Do you know Kojima Torajiro?
As the Ohara Museum of Art, located in the Bikan Historical Area, opened, it was a Western-style painter from Takahashi City, Nariwa-cho, who actually walked around the world on foot, purchasing works from various "contemporary artists of the time" such as Monet and Matisse, while continuously presenting his own works.
Not only essential for discussing the history of the Bikan Historical Area but also for the history of Western painting in Japan, the works of Kojima and the works collected from around the world are housed and exhibited in the Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery, which grandly opened on April 3, 2025 (Thursday).
I visited a new art museum that communicates the history of Kurashiki, located at the foot of Achi Shrine and across from the Kurashiki Community Center, in the center of the Bikan Historical Area.
About the Building of the Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery
The works of Kojima Torajiro and the collected works have been exhibited at the main building and branch of the Ohara Museum of Art since its opening, and from 1972 to 2017, they were displayed at the "Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery" within Kurashiki Ivy Square.
Due to the aging of the facility at Kurashiki Ivy Square, it became difficult to continue providing an appropriate environment for preserving and exhibiting valuable cultural properties, leading to its relocation and new opening.
After a construction period spanning two phases, the new Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery opened on April 3, 2025 (Thursday).
- Phase 1 (Started in July 2020): Construction of the building
- Phase 2 (Started in June 2024): Construction of the exhibition rooms
Architecture of the Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery
The Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery is a facility renovated from the former Chugoku Bank Kurashiki Honmachi Branch, which is designated as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of the country.
The main building of the Ohara Museum of Art was also designed by Yakushiji Kazue.
This building, donated to the Ohara Museum of Art by Chugoku Bank in 2016, was actually in operation as a bank for Kurashiki citizens until that year.
Some may have experience using it for receiving salaries and such.
The exterior of the brick and wooden preservation building, designated as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property, remains unchanged from the time, but a new reinforced concrete building has been added. As a result, the total area is 959 square meters, consisting of three exhibition rooms and a lecture room.
Although it is a building that retains history with Neo-Renaissance-style columns and stained glass, there is a slope at the entrance, and universal toilets and elevators have also been installed inside the museum.
It is a museum where people of all ages and abilities can enjoy viewing the artworks.
Three Exhibition Rooms
There are three exhibition rooms.
Exhibition Room 1, the first room you enter after passing the reception, is a spacious room with a high ceiling that retains the bank's counter.
Natural light streams in from the high ceiling, creating a bright and open exhibition space.
This room features Oriental art collected by Kojima Torajiro, including sculptures and glass works from ancient Egypt and West Asia.
Exhibition Room 2, located on the first floor of the new reinforced concrete building, and Exhibition Room 3, located on the second floor, are windowless exhibition rooms. They feature works painted by Kojima Torajiro.
While regular exhibitions will be changed, currently, works by Kojima Torajiro that were exhibited at the opening of the Ohara Museum of Art in 1930 (Showa 5) are on display.
Who is "Kojima Torajiro" highlighted by the Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery?
With the opening of the Ohara Museum of Art, the founder Ohara Magosaburo also had the desire to open a memorial gallery for Kojima Torajiro.
Therefore, the opening of the Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery has become a long-cherished dream for the Ohara Museum of Art after 95 years.
What kind of person was Kojima Torajiro?
Kojima Torajiro as a Western-style Painter
Kojima Torajiro was a Western-style painter born in 1881.
In 1901, Torajiro moved to Tokyo for painting training, and the following year, he entered the Tokyo School of Fine Arts, now known as Tokyo University of the Arts.
He completed the originally four-year course in two years through two promotions and further studied in the research department (now a graduate school).
The work he created while in school, "Garden of Compassion," was honored by being purchased by the Imperial Household Agency (at the time) (currently housed at the Imperial Palace's Sannomaru Shozokan).
From 1908, he studied abroad in Europe and graduated at the top of his class from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Ghent, Belgium, in 1912.
Awakened to light and color in Europe, Kojima continued to paint vibrant Western-style paintings centered on domestic and international figures after returning to Japan and settling in Sakatsu, Kurashiki City.
Kojima Torajiro as a Collector
While being recognized for his talent as a painter in Europe, Kojima also began collecting works with the philosophy of wanting to "show real Western paintings to Japanese art students and the general public."
With the support of Ohara Magosaburo, the founder of the Ohara Museum of Art, he traveled to Europe three times and to China and Korea four times for his painting training and art collection.
Traveling to Europe at that time was a harsh sea journey that took about a month and a half one way.
Nevertheless, Torajiro energetically traveled abroad to collect overseas works, laying the foundation for the Ohara Museum of Art.
Not only paintings were collected.
Kojima Torajiro, captivated by the diverse cultures of the world, also gathered art from various countries. He seemed to have a strong attachment to ancient Egypt, collecting numerous artifacts and artworks, and even visited Egypt itself.
It is said that the painter who collected a substantial collection of Western paintings and ancient Oriental art was the first in Japan.
