Nariwa Museum in Takahashi City (hereafter referred to as “Nariwa Museum”) is Okayama Prefecture’s first municipal art museum. It was established by the people of the former Nariwa Town, who wanted to honor their local hero, Kojima Torajiro.
Nariwa Museum is currently holding a special exhibition, “130 Years of Japanese Western-Style Painting: Masterpieces and Kojima Torajiro,” featuring 40 works that have left their mark on the history of modern Western-style painting, alongside a lineup of Kojima Torajiro’s signature works.
I visited the special exhibition, held to mark the museum’s 30th anniversary, with museum director Sawahara Kazushi.
Photography is prohibited throughout the special exhibition marking the 30th anniversary of Nariwa Museum, except in certain areas. This article features photos taken only in areas where photography is permitted.
The information presented was current when this article was published in November 2024. Please note that it may differ from current information.
About Nariwa Museum
Nariwa Museum is located in Shimohara, Nariwa-cho, Takahashi City. It began in 1953 as Okayama Prefecture’s first municipal art museum, prompted by the purchase of works by painter Kojima Torajiro, who was born in Nariwa-cho, to commemorate the town’s 50th anniversary.
The current Nariwa Museum is the third building, designed by Ando Tadao in 1994. It is a facility where visitors can enjoy the beautiful scenery of a building whose concrete walls, emblematic of Ando architecture, harmonize with the surrounding nature.
The museum houses Kojima Torajiro’s final works, which are at the very heart of Nariwa Museum, as well as antiques he collected while traveling abroad and plant fossils dating back approximately 200 million years, found in the Nariwa area. The plant fossils are also on permanent display.
About Kojima Torajiro
Kojima Torajiro was a painter born in what is now Nariwa-cho, Takahashi City. After his work “Garden of Compassion” was awarded first prize at the Tokyo Industrial Exhibition Art Exhibition and purchased by the Imperial Household Ministry, he studied in Europe with the support of Ohara Magosaburo, founder of Ohara Museum of Art in Kurashiki’s Bikan Historical Area.
Kojima Torajiro later took charge of collecting paintings and ceramics that formed the foundation of Ohara Museum of Art. Alongside collecting, he continued creating his own works, leaving behind nearly 700 pieces.
About “130 Years of Japanese Western-Style Painting: Masterpieces and Kojima Torajiro”
“130 Years of Japanese Western-Style Painting: Masterpieces and Kojima Torajiro” is a special exhibition looking back on 130 years of Japanese Western-style painting. It brings together 40 works by artists from the early Meiji period through the Heisei era, from the collection of Kasama Nichido Museum of Art, as well as signature works by Kojima Torajiro from the collection of Nariwa Museum.
| Venue | Nariwa Museum |
|---|---|
| Exhibition period | October 12 (Saturday)–December 15 (Sunday), 2024 |
| Opening hours | 9:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (last admission 4:30 p.m.) |
| Admission | Adults and seniors: ¥1,200 Junior high, high school, and university students: ¥600 (free admission for junior high school students residing in Takahashi City) Elementary school students and younger: Free *Free for the person presenting a physical disability certificate, rehabilitation certificate, or mental disability certificate, and up to one accompanying person |
The entrance to Nariwa Museum is on the second floor. The second floor displays 40 works by artists from the early Meiji period through the Heisei era, from the collection of Kasama Nichido Museum of Art in Kasama City, Ibaraki Prefecture. The first floor displays signature works by Kojima Torajiro and works by artists associated with him.
Second-floor galleries
The entrance to Nariwa Museum is on the second floor, at the end of a long approach.
The long approach, characteristic of Ando architecture, builds anticipation for the exhibition.
The masterpieces on display, which have left their mark on the history of modern Western-style painting, are from the collection of Kasama Nichido Museum of Art in Kasama City, Ibaraki Prefecture. Alongside anecdotes about the collecting experiences of the museum’s founders, Tokushichi and Chieko Hasegawa, the exhibition features 38 oil paintings and two sculptures.
