Cover The best outdoor museums in Japan (Photo: Hakone Open-Air Museum)
The best outdoor museums in Japan (Photo: Hakone Open-Air Museum)
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From Hakone to Sapporo, these outdoor museums are an amusement park for art aficionados
The open-air museum concept is not a recent discovery, as it was established in Scandinavia in the 19th century to showcase architectural works. Today, many historical areas serve as cultural sites for tourists.
Japan has hopped on the open-air museum bandwagon and is now home to a handful of open-air museums, all of which are a treat for the eyes (and the camera).
Boasting beautifully preserved Meiji-style architecture, and works by celebrated sculptors including Antony Gormley and Bukichi Inoue, these museums are worth braving the elements for.
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Hakone Open-Air Museum, Hakone
Bukichi Inoue “my sky hole 79 peephole on the sky” (Photo: Hakone Open-Air Museum)
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Opened in 1969, the Hakone Open-Air Museum is Japan’s first museum dedicated to sculpture. Incorporating Hakone’s splendid hills, streams, ponds, and stellar views of the nearby mountain, the museum focuses particularly on environmental sculpture. Here, you’ll find durable, mammoth sculptures that are placed in harmony with its natural surroundings.
Get your steps in as you peruse through the museum’s proud collection of modern and contemporary sculpture by famous artists, including Niki de Saint Phalle, Bukichi Inoue, and Henry Moore.
Address: 1121 Ninotaira, Hakone, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa 250-0407, Japan
Kirishima Open-Air Museum, Kagoshima
Kagoshima Prefecture’s very own open-air museum houses exceptional sculptures that are placed alongside the Kirishima woods. Exhibiting original works by Japanese and international artists who have visited and enjoyed the Kirishima landscape, the museum is a love letter to the area’s natural beauty.
A must-visit while you’re in Kagoshima, the museum showcases works by Yayoi Kusama, Antony Gormley, and Singapore’s very own Tang Da Wu.
Address: 6340-220 Koba, Yusui, Aira District, Kagoshima 899-6201, Japan
Meiji Mura, Inuyama
Meiji Mura, meaning Meiji Village, will be every history nerd’s paradise. The elegant open-air museum houses over 60 buildings preserved from the Meiji Period. Characterised by the strong influence of Western architecture, the Meiji buildings were constructed with brick and stone, instead of wood. Many buildings from across Japan have also been relocated to the museum to preserve the period’s architectural heritage.
Address: 484-0000, 1 Uchiyama, Inuyama-shi, Aichi
Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum, Tokyo
Tokiwadai Photo Studio (Photo: Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum)
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Step into the past at the Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum. Exhibiting historic buildings from around Tokyo, the museum aims to relocate and reconstruct cultural buildings to preserve their heritage. Architectural masterpieces from the Edo and Showa period can be found here.
Contemporary buildings, including a photo studio, the house of former Japanese Prime Minister, Takahashi Korekiyo, and a former public bathhouse are some buildings attractions among visitors.
Address: 184-0005, 3-7-1 Sakuracho, Koganei-shi, Tokyo (inside Koganei Park)
Open Air Museum of Sapporo Art Forest, Sapporo
Above Sapporo Art Park (Photo: Sapporo Travel)
Sapporo Art Park (Photo: Sapporo Travel)
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Located in the Sapporo Art Park, this humble open-air museum focuses on art from Hokkaido. Perched atop a hillside park, the grounds are home to about 75 contemporary sculptures, mostly by Japanese artists.
Catch some zen at this sculpture sanctuary as you surround yourself with lush greenery and remarkable sculptures.
Address: 2 Chome-75 Geijutsunomori, Minami Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 005-0864, Japan
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