtedly brilliant, I also feel there’s a
bit too much of the architect’s person-
ality imbued into the design… (chuck-
les). There are many art museums
where the architects have used power-
ful designs to assert their individuality;
but my intention is to design an art mu-
seum through which its visitors can re-
discover the appeal of that particular
town or city.”
Architecture that doesn’t dominate can
also coexist with nature
hile the New National Stadium
that is currently under construction in
Tokyo is perhaps Kuma’s most public
project of the almost 100 small and
large scale projects Kuma has worked
on in Japan and abroad, it is the V&A
Dundee that has left the deepest im-
pression in him among his more recent-
ly completed buildings.
“When I saw the V&A Dundee’s
planned site listed under the other com-
petition guidelines, I felt a strong de-
sire to design it. I’ve always ap-
proached art museum architecture from
the perspective of achieving coexis-
tence with nature. So seeing the water-
front site for the museum whetted my
creative appetite.”
For close to 20 years now, Kuma has
been ardently advocating the concept
of ‘makeru kenchiku’ (architecture),
which refers to a Àexible and sustain-
able architectural style that doesn’t
dominate the environment. If ‘katsu
058
kenchiku’ (winning architecture) fo-
cuses on large-scale buildings that
dominate the area, then ‘makeru
kenchiku’ purports an architectural
style that harmoniously blends into the
surrounds.
Among the six ¿nalists selected to de-
sign the V&A Dundee, Kuma’s propos-
al clearly stood out from those of the
other architects, many of whom adopt-
ed the more dominating approach of
glass towers and other overt designs
that express their individual style;
Kuma was the only one who prioritised
the environment.
“After seeing how well this proposal
has been received internationally, I feel
there’s been a shift in the direction of
contemporary architecture. You could
even call the V&A Dundee a compila-
tion of my career in art museum archi-
tecture.”
Rediscovering the appeal of local areas
through art museum architecture
he ¿rst feature of the V&A
Dundee that captures your attention is
its exterior design consisting of rough-
ly 2,400 pre-cast concrete panels which
have been layered to resemble the
beautiful cliff faces along the Scottish
coastlands. When viewing the whole
building from a distance, it looks like
two ships that have been fused together
to create a distinctive shape; the gate in
the overlapping section is also note-
worthy. Kuma comments:
“The gate is modelled on the torii gate-
way in a Shinto shrine; it invites visi-
tors to enter the art museum, and also
connects the river with the town. This
art museum features various elements
that encourage visitors to reacquaint
themselves with the waterfront area. I
want the people who come here to en-
joy the scenery that extends out from
the art museum and blends into the sur-
rounds.”
European architecture includes many
stately structures made from stones and
059
bricks, which are used to de¿nitively
demarcate the inside from the outside;
this style is also seen in the massive
concrete constructs of contemporary
architecture.
However, the traditional style of Japa-
nese residential architecture, as seen in
the drawing room in Kyoto’s Katsura
Imperial Villa, brings the natural envi-
ronment outside into the building.
Some Japanese landscape gardens are
designed to be appreciated using all
¿ve senses – the even more stunning
view of the building from the garden
side, strolling through the garden while
enjoying the breeze and smelling the
plants.
Kuma has incorporated this aesthetic
sense of Japanese people into the V&A
Dundee’s design, and presented the riv-
er’s beauty in new ways for the locals
to appreciate.
Kuma often visits art museums him-
self, casually dropping by one for a
change of scene when he’s in foreign
cities for project meetings; and he
draws on what he sees and experiences
during these visits for inspiration in his
own designs.
“Many people probably hang out in a
hotel lobby for several hours when they
are overseas on work, but I’m too con-
scious of other people’s gaze; so in-
stead, I go to an art museum to relax.
You won’t get scolded if you hang
around an art museum for the better
part of the day, which is great (chuck-
les)!
And being able to easily drop by one
also brings art closer to you and makes
Completed: September 2018 1 Riverside Esplanade
Dundee DD1 4EZ www.vam.ac.uk/dundee
060
it more accessible. That’s why my
overriding aim in designing this type of
building is to create a comfortable
space that is just like your own living
room.
So the V&A Dundee has windows with
a view of the river and features lots of
wood in its interior, all for the sole pur-
pose of creating a relaxing place that
visitors can unwind in.”
This is the underlying approach Kuma
uses to design art museums. It’s no
wonder then that his creations are
known as places where people tend to
stay a long time.
©Hufton+Crow
Victoria and Albert Museum
of Design (V&A Dundee)
An art museum that provides a
space for visitors to reconnect
to the historic River Tay water-
front. Constructed using layers
of pre-cast concrete panels,
which curve upwards to create
a striking exterior that resem-
bles a Scottish cliff face.
 Next Issue

—Fine artisan products

We return to the extraordinary world of Japanese
handcrafted products for our 22nd issue. With the
help of local specialists, we look at beautifully crafted
items for daily (and a little special) use that are sure
to delight you and enrich your daily routine.

Online on January 06, 2019

061