Mugonkan, Art museum in Koaso, Japan
Mugonkan is a memorial museum in Koaso dedicated to the art of young students who died during World War II. The collection includes drawings, watercolors and paintings from their final years before they were called to military service.
Seiichiro Kuboshima opened this museum in May 1997 after collecting and preserving works by art students who died in the war. His initiative grew from a desire to protect this final artistic legacy and make it accessible to the public.
Seiichiro Kuboshima gives two explanations for the name Mugonkan: the paintings say nothing yet speak to the viewer, and visitors themselves fall silent before them. He admits the name actually came to him while visiting bereaved families, without a fixed reason. The museum holds about 600 works by 108 artists.
By car, take the Ueda-Sugadaira Interchange on the Joshinetsu Expressway, about 35 minutes away; from the Okaya Interchange on the Nagano Expressway it is about an hour via Route 142. By train, walk 30 minutes from Shiodamachi Station on the Ueda Electric Railway Bessho Line, or take the shuttle bus from Shimonogo Station, which runs from April to November. The museum is open 9:00 to 17:00 and closed on Tuesdays.
Many works bear personal notes or dedications on the back, offering glimpses into the thoughts of the young artists. Some show landscapes from their home regions, others abstract compositions or portraits of friends and family.
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