Adachi Museum of Art boasts an award winning sculpted garden that is often praised as the most beautiful in Japan as well as an impressive collection of art by Yokoyama Taikan.

General Information

Growing up with a humble beginning as a son of rural farmers, Adachi Zenko knew he wouldn’t simply be content with the same life as his parents. At an early age he worked hard selling goods as a merchant and began creating a better life for his family. Eventually Adachi would encounter the works of a famous artist by the name of Yokoyama Taikan and devote part of his life and wealth in pursuit of the artwork, a pursuit that would fuel his own art.

Adachi would use his passion to create the Japanese-style gardens that surround the buildings which would display Yokoyama’s art. This was done in hopes of creating a synergy between nature’s beauty and the reflection of it found in Yokoyama’s art, with the idea of expanding the admiration towards the essence of the artistry involved. From this Adachi would go on to establish the Adachi Museum of Art, made up of the gardens and buildings housing his treasured works of art, displayed for the public to experience firsthand.

While the Adachi Museum of Art halls do still hold art by Yokoyama Taikan, after Adachi’s passing it has continued to expand on the collection and support may other special exhibits changing throughout the year. Often the works displayed are representation of nature in painted/inked art, but you can also find pottery and other forms of art.

The gardens here are extensive and maintained to the highest standards, it even sits as one of the top gardens to see in Japan, and one look will tell you why. The seasonal changes also cause a natural transformation to occur in the gardens, altering its looks throughout the year, but with its high level of care it’s almost certain to be just as beautiful in full-bloom or as a winter wonder land. It should be noted that no one is allowed in the gardens and they must be enjoyed from benches or one of the cafes.  Between seeing all the art and gardens and art on display, you can easily spend a couple hours here.

Lastly, you can buy confectionaries, art books, reproduction prints, or other unique souvenirs at shops located in both the main and annex shops. There are also two cafés serving tea, coffee, juices, light lunch meals and sweets.

Admission Cost: Adults 2,300-yen, University Students 1,800-yen, High School Students 1,000-yen, Other Students 500-yen. Hours of operation: April-Sept. 9:00-17:30, Oct.-Mar. 9:00-17:00.

Getting There

Adachi Museum of Art is in Yasugi City, Shimane Prefecture. The closest station is Yasugi Station, which is a 15-minute drive from the museum.  The station has a stair lift but prior arrangements must be made in Japanese via a JR call center (0570-00-8989). A free shuttle bus runs to the museum from the station, but is unfortunately not wheelchair accessible.

For wheelchair users not travelling as part of a group, arranging for a wheelchair taxi is likely the best option.  The local accessible travel center, Tekuteku-Sanin, can possibly help with this.

Accessibility

Ramps and an elevator have been added to museum and the majority of areas are easily accessible.  Since some of the ramps were added after the building was made, a few are very steep and there are signs suggesting that assistance is recommended for safety.  The elevator to the second floor of the main exhibit is large enough for a power wheelchair but not much more.

Several places on the route offer benches to view the garden and can provide a place rest for those need to take a break.  Both wheelchairs and baby strollers can be borrowed inside the museum.

There are no tactile blocks available in the museum, but an audio guide is available in several languages for 500 yen. Service dogs (seeing-eye dogs, assistance dogs, and hearing dogs) are allowed in the building.

There is a wheelchair accessible toilet available in the main building a little ways after going through the entrance.  It is rather small and may be difficult for some visitors to use. Another toilet is available in the Annex as well.

Conclusion

If you enjoy museums, Traditional Japanese art, Japanese-Style gardens, or all the above, then you may want to spend a few hours at the Adachi Museum of Art. The award-winning gardens are a true site to see, and that alone could be worth the admission price for some.