Things to do in Hyogo Prefecture, Kinki: The Best Art Museums

Cross the magnificent Akashi strait bridge to YUME BUTAI the Dream Stage.Past Westin Hotel,and the international Conference Hall,a footpath leads you to the museum,which was completed in 2005. This hand-craffted space embodies the passionate will of Oishi Kakuya and his wife,shoco,and was created with the support of menbers of TUKURUKAI and 200 volunteers. it features the artworks of Oishi and Shoco from paintings,sculptures and object d'art as well as the lovingly created footpath and entrance with their hand-laid stones. Step out of ordinary into a space out of time that lies cradled by the sea and forest.

"Rokko art Museum" is art museums for everybody. there is no doubt for seeing and touching without any permission. our museum all of collection can touch. also small children are easy and safely touch on all of them.

The residence with most Western influence of the Kitano Ijinkan houses in Kobe. Covered in a natural stone called slate, its resemblance to the scales of a fish gave the house the nickname of “UROKO HOUSE” (House of the Scales). Not only in the outside, the whole building has a distinctive elaborated design that makes it part of the National Designated Registered Cultural Properties of Japan. The building holds a collection of renowned porcelain including “Royal Worcester”, “Meissen” and “Royal Copenhagen”. There are also handmade glassware exhibitions. The sunroom, with views of the Port of Kobe, is said to be where traders watched over their boats entering and leaving the port when the Port was opened. In the garden there is a “Calydonian Boar” (nicknamed Porcellino), which is believed to bring you good luck if you rub its snout. Next to UROKO HOUSE lies the “OBSERVATION GALLERY” where many modern, Japanese paintings are exhibited.

The BB Plaza Museum of Art was opened on July 7. The collection introduces approximately one thousand works, on a broad range of themes, and special exhibitions are held by the museum about three times a year. -About the Museum’s Collection- The museum houses distinctive works of art primarily by leading Japanese painters HIGASHIYAMA Kaii, TAKAYAMA Tastsuo, and KAYAMA Matazo, as well as Japanese painters who studied in Paris, including UMEHARA Ryuzaburo, YASUI Sotaro, and KOISO Ryohei. Also on display are paintings and prints by Renoir and Fauvism-era artists Marquet and Vlaminck, and Ecole de Paris artists Utrillo, Laurencin, Chagal, and others. The museum also houses sculptures by Rodin and Bourdelle. In recent years, new works have been added from Kobe-based artists, including AMITANI Yoshiro and NISHIMURA Isao, as well as Gutai group artists UEMAE Chiyu and HORIO Sadaharu, and IZUMI Shigeru of the Demokrato Artists Association.