The gallery is lined with works by renowned artists, including Takahashi Yuichi’s “Salmon” and Kishida Ryusei’s “Portrait of a Village Girl”.
The many works by artists whose names appear in art and history textbooks are truly impressive.
One of director Sawahara’s recommended works is Goseda Yoshimatsu’s “Doll’s Kimono.” What makes it noteworthy is that it was painted in 1883, when Kojima was only two years old. This painting is a valuable historical document, showing that someone had traveled to Paris during the Meiji era and mastered Western-style painting to this degree.
Works by Kojima Torajiro are also displayed alongside these pieces.
According to director Sawahara, these works by Kojima were painted around the time he went to study in Europe. Before his studies, his brushwork was smooth, with translucent colors. Afterward, his palette became richer, and he began using techniques such as pointillism.
Also on display are works by Fujishima Takeji and Kuroda Seiki, both of whom taught Kojima Torajiro at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts.
The second floor features masterpieces by famous artists whose works are often seen in textbooks and on TV. It is apparently a rare opportunity to see so many masterpieces gathered together in Takahashi.
These works are on loan from Kasama Nichido Museum of Art, so you will almost certainly miss your chance to see them if you miss the exhibition.
Photography is prohibited in the second-floor galleries, except in the first room.
First-floor galleries
The first-floor galleries feature the Kojima Torajiro collection owned by Nariwa Museum.
The first work that caught my eye was Portrait of Inoue Ko, which is said to have been copied by Kojima when he was 16. The original work by Inoue Keiji, which Kojima copied, is displayed alongside it, offering a glimpse of Kojima’s skill at copying even before he entered the Tokyo School of Fine Arts.
Both the preliminary sketch and the finished painting of Woman Drinking Coffee were on display. Since we usually view only the finished work, being able to compare the sketch with the completed painting was a refreshing experience.
Works depicting kabuki plays and kimono obi sashes are also valuable materials that show how Kojima spent his life seeking to “paint oil paintings (Western-style paintings) as a Japanese person.”
At the end of the exhibition, works by artists who were friends of Kojima and artists from his hometown are displayed in a section titled “Artists Around Kojima Torajiro.”
All works in the first-floor exhibition can be photographed
The Museum Shop
Beyond the exhibition rooms, there is a museum shop and cafe just before the exit.
The museum shop had a wide selection of postcards and clear files related to the special exhibition. It sounds like fun to enjoy the exhibition while choosing your favorite works, then buy postcards and other merchandise featuring the works you like at the museum shop.
There is also a wide selection of books related to the special exhibition and Kojima Torajiro, making them a great choice for anyone who wants to learn more after seeing the exhibition.
The museum shop and cafe are open to visitors even without an admission ticket.
They also carry original merchandise from Nariwa Museum, so be sure to check it out.
Interview with the Director of Nariwa Museum: Highlights of the Special Exhibition
We asked Director Sawahara Kazushi about the highlights of “130 Years of Japanese Western-Style Painting: Masterpieces and Kojima Torajiro.”
What role did Kojima Torajiro play in the history of Western-style painting in Japan?
Sawahara
Western-style painting in Japan began with the Meiji Restoration. Kojima Torajiro was one of the few painters who went to Europe to study during the Meiji period.
Today, in the Reiwa era, people might think of New York in the United States as the world’s cultural center. But at that time, the cultural center was Paris, France. All painters who wanted to study Western-style painting went to Paris.
However, Paris seems not to have suited Kojima Torajiro, so he studied in Ghent, a region in Belgium. At a time when it was unusual enough for someone to travel from Japan to Europe to study, I believe his achievement in studying Western-style painting in Europe outside Paris was significant.
With the support of Ohara Magosaburo of the Ohara Museum of Art, he also devoted himself to acquiring artworks. Many of the works he acquired are still on display at the Ohara Museum of Art.
I imagine many painters were inspired to work on their own art after seeing the Western-style paintings Kojima acquired.
Sawahara
One of Kojima Torajiro’s reasons for collecting Western-style paintings was that he wanted to introduce authentic Western-style paintings to Japanese students who had no opportunity to see them in person at the time. That’s why I think the paintings Kojima Torajiro collected had a major influence on Western art in Japan.