The Vision of the Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery
The Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery will serve the following functions.
- Exhibition and preservation of artworks
- Base for educational outreach and appreciation support projects
- Research institution functions
- Preservation and utilization of the building
Kojima Torajiro's philosophy of wanting to "show real Western paintings to art students and the general public living in Japan" reflects a sense of social contribution.
The Ohara Museum of Art has also been actively engaged in educational outreach activities for many years.
The lecture room of the Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery is expected to serve as a base for educational outreach and appreciation support projects.
It is said that the Ohara Art Foundation has a wealth of materials related to Kojima Torajiro, so future research and exhibitions utilizing those materials are something to look forward to.
Ayumi Yoshikawa, Special Senior Researcher of the Ohara Art Foundation, said
"Kojima Torajiro's works are all charming, and you can't help but want to get closer and take a look.
The museum, which has repurposed a bank building, has a scale that embodies the intimacy characteristic of Kurashiki.
Because it is a compact building with many small works displayed, I want to change the exhibitions frequently."
She expressed.
Support Project Utilizing Corporate Version Furusato Tax Payment from 69 Companies
Preparations for the opening of the Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery began in 2020.
During this time, the number of tourists in the Bikan Historical Area of Kurashiki was decreasing due to measures against the spread of the novel coronavirus.
In such circumstances, with the desire to "revitalize the Bikan Historical Area," an application was made for the "Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery Equipment Maintenance and Surrounding Revitalization Project" utilizing the corporate version of the Kurashiki City Furusato Tax Payment.
The application was successfully adopted, and approximately 228 million yen in corporate version Furusato Tax Payment collected from 69 companies nationwide, along with a subsidy of 10 million yen from Kurashiki City, was presented to the Ohara Art Foundation on March 27, 2025 (Thursday).
At the presentation ceremony, Mayor Ito Kaori said,
"This is a place where the art of Kurashiki has been seen for a long time, and I hope it will become a new hub for regional circulation and communication."
Along with this comment, a certificate of presentation was handed over to Ohara Akane, Executive Director of the Ohara Art Foundation.
Executive Director Ohara expressed gratitude, saying,
"By utilizing the corporate version of the Furusato Tax Payment, we were able to connect with various companies across the country.
While conveying our gratitude to everyone, I promise to continue expanding the scope of our activities."
She expressed her thanks.
March 6, 2025 (Thursday) Pre-Opening
Before the grand opening on April 3, 2025 (Thursday), a pre-opening for the general public was held on March 6 (Thursday).
During the morning when I visited, new guests were constantly coming in, and it was a great success.
Groups of friends enjoying the exhibits together and individuals taking their time to appreciate the art were both filled with a sense of excitement.
The works collected by Kojima in Exhibition Room 1 are all small in size. However, since the cases are arranged at equal intervals, visitors can appreciate their favorite works in order, allowing for a comfortable viewing experience even with a large crowd.
Episodes related to the exhibited works are explained throughout, making it feel as if one can visualize how the works were collected and how people at that time first encountered Western paintings and foreign ancient art.
The building itself is compact, but as you carefully observe each work, time passes by in the blink of an eye.
April 3, 2025 (Thursday) Grand Opening
About a month after the pre-opening, on April 3, the birthday of Kojima Torajiro, the Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery had its grand opening.
The grand opening ceremony, which started at 9:30 AM, was blessed with clear blue skies.
Cherry blossoms were blooming along the Kurashiki River, and in the spring weather, it felt as if the spirits of the deceased associated with this place were also celebrating, as the ceremony began in the presence of the donating companies from the corporate version of the Furusato Tax Payment and tourists.
Ohara Akane, Executive Director of the Ohara Art Foundation, commented before the opening as follows.
Afterward, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held with guests including Mayor Ito Kaori, Kato Sadanori, President of Chugoku Bank, and Inoue Minehito, President of the Kurashiki Chamber of Commerce.
Visitors who had been eagerly waiting for this day began to enter the gallery one after another.
I spoke with Miura Atsu, the director, about the opening.
Data of Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery
| Name | Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery |
|---|---|
| Opening Hours | 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM * Last admission is at 3:30 PM; closed at 3:00 PM from December to February |
| Location | 3-1 Honmachi, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Admission Fee (including tax) | Common ticket for Ohara Museum of Art Main Building / Crafts and Oriental Hall / Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery General: 2,000 yen High school, middle school, and elementary school students (under 18): 500 yen |
| Website | Official Website of Ohara Museum of Art |
The Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery is a museum that Ohara Magosaburo, the founder of the Ohara Museum of Art, longed for.
I believe that Magosaburo, Kojima Torajiro, and Yakushiji, who designed this building, are somewhere saying, 'Well done, you guys from 100 years later,' smiling down on us.
I want new values to emerge from this Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery and, while utilizing them, walk into the future with not only the citizens of Kurashiki but people from all over the world.