Urasoe Art Museum, Art museum in Urasoe, Japan.
The Urasoe Art Museum is a contemporary art museum in Urasoe featuring distinctive tower architecture, situated within a forested setting along Route 330 in Okinawa Prefecture. The building houses extensive collections of artworks and craft objects across multiple exhibition spaces.
The museum opened in February 1990 as Okinawa's first public museum and Japan's first dedicated lacquer museum. This establishment marked a key moment in making the region's traditional craftsmanship accessible to a wider public.
The collection focuses on Ryukyu lacquerware, a traditional craft that shaped the local artistic identity. You can observe how these works remain valued in regional art circles and understand their place in the community's creative life.
The museum sits adjacent to Route 330 and is easily accessible from its parking area. Since the grounds are set within a wooded location, visitors should wear comfortable shoes and allow adequate time to explore the full site.
The museum allows visitors to interact directly with lacquerware displays and view videos demonstrating historical crafting techniques. This hands-on approach helps one understand the skills and processes behind this art form firsthand.
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