Narukawa Art Museum

Welcome to the Narukawa Art Museum, a sanctuary dedicated to the beauty and evolution of 'Nihonga,' or modern Japanese-style painting. Perched on a hill overlooking the Moto-Hakone harbor, this museum represents a different kind…

We begin in the museum's spiritual center, the Panorama Lounge. This is perhaps the most celebrated viewpoint in the entire Hakone region. …

Moving into the main exhibition halls, let us examine the technical soul of the collection: the Nihonga method. To understand these paintings, one must understand their physical makeup. …

One of the cornerstones of the Narukawa collection is the work of Hirayama Ikuo, one of the most influential Nihonga painters of the twentieth century. Hirayama’s work is deeply philosophical, often centered on the theme of the…

The Narukawa Art Museum is famous for its frequent rotations, ensuring that the art on the walls mirrors the season outside the windows. This brings us to another giant of the collection, Taki Kyujin. …

In a delightful departure from the two-dimensional world of painting, the museum also houses a world-class collection of kaleidoscopes. This may seem like an unusual addition to a Nihonga museum, but there is a deep intellectual…

We conclude our tour in the Tea Lounge, appropriately named 'Season.' Here, the museum’s philosophy of 'art in the landscape' reaches its most practical application. Visitors can enjoy traditional Japanese tea or coffee served in…

As you prepare to leave the Narukawa Art Museum, I hope you take with you a new perspective on the Hakone landscape. We have explored the technical brilliance of Nihonga, the philosophical depth of masters like Hirayama Ikuo, and…