The Gyokudo Museum is a personal museum dedicated to the Japanese painter Kawai Gyokudo, located in Mitake, Ome City, Tokyo. Gyokudo was born in 1873 in Haguri-gun, Tokawari-mura (present-day Kisogawa-cho, Ichinomiya City), Aichi Prefecture. He served as a professor of Japanese painting at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts and an Imperial Art Academy member, becoming a leading figure in the Japanese art world. He received the Order of Cultural Merit in 1940, and his achievements are widely known. In 1944, during the Pacific War, he evacuated to Mitake, in Nishi-Tama-gun, Mitamura, Tokyo (present-day Ome City), which served as his sketching location. He lived in the Mitake Valley of Okutama until his death in 1957.
The Gyokudo Museum is nestled in the lush natural surroundings of the Mitake Valley, where Gyokudo spent his later years. The museum building and garden evoke the atmosphere of Gyokudo's time. The museum building was designed by Yoshida Goso, a leading figure in Sukiya architecture. Yoshida was also acquainted with Gyokudo, and the design incorporates elements reflecting Gyokudo's era, culture, and preferences.
The museum's garden was designed by Nakajima Ken, who understood Gyokudo's era and culture. As a result, the garden incorporates many elements recreating the nature Gyokudo loved. The garden combines karesansui (dry landscape) and a chisen kaiyū-shiki (pond-and-stream) garden, offering seasonal views.
The Gyokudo Museum displays approximately 300 works, including Gyokudo's masterpieces. The exhibited works range from his early to late period, tracing the evolution of his artistic career. The museum also displays brushes and paints Gyokudo used, as well as calligraphy and paintings he collected, allowing visitors to feel his passion for art.
A visit to the Gyokudo Museum offers an opportunity to experience not only Gyokudo's art but also the rich natural beauty of the Mitake Valley where he spent his later years. The museum is a place to relax and unwind surrounded by nature. We invite you to visit.
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