The "Kojima Torajiro Museum (New Kojima Museum)" (tentative name), which is being reborn as a museum from the former China Bank building that ceased operations in 2016, is scheduled to open in April 2022.
A press release by the Ohara Museum of Art regarding the construction was held in January 2020.
Subsequently, due to the spread of the novel coronavirus infection, an emergency declaration was issued nationwide from April 2020, and the Ohara Museum of Art was temporarily closed until August 24, 2020.
Although the situation has changed significantly since the press release, as of July 2020, construction was progressing as planned, and a groundbreaking ceremony was held on July 30, 2020.
This article reports on the "Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Ohara Museum of Art (tentative name) New Kojima Museum Project."
What is the Kojima Torajiro Museum (New Kojima Museum)
The groundbreaking ceremony was held at the former China Bank building, which is located in the Bikan Historical Area and ceased operations in 2016.
The building features Renaissance-style columns and stained glass, and was transferred from China Bank to the Ohara Museum of Art in 2016.
Afterward, it was designated as an important cultural property by Kurashiki City, and a basic policy regarding its exterior was formulated, leading to the decision to open the "Kojima Torajiro Museum (New Kojima Museum)" (tentative name) in April 2022.
| Address | 3-1 Honmachi, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
|---|---|
| Structure | Preservation building: mixed structure (partly reinforced concrete) and wooden New building: reinforced concrete |
| Floor area | 961.38 square meters |
Since the press release in January 2020, the demolition work of the "south side steel frame building" has been completed.
- Renovation of the preservation building designated as an important cultural property by Kurashiki City
- Construction of the new building
This is the groundbreaking ceremony accompanying the start of these works.
Flow of the Groundbreaking Ceremony
The groundbreaking ceremony began at 1:00 PM on July 30, 2020.
- Attendees included Akane Ohara, Chairperson of the Ohara Museum of Art, and other related parties
- Representatives from Fujiki Construction Co., Ltd., including President Genzo Fujiki, and other related parties
In total, "21 people," including the above and members of the press, attended, all wearing masks.
The officiant was Shunryu Arai, the chief priest of Achi Shrine.
The groundbreaking ceremony was held in the following order.
- Opening remarks
- Purification
- Ritual of descent of the deity
- Offering
- Recitation of the norito (shrine prayer)
- Purification ceremony
- Ritual of breaking ground
- Offering of tamagushi (sacred tree branches)
- Removal of offerings
- Ritual of ascent of the deity
- Closing ceremony
On the day, despite the sweltering heat, the groundbreaking ceremony was conducted solemnly and concluded safely in about 45 minutes.
During the Q&A session that followed, many questions were directed to Masanori Morikawa, the deputy director, including the following.
- Is the construction progressing as scheduled?
- Will the New Kojima Museum open as planned in April 2022?
- Are there any new measures being taken for infection control?
He responded, "It is progressing almost as planned, and the building is expected to be completed within the fiscal year 2020," but his expression was serious.
Conclusion
On that day (July 30, 2020), the Ohara Museum of Art was also temporarily closed.
As a private museum primarily reliant on admission fees, it continues to face a difficult situation, including changes in the external environment.
Furthermore, the Kojima Torajiro Museum (New Kojima Museum) was planned to be created as the "Project to Rebirth the Bank Building Loved for 100 Years into the Kojima Torajiro Museum", while widely soliciting donations, but it has become increasingly difficult to solicit donations due to the current social climate, resulting in a double burden.
"In the current COVID-19 pandemic, I feel that it is important to support not only the efforts of the New Kojima Museum but also the museum itself," the author, as a fan of the Ohara Museum of Art, expressed.
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