April 3 is the birthday of Kojima Torajiro, who laid the foundations of the Ohara Museum of Art.
And on April 3, 2025, the “Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery” grand-opened in the Bikan Historical Area.
As I viewed the Oriental art collected by Kojima Torajiro, including sculptures and glass works from ancient Egypt and West Asia, as well as works by Kojima Torajiro himself, I found myself wondering about their “origins.”
Kojima Torajiro was from what is now Nariwa-cho, Takahashi City, and the “Nariwa Museum” commemorates his achievements.
The Nariwa Museum is currently holding “The Artistic Lineage: Three Generations of the Kojima Family—Kojima Torajiro, Kojima Kaitaro, and Kojima Shintaro.”
Curious, I went to see it.
The information presented here was accurate when this article was published in May 2025. Please note that it may differ from current information.
What is the “Nariwa Museum”?
The Nariwa Museum opened in August 1953 to honor Western-style painter Kojima Torajiro, who was from Nariwa-cho, Takahashi City.
In 1994, it moved to its current location and reopened in a newly constructed building designed by Ando Tadao.
The museum houses and exhibits works and collections by Kojima Torajiro, as well as fossils collected in Nariwa, and also places a strong emphasis on special exhibitions.
The Artistic Lineage: Three Generations of the Kojima Family—Kojima Torajiro, Kojima Kaitaro, and Kojima Shintaro
“The Artistic Lineage: Three Generations of the Kojima Family—Kojima Torajiro, Kojima Kaitaro, and Kojima Shintaro” is a special exhibition being held at the Nariwa Museum from Saturday, April 5, to Sunday, June 8, 2025.
Kojima Kaitaro is a ceramic artist and grandson of Kojima Torajiro, while Kojima Shintaro is a Western-style painter and great-grandson.
Bringing the works of all three together in one place offers a rare opportunity to experience the artistic legacy passed down through the Kojima family.
A visit on opening day
I visited on Saturday, April 5, 2025, the exhibition’s opening day.
- Opening ceremony
- Gallery talk by Kojima Kaitaro and Kojima Shintaro
As these events were held, I’ll share what they were like.
Opening ceremony
The opening ceremony began at 1:30 p.m.
First, museum director Sawahara Kazushi gave the opening remarks.
This was followed by greetings from the guests of honor.
Finally, Kojima Kaitaro spoke as chair of the Nariwa-cho Art Promotion Foundation and as an exhibiting artist.
The opening ceremony concluded with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Gallery talk by Kojima Kaitaro and Kojima Shintaro
The event then moved to the exhibition rooms, where the gallery talk began.
First, in the second-floor exhibition room, Kojima Kaitaro explained the works by Kojima Torajiro.
Kojima Kaitaro, who visited Europe and China to follow in Torajiro’s footsteps, also appears to be a “Kojima Torajiro scholar,” and gave detailed explanations of the works, weaving in historical context.
“I hope I’m not running over time. Maybe I’m talking a little too much.”
The roughly 50 people attending the gallery talk listened intently to his detailed explanations, which were so engrossing that time seemed to slip away.
Next, in the Orient Room on the first floor, museum director Sawahara Kazushi took over.
“Since the works by Kaitaro and Shintaro are the main focus this time,” he gave a brief explanation as follows.
“There are only small pieces here, but about 200 works are on display.
If you take your time and look closely, you’ll see that people thousands of years ago had this level of culture and civilization. I also hope you’ll appreciate the ‘aesthetic sensibility’ of Torajiro, who collected these pieces.”
Next, Kojima Shintaro explained his own works.
- A story about how, while studying oil painting in Europe, he became conscious of his “Japanese roots” and painted works while traveling in China and Japan (Okinawa).
- A story about how he later painted in Athens, Greece, the birthplace of European civilization, but grew tired of incorporating into his work a history that also had a certain weight to it.
They also explained things chronologically, sharing behind-the-scenes stories along the way.
Last was Kojima Kaitaro.
He told us about the difficulties of achieving certain colors and behind-the-scenes stories about the large-scale work he creates once every two years.
He also shared the story behind Large Blue Oribe Jar, which is usually displayed in the director’s office at Nariwa Museum. Because it was so large, it would not fit into the kiln during production, so he completed it after breaking the kiln entrance four times. He said it was a work with many memories attached to it.
Finally, Kojima Kaitaro and Kojima Shintaro gave their greetings, and the gallery talk came to an end.
The Venue
Here is a brief introduction to the venue, mainly through photographs.
Kojima Torajiro Area
Kojima Shintaro Area
Kojima Kaitaro Area
From the Writer
In Kurashiki, hearing the name “Kojima Torajiro” may bring to mind a collector of works of art.
However, after visiting the exhibition, I realized that not only was he a Western-style painter, but something like an “artist’s mindset” had also been passed down to his descendants.
There was something Kojima Kaitaro said that left a strong impression on me.
I am a ceramic artist. Torajiro and Shintaro have taken a different path from painting, but we have one thing in common.
We create works while traveling and developing series.
Perhaps this is what the “Kojima family” is all about.
2025 could be called a Kojima year, with the Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery opening in the Bikan Historical Area. Why not visit Nariwa Museum in Takahashi City and get a sense of the Kojima family today?
The Artistic Lineage: Three Generations of the Kojima Family—Kojima Torajiro, Kojima Kaitaro, and Kojima Shintaro—Exhibition Information
| Name | The Artistic Lineage: Three Generations of the Kojima Family—Kojima Torajiro, Kojima Kaitaro, and Kojima Shintaro |
|---|---|
| Dates | April 5 (Sat) to June 8 (Sun), 2025 9:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (admission until 4:30 p.m.) |
| Location | 1068-3 Shimohara, Nariwa-cho, Takahashi City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Admission (tax included) | Adults and seniors: ¥1,000 High school and university students: ¥500 (proof of eligibility required) Elementary and junior high school students: Free |
| Website | Nariwa Museum |
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