Some people became painters or entered the world of art after encountering the works he collected...
So, among the 40 works displayed in the second-floor exhibition room for this special exhibition, I think there are people who were inspired after seeing paintings brought back by Kojima Torajiro.
His collection of Western-style paintings is well known, but he also collected Egyptian art. Tutankhamun was discovered around the time he lived, and apparently Kojima Torajiro and an archaeologist from Kyoto University were the only people from Japan to travel to Egypt. He also visited China and Korea.
He did all this because he was pursuing “oil painting as a Japanese person—in other words, Western-style painting as a Japanese person.” I admire Kojima Torajiro’s approach of returning to the origins of Japan and humanity.
What kinds of works can visitors see in the second-floor exhibition room?
Sawahara
The second floor brings together exquisite masterpieces that vividly represent the 130 years from the Meiji Restoration through the Heisei era. Isn’t it a rare luxury to have works like these gathered in one place, where you can take your time looking at them?
In that sense, people who enjoy looking at paintings will have the chance to see in person works they may have encountered in art books, while those who don’t often view paintings will find a wide range of works to see and respond to in their own way.
Could you share your recommended way of viewing the exhibition?
Sawahara
Whenever I enter an exhibition room, I look at the works thinking, “Let me choose one that I’d like to take home and put in my room.” Then I find myself imagining things like, “I like this work, but it’s too big to take home,” or “I like this one too, but I want to put it in this spot, so I’ll choose this one instead.”
It’s a way to enjoy the exhibition regardless of how much you know about paintings or artists, so please give it a try.
Finally, do you have a message for our readers?
Sawahara
Nariwa Museum is surrounded by abundant nature, making the journey there a pleasure in itself.
Please visit Nariwa Museum and find a painting that makes you think, “Ah, I’m glad I came,” or “I’d love to take this painting home with me.”
We look forward to welcoming you.
From the Writer
During my lunch break, I was walking around Nariwa Museum and saw posters for this special exhibition everywhere. I could sense how people in Nariwa Town were coming together to build excitement for an exhibition held at a familiar local institution.
The mountains, just beginning to turn red and gold, were exceptionally beautiful. In the clear air, I could fully appreciate the building, where concrete and water come together in a way characteristic of Ando architecture. It was also a chance to view in a peaceful frame of mind works by artists whose work has been designated Important Cultural Properties, as well as the many works by Kojima Torajiro that the people of Nariwa continue to honor.
Why not visit the special exhibition “130 Years of Japanese Western-Style Painting: Treasured Masterpieces and Kojima Torajiro,” marking the 30th anniversary of the opening of Nariwa Museum, this autumn of culture and art?
special exhibition “130 Years of Japanese Western-Style Painting: Treasured Masterpieces and Kojima Torajiro,” marking the 30th anniversary of the opening of Nariwa Museum Information
| Name | Special exhibition “130 Years of Japanese Western-Style Painting: Treasured Masterpieces and Kojima Torajiro,” marking the 30th anniversary of the opening of Nariwa Museum |
|---|---|
| Address | 1068-3 Shimohara, Nariwa-cho, Takahashi City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 0866-42-4455 |
| Parking | Available |
| Opening hours | October 12, 2024 (Sat)–December 15, 2024 (Sun) 9:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (admission until 4:30 p.m.) |
| Closed | Mondays Open if Monday is a public holiday; closed the following Tuesday |
| Admission (tax included) | Adults and seniors: ¥1,200 Junior high, high school, and university students: ¥600 (free admission for junior high school students residing in Takahashi City) Elementary school students and younger: Free ※Free admission for the holder of a Physical Disability Certificate, Rehabilitation Certificate, or Mental Disability Certificate, and up to one accompanying person |
| Payment methods |
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| Restrooms | Accessible restroom |
| Childcare | Diaper-changing table, stroller rental |
| Accessibility | Ramp, accessible restroom, elevator, wheelchair rental |
| Website | Nariwa Museum |
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