As the end of the year approaches, it has become the season for preparing for the new year with a "big cleaning."
This year, the first year-end big cleaning was held at the Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery, which grandly opened in April 2025.
On the closed day of December 15, 2025, we will report on the big cleaning at the Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery, as well as a reflection on this year's activities at the Ohara Museum of Art and prospects for next year.
What is the Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery?
Just a 2-minute walk from the Ohara Museum of Art Main Building, there is a strikingly stylish building.
This historical building, which was once used as the Kurashiki Honmachi Branch of Chugoku Bank, is registered as a tangible cultural property. It was designed by architect Yakushiji Kazue, the same as the Ohara Museum of Art Main Building.
It was donated to the Ohara Museum of Art in 2016, renovated, and opened as the Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery in April 2025.
This building features an open space with a high ceiling and beautiful stained glass. Here, approximately 20 paintings by Kojima Torajiro and about 40 ancient art pieces from Egypt and West Asia that he passionately collected are on display.
The Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery is also a place to learn about Kojima Torajiro as a collector with a strong interest in the regions of Egypt and West Asia.
The flow of the big cleaning in Room 1 of the Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery
This time, the big cleaning of the gallery's exhibition room 1 (the main open space) was made public. The work was carried out by about 10 staff members.
Before starting the work, researcher and curator Takaki Tsukamoto explained about the big cleaning.
The "display cases" in the first-floor exhibition room are made of custom thick acrylic. While they have high transparency, they are also said to be easily scratched.
The cleaning was carried out in the following order.
- Remove decorative items worn
- Dust from the upper part
- Wipe the acrylic panels with a dry cloth
Remove decorative items worn
To avoid scratching the display cases, staff remove rings and belts, and if their clothing has hard buttons, they also remove them as they may come into contact with the cases and cause scratches.
Dust from the upper part
Due to the open structure, dust accumulates on the railings on the second floor and falls down. Therefore, before cleaning the display cases, they first cleaned the railings and handrails on the second floor.
Wipe the display cases
Next, the cleaning of the display cases is done with a dry cloth.
When wiping glass, alcohol (ethanol) may be used, but it is said that if ethanol comes into contact with acrylic material, it may crack.
For this reason, they gently wipe off dust and dirt with a soft cotton cloth.
The high transparency of the display cases allows visitors to feel as if they could reach out and touch the art pieces inside. It is noted that some of the exhibits are changed approximately every three months.
Reflecting on the Ohara Museum of Art and Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery in 2025
Ayaka Fujita, the head of the Ohara Art Foundation, reflected on this year and shared plans for next year.
This year, the Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery opened. How was the response?
Fujita (no honorifics)
Fortunately, many people came to visit.
The number of visitors to the Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery alone was approximately 78,565 people from the opening on April 3, 2025, to December 14.
Initially, we thought, "Let's celebrate if we exceed 10,000," and "Next, if we exceed 50,000..." but it surpassed those numbers in no time.
When the Kojima Gallery was located within Kurashiki Ivy Square, about 10% to 20% of the visitors to the Ohara Museum of Art Main Building would visit the Kojima Gallery.
However, since moving to this new location, about 30% to 40% of visitors have also come to the Kojima Gallery.
It seems many people visited.
Fujita
Many people come expecting that the building is beautiful.
This year, from April 1 to December 14, the total number of visitors to the Ohara Museum of Art (including the main building) was 203,848 people.
Additionally, due to the extreme heat in the summer, the usual influx of visitors in August and September slowed down, and we felt a concentration of visitors in the cooler months of October and November, which was a change influenced by the climate.
Looking back on 2025, what kind of year was it?
Fujita
In a word, I think it was "the year of Kojima Torajiro."
Not only with the opening of the Kojima Gallery, but I also felt Kojima Torajiro's presence through the exhibition of contemporary artist Yasumasa Morimura this year.
Morimura was inspired by the collection of works at the Ohara Museum of Art and not only exhibited at the Yurin-so Villa as initially planned but also displayed works in the main building and this Kojima Gallery, creating an exhibition that enveloped the entire Ohara Museum of Art.
It was a delightful event for us to see that the collection collected by Kojima Torajiro, supported by Ohara Magosaburo, continues to influence contemporary artists even 100 years later in this new space.
Please tell us about the plans for next year (2026).
Fujita
From February 9 to April 24, 2026, the Ohara Museum of Art Main Building will undergo long-term closure for renovations. This is due to the replacement of major electrical systems, updates to the air conditioning system, and the conversion to LED lighting within the Ohara Museum of Art.
Due to the renovations of the main building, the Craft and Oriental Gallery and the Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery will also be closed, so please be aware of this.
After the long-term closure, we plan to enhance the exhibition introducing the restoration process of El Greco's Annunciation, which will return from the Nakanoshima Kosetsu Museum in Osaka.
Additionally, the participating artists for ARKO (Artist in Residence Kurashiki, Ohara collaborative exchange project) have been decided, and they are scheduled to be active next year.
We hope you will visit before the main building closes and after it reopens.
Looking forward to the art scene in 2026
Opened in April 2025, the "Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery" has become a new face of the Ohara Museum of Art. The exterior of the historic building, its heavy interior, and the stained glass that colors the space are also works of art. Inside, visitors can enjoy precious artworks passionately collected by Kojima Torajiro, as well as paintings created by him.
Please note that from February 9 to April 24, 2026, the main building will be under construction, and the Ohara Museum of Art main building, Crafts and Oriental Gallery, and Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery will be closed. If you wish to visit before the closure, there are days open during the New Year holidays, so please check the official website of the Ohara Museum of Art for details.
After the closure, the art scene at the Ohara Museum of Art in 2026, including the main exhibition of El Greco, is becoming increasingly exciting.
Articles about the Ohara Museum of Art
Data on the Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery
| Name | Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery |
|---|---|
| Opening Hours | 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM * Last admission is at 3:30 PM; from December to February, the gallery closes at 3:00 PM |
| Location | 3-1 Honmachi, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Admission Fee (including tax) | Common ticket for the Ohara Museum of Art main building/Crafts and Oriental Gallery/Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery General: 2,000 yen High school, middle school, and elementary school students (under 18): 500 yen |
| Website | Official website of the Ohara Museum of Art |
