HIROSHIMA PEACE MEMORIAL MUSEUM
Read moreIf there is one museum in Japan that you should not miss, along with the Edo Museum in Tōkyō, it is the Peace Memorial (or "A-Bomb Museum"). It not only recalls the circumstances in which the American army used the atomic bomb for the first time in order to annihilate the strategic military zone that Hiroshima constituted at the time, but it also resituates the events of May 6, 1945 via a broader issue, that of the appropriateness of the use of nuclear weapons and its consequences on the human, ecological and ethical levels. Thus, one part of the exhibition attempts to explain to what extent the control of atomic weapons was a priority for the American government and how, in just a few years, it managed to exploit nuclear fission before reaching a political agreement with the Allied States with a view to sealing the fate of Japan (we learn, in particular, that the first nuclear test was carried out, in Mexico, only one month before the bombing of Hiroshima.) Another room is devoted to the issue of nuclear testing, showing how the international community managed to prohibit it under international law. The rest of the museum traces, in detail, the devastating consequences of the A-bomb. The city was almost flattened by the explosion, which took place about 600 metres above ground. The last part of the tour may offend some people's sensibilities. Photographs show the singular atrocity of the heat burns and the subsequent after-effects of the radiation and the "black rain" (from the atomic cloud). Also on display are various objects preserved after the explosion, such as pieces of rock deformed by the heat, which bear witness to the immeasurable power of this weapon of mass destruction. The museum collects and preserves objects that were kept by the survivors, their bereaved families and others to convey the reality of the disaster. Donations are made regularly. Video documentaries, featuring testimonies of survivors (the Hibakusha), can be viewed on screens at the exit of the last room. Particularly poignant, they highlight the heroism shown by many of the survivors. It is advisable to spend at least two hours watching them.
HAKONE OPEN AIR MUSEUM
Read morePark or museum, why choose when you can do both? Here, 70 hectares are dedicated to nature and works of art. Hundreds of sculptures are on display, including works by Maillol, Rodin and Nikki de Saint Phalle. Covered pavilions, such as the one dedicated to Picasso, display works inside the park. It is a magnificent place in which it is good to stroll when the weather allows it. It is one of the favorite places for Tokyoites to go out on long weekends with their families
GHIBLI MUSEUM
Read moreLocated in Inokashira Park, it is home to the fairytale world of the animated films of Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata. The museum is attached to the Ghibli studios, which produced, among others, My Neighbour Totoro, Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away. The museum's collection includes the material needed to make a cartoon, reconstructions of Hayao Miyazaki's workspace, his research notebooks, or his original drawings exhibited on the walls. An immersion into the Ghibli universe that will delight children, the only ones with access to the Catbus.
HEIWA KINEN SHIRYOKAN
Read moreThe evidence will be found: photographs, relics, objects that belonged to the combatants.
MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART OF THE 21ST CENTURY
Read moreThis museum exhibits contemporary artworks of an experimental nature. The famous "Swimming Pool" by Leandro Erlich, "The Origin of the World" by Anish Kapoor and "The Man Who Measures the Clouds" by Jan Fabre are all on display. It is a must-see for contemporary art enthusiasts. Visitors can enter the free zone from 9am to 10pm every day, including Monday. The shop also offers a wide selection of accessories and gadgets in the spirit of the place.
MUSÉE D'ART KYOCERA
Read moreThe museum, which dates back to 1933, closed between 2015 and 2021 for renovation. The architects, Jun Aoki and Tezzo Nishizawa, succeeded in preserving the historic building while enlarging and modernizing the whole. The main exhibits are by Kyoto artists, both past and present, painters, photographers and sculptors. The collection of paintings from the Meiji and Showa periods is particularly noteworthy, taking us back to the Kyoto of the late 19th and 20th centuries. The visit should be combined with that of the nearby Heian Jingu.
TONO FOLK VILLAGE (TONO MUKASHIBANASHI-MURA)
Read moreThis museum dedicated to the folklore legends of Tōno consists of several buildings, including the inns in which the Écrivain Écrivain writer.
TŌNO FURUSATO-MURA
Read moreThis outdoor museum, the largest in the region, is 3,5 km from Fukusen-ji. You can see magariyas (houses in L and Thatched Roof that farmers shared with their horses), of course, a water mill and a craft gallery.
OKAMOTO TARO MUSEUM
Read moreFormer studio of Japanese artist Taro Okamoto, one of the most emblematic figures of modern Japanese art in the 20th century. His fresco The Myth of Tomorrow is on display in Shibuya station. This attractive little museum draws on the artist's documents, photos and sketches to provide an overview of his prolific oeuvre. Regular exhibitions unveil different aspects of his work. An adept of gigantism, Okamoto Taro designed the Sun Tower, the symbol of the 1970 Osaka World Expo.
KYOTO NATIONAL MUSEUM OF MODERN ART [ MOMAK]
Read moreThe Kyoto National Museum of Modern Art, also known as MOMAK, is a modern art museum located in the city of Kyoto. The museum houses a varied collection of modern Japanese art, with regular temporary exhibitions featuring contemporary artists. The museum also features a gift store where visitors can purchase reproductions of works of art and other items related to modern art, as well as a café where they can relax and enjoy a drink or snack.