Okawa Museum of Art

The Okawa Museum of Art sits on a hillside of Mount Suidō and displays over 7,300 artworks across multiple exhibition spaces with panoramic views of Kiryu city. The collections span several floors and feature both Japanese and Western art pieces.

The museum opened in 1989 in a renovated corporate dormitory building, founded by businessman Eiji Okawa who collected artworks for four decades. This conversion of an industrial building into an art space shows how the region honored its past while creating something new.

The collection brings together works by Japanese painter Shunsuke Matsumoto alongside Western artists such as Pablo Picasso and Georges Rouault, reflecting the founder's personal taste. Visitors experience how Japanese and European art traditions sit side by side in the exhibition spaces.

The museum sits about 13 minutes on foot from JR Kiryu Station, making it quite accessible. A visit can take several hours, especially if you want to take time for the views and explore the different exhibition areas.

The museum holds Japan's largest collection of works by painter Shunsuke Matsumoto and Hideo Noda, including significant pieces such as 'Street' from 1938 and 'Canal Landscape' from 1943. These paintings offer rare insights into the artistic development of both artists across different periods.

Location: Kosonechō

Inception: 1988

Founders: Eiji Ōkawa

Official opening: April 1989

Website: http://okawamuseum.jp

GPS coordinates: 36.41689,139.33386

Latest update: December 11, 2025 18:02