Close to ART - Season 1

The 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa was built on an idea that the museum should be like a neighborhood park open for everyone. Many up-and-coming artists offer their talents for creating works that bridge tradition and modernity, which match the city with a 400-year history of bringing and fostering new culture. You will also enjoy the charm of the ancient city, Kanazawa, which did not suffer war damage and maintains its traditional townscape.

The Hoki Museum is home to paintings that are strikingly similar to reality. Some 500 works by modern Japanese artists are exhibited in this museum located in Chiba Prefecture, just a 1-hour train ride from Tokyo. This episode focuses on the works of 5 artists, whose art spans various subjects including a bird nest, the female form and country landscapes. But rather than pursue just photorealism, each artist of the museum articulates their own unique perspectives through their works.

The Japan Folk Crafts Museum in central Tokyo, established over 80 years ago, collects tableware and clothing used in everyday life. Made by nameless craftsmen, the objects on display in its galleries suggest a hidden beauty within the practical. The entire building was designed carefully so as to convey the warmth and comfort of traditional Japanese life. The folk crafts on display there represent the diverse lifestyles in many different areas of Japan.

The Aomori Museum of Art was built next to ancient ruins dating back some 5,000 years. The museum's architectural style is quite unique, reflecting the image of the nearby excavation site. The interior is laid out like a maze, letting visitors view artwork as they find their way through their peculiar surroundings. An approximately 3-hour bullet train ride from Tokyo, Aomori Prefecture is a region known for rich nature and harsh winters. This land has given birth to numerous works of art that are highly representative of this region. The museum has put particular effort into the collecting the works of local artists, allowing visitors to come into contact with special artwork the likes of which cannot be seen anywhere else.

The Japan Folk Crafts Museum in central Tokyo, established over 80 years ago, collects tableware and clothing used in everyday life. Made by nameless craftsmen, the objects on display in its galleries suggest a hidden beauty within the practical. The entire building was designed carefully so as to convey the warmth and comfort of traditional Japanese life. The folk crafts on display there represent the diverse lifestyles in many different areas of Japan.

Kirishima Open-Air Museum, located in Kagoshima Prefecture, is distinguished by its extensive open-air sculpture collection. With 23 open-air installations spanning 13 hectares, visitors are free to touch and experience each work. The museum has a unique concept: the works are only complete once visitors have entered, climbed, or otherwise come into contact with them. Some sculptures are even placed so that they interact with the rich natural landscape, surprising and delighting museum-goers.

The MOA Museum of Art is located in Atami, a region famous for its hot springs and natural beauty. The museum focuses on Japanese art from the 17th and 18th centuries, an era of peace and leisure. Paintings, pottery, sculptures, and other works are displayed in alcoves like in Japanese homes. Vases and screens bearing flowered designs, the simplified expressions of ukiyo-e, and other faces of Japan's natural beauty can be observed not just through the works, but the exhibition area itself.

The Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Art Museum cuts a unique figure among the streets of Naha. The facility is special in that it teaches visitors about the history and art of Okinawa all at once. The history of the islands ranges from flourishing as the Ryukyu Kingdom, to American occupation after the Asia-Pacific War. Visitors can view Bingata kimonos evoking Okinawa's magnificent past, and the museum also houses works by the artists who strived to rejuvenate postwar Okinawan culture.

The Okada Museum of Art, located in Hakone, one of Japan's most famous hot spring locations, opened in 2013. Its collection centers on Japanese art from the ancient to the modern, particularly works from the Edo period dating from the 17th to mid-19th centuries. Visitors can view golden screens used as celebratory decorations, as well as an enormous hand-colored ukiyo-e painting. This unique cultural aesthetic that flourished over more than 250 years of peace leaves a lasting impression.

The Akita Museum of Modern Art in northern Japan primarily exhibits works of locally based artists. Visitors can enjoy woodblock prints displaying regional customs, paintings of natural scenery, and unique takes on Japanese traditional art. Its 18th-century Akita Ranga exhibit, with the first traces of Western techniques incorporated into Japanese art, is a must-see in this museum.

The Kanda Nissho Memorial Museum of Art is in the town of Shikaoi, on Japan's northern island, Hokkaido Prefecture. The region was cultivated by pioneer farmers in the late 19th century, of which Nissho Kanda was one. He painted as he struggled with the harsh elements of Hokkaido, but passed away at the age of 32. The museum houses the 35 works he created during his decade-long career. His depictions of the lives of farmers and their horses, painted onto huge pieces of plywood, make a powerful impression.

The Shimane Art Museum is located in Matsue, a city in Shimane Prefecture bordering the Sea of Japan. Shimane is home to a wealth of Japanese folklore, and Izumo-taisha, one of Japan's oldest shrines. In the galleries of this museum built beside the vast Lake Shinji are a variety of works relating to water, gathered from diverse locations and eras. It also features unique outdoor sculptures evoking shrines and mythology, local craft arts, and a beautiful view of the sun setting over the lake.

The Taro Okamoto Memorial Museum, located a short ride from Shibuya Station, is a museum that opened in 1998 as a renovation of artist Taro Okamoto's home studio. Over 50 years, He created many works of public art there, such as the Myth of Tomorrow, a large mural exhibited in Shibuya Station, and the Tower of the Sun made for the Osaka Expo. The workshop contains old brushes, paint-covered floors, and shelves with unfinished canvases, conveying the passion of the 20th century artist.

"The Reversible Destiny Lofts Mitaka" is a colorful group of housing units located in Mitaka, a sleepy Tokyo suburb. Designed by artists Arakawa Shusaku and Madeline Gins in 2005, the buildings function as both art and living space. The 9 lofts are designed "not to die," taking residents out of their comfort zones with spherical rooms, bumpy floors and more. We talk to those who live and work here as we discover what motivated Arakawa and Gins to build the lofts in the first place.

The Taro Okamoto Museum of Art closed for 2 months due to COVID-19, but following Okamoto's words that art is "essential to human life," it found new methods to convey the unique power in his works. It opened the museum to internet virtual reality tours, allowing guests to enjoy his art remotely. In this time of uncertainty, Okamoto's Myth of Tomorrow, which is exhibited inside Shibuya Station, as well as other publicly displayed art reminds all people of the importance of perseverance.

The Watari Museum of Contemporary Art, or the "Watari-um," is a privately-owned museum in Tokyo's central Shibuya Ward. In 1990, it was constructed from a design by architect Mario Botta in a uniquely triangular shape. Founder Watari Shizuko and her children Etsuko and Koichi held close dialogues with artists in order to present the most cutting-edge art. For a limited time in 2021, the museum will erect "art pavilions" all around Tokyo, as they seek out new perspectives in artistic beauty.