Located in Yasugi City, Shimane Prefecture, the Adachi Museum of Art is renowned worldwide for both its collection of modern Japanese art and its breathtaking traditional gardens. Founded in 1970 by businessman Adachi Zenko, the museum embodies his belief that “a Japanese garden is also a living work of art.”
Highlights
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Award-Winning Gardens
The museum’s six gardens, covering 165,000 square meters, have been ranked the best Japanese garden for over 20 consecutive years by the Journal of Japanese Gardening. From the Dry Landscape Garden (karesansui) to the White Gravel and Pine Garden inspired by Yokoyama Taikan’s paintings, each offers a perfectly framed view, like a living painting.
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Modern Japanese Art Collection
Inside, the museum houses approximately 2,000 works, including masterpieces by Yokoyama Taikan, Takeuchi Seihō, and other leading Nihonga (Japanese-style) painters of the modern era. -
Ceramics and Folk Art
The museum also showcases exquisite ceramic works by artists such as Kitaoji Rosanjin, further connecting Japanese aesthetics with everyday life. -
The Garden as Art Philosophy
Windows in the museum are intentionally designed to frame the gardens, allowing visitors to appreciate nature as though viewing a scroll painting.
Visitor Information
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Location: Yasugi City, Shimane Prefecture (near Matsue)
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Access: 20 minutes by free shuttle bus from Yasugi Station (JR San’in Main Line)
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Opening Hours: Generally 9:00 am – 5:30 pm (varies by season)
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Note: Photography of the gardens is permitted, but indoor exhibits typically prohibit photography.
A visit to the Adachi Museum of Art is more than a cultural outing—it is an immersion in Japanese beauty, where art and nature blend seamlessly. Whether you admire the quiet elegance of Nihonga paintings or stroll past gardens that look like living canvases, the museum offers an unforgettable encounter with Japan’s aesthetic spirit.
Official Website
https://www.adachi-museum.or.jp/en/
Accommodation sites
Agoda
