The end of the year is fast approaching, and it is time to prepare for the new year with a thorough cleaning.
This year saw the first year-end cleaning at the Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery, which grand-opened in April 2025.
We report on the year-end cleaning at the Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery on December 15, 2025, a day when the gallery was closed, as well as a look back at this year and a preview of next year at the Ohara Museum of Art.
The information presented here is current as of the article’s publication in December 2025. Please note that it may differ from current information.
What Is the Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery?
Ohara Museum of Art Main Building is a two-minute walk away from a striking, stylish building.
This historic building, formerly used as the Chugoku Bank Kurashiki Honmachi Branch, is a nationally registered tangible cultural property. It was designed by architect Yakushiji Kazue, who also designed the Ohara Museum of Art Main Building.
It was donated to the Ohara Museum of Art in 2016, then renovated and opened as the Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery in April 2025.
The building is distinguished by its airy atrium and beautiful stained glass. It displays around 20 paintings by Kojima Torajiro, as well as around 40 works of art from ancient Egypt and West Asia that he collected with great passion.
The Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery is also a place where visitors can learn about Kojima Torajiro as a collector with a keen interest in Egypt and West Asia.
Year-End Cleaning in Room 1 of the Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery
This time, the year-end cleaning of Exhibition Room 1 (the main atrium space) at the gallery was opened to the public. Around 10 staff members carried out the work.
Before work began, researcher and curator Tsukamoto Takayuki explained the cleaning process.
The display cases in the first-floor exhibition room are made of custom-made, thick acrylic. They are highly transparent, but the material is easily scratched.
The cleaning was carried out in the following order:
- Remove jewelry and accessories
- Start by removing dust from above
- Wipe down the acrylic panels with a dry cloth
Remove Jewelry and Accessories
To avoid scratching the display cases, staff remove rings and belts. They also remove any hard buttons on their clothing, as these could come into contact with and scratch the cases.
Start by Removing Dust from Above
Because the building has an atrium, dust that has accumulated on the second-floor railings and handrails can fall down. So, before cleaning the display cases, they first cleaned the railings and handrails on the second floor.
Wiping Down the Display Cases
Next, the display cases are cleaned with a dry cloth.
Alcohol (ethanol) is sometimes used to clean glass, but if ethanol gets on acrylic, it can cause it to crack.
For this reason, dust and dirt are gently wiped away with a soft cotton cloth.
The display cases are so transparent that the artworks inside seem almost within reach. Some of the exhibits are changed approximately every three months.
Looking Back at 2025 at the Ohara Museum of Art and Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery
We spoke with Fujita Ayaka, Director of the Foundation Headquarters of the Ohara Art Foundation, about the past year and plans for next year.
The Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery opened this year. How has it been received?
Fujita (surname only)
We’re grateful that so many people have visited.
The Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery alone welcomed 78,565 visitors in the approximately eight months from its opening on April 3, 2025, through December 14.
At first, we said, “Let’s celebrate when we pass 10,000 visitors,” and then, “Next, when we pass 50,000…” But we passed those milestones in no time.
When the Kojima Gallery was inside Kurashiki Ivy Square, only about 10% to just under 20% of visitors to the Ohara Museum of Art Main Building also made their way to the Kojima Gallery.
Since it moved here and reopened, however, around 30% to 40% of visitors have also visited the Kojima Gallery.
So many people have visited!
Fujita
Many people come because they expect the building to be beautiful.
From April 1 through December 14 this year, the Ohara Museum of Art as a whole, including the Main Building, welcomed 203,848 visitors.
This year, the extreme summer heat also affected visitor numbers. Attendance was slower than usual in August and September, when we typically have many visitors, while visitors flocked here in October and November as the weather cooled. It was a year in which we felt the effects of the weather.
Looking back on 2025, what kind of year was it?
Fujita
In a word, I think it was “the year of Kojima Torajiro.”
In addition to the opening of the Kojima Gallery, I also felt Kojima Torajiro’s presence in the exhibition by contemporary artist Morimura Yasumasa this year.
Inspired by works in the Ohara Museum of Art collection, Morimura exhibited his work not only at Yurin-so Villa, where the exhibition was originally planned, but also in the Main Building and here at the Kojima Gallery, creating an exhibition that seemed to envelop the entire Ohara Museum of Art.
Ohara Magosaburo supported Kojima Torajiro, and the collection Kojima Torajiro assembled continues to influence contemporary artists even 100 years later. We were delighted that visitors could see this in this new space.
Could you tell us about the plans for next year (2026)?
Fujita
The Ohara Museum of Art Main Building will be closed for an extended period from February 9 to April 24, 2026, for construction work. The work will include major replacements to the electrical systems, upgrades to the air-conditioning equipment, and conversion to LED lighting throughout the Ohara Museum of Art.
Please note that the Crafts and Oriental Art Gallery and the Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery will also be closed during construction on the Main Building.
After the extended closure, El Greco’s “The Annunciation,” currently on display at the Nakanoshima Kosetsu Museum of Art in Osaka, will return. We plan to present it with an expanded section introducing the history of its restoration.
The participating artists for ARKO (Artist in Residence Kurashiki, Ohara), a collaborative artist exchange program, have been selected and are scheduled to work here next year.
We hope you’ll visit before the Main Building closes, or after it reopens.
Looking forward to the 2026 art scene, too
Grandly opened in April 2025, the Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery has become a new face of the Ohara Museum of Art. The historic building’s exterior, its stately interior, and the stained glass that adorns the space are all works of art in their own right. Inside, visitors can enjoy precious artworks collected with passion by Kojima Torajiro, as well as paintings he created.
Please note that from February 9 to April 24, 2026, the Ohara Museum of Art Main Building, Craft Gallery, Asian Art Gallery, and Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery will be closed due to construction work on the Main Building. If you would like to visit before the closure, some days during the year-end and New Year holidays may also be open, so check the Ohara Museum of Art official website for details.
After the closure, we’re looking forward even more to the 2026 art scene at the Ohara Museum of Art, including the main exhibition of El Greco.
Articles about the Ohara Museum of Art
Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery Information
| Name | Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery |
|---|---|
| Hours | 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. ※Last admission is at 3:30 p.m. From December to February, the gallery closes at 3:00 p.m. |
| Location | 3-1 Honmachi, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Admission (tax included) | Combined admission to the Ohara Museum of Art Main Building, Craft and Oriental Art Gallery, and Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery Adults: ¥2,000 High school, junior high school, and elementary school students (under 18): ¥500 |
| Website | Ohara Museum of Art Official Website |
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