Fukuyama Museum of Art (Gallery)
Fukuyama, Hiroshima
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Venue Overview
Located 5-minute’s walk from Fukuyama Station, the Fukuyama Museum of Art opened in 1988 as a community-based museum created in collaboration with local residents to promote art and culture across the wider Fukuyama area.
The museum has exhibited works by artists from the Fukuyama, Fuchu, and Seto Inland Sea regions, as well as modern and contemporary art from Japan and Europe, particularly Italy. Consistent with its mission to support local creatives, during Hiroshima Architecture Exhibition 2025 the museum will host an exhibition on Ushiroyama Sanso (formerly Aizenso), a residence that was designed by Fukuyama-born architect Koji Fujii. Aizenso (year of construction unknown) was built by Yoichiemon Fujii, the 12th head of Kuroganeya, a wealthy merchant in Fukuyama. Around 1932, Yoichiemon’s younger brother, architect Koji Fujii, added a sunroom that replicated his own residence, Chochikukyo. However, Aizen-so was soon forgotten and was not rediscovered until 77 years later, by which time it had become severely dilapidated. In 2013 it was restored to its current state by Fukuyama-based architect Keisuke Maeda. Renamed Ushiroyama Sanso, the new building has become a forum for discourse on the future of preserving and utilizing architectural masterpieces. This exhibition tells the century-long tale of Fukuyama-native Koji Fujii and his architecture.
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Architectural Highlights
Design: AXS Satow Inc. (Completed in 1988.) Fukuyama Museum of Art was designed by AXS Satow Inc., which has designed numerous art museums throughout Japan. The museum’s white granite-covered main entrance is approached via a camphor tree-lined promenade. Inside is a spacious atrium bathed in natural light that creates a bright and open atmosphere. Exhibition rooms extend out from the hall on each level, connected by a central staircase that guides visitors through the space. Courtyard windows offer views of the changing seasons and Fukuyama Castle, showcasing AXS Satow Inc.’s expertise in harmonizing the building with its surrounds. The site was once the moat of Fukuyama Castle, making the close-up views of the castle a highlight. Also noteworthy is the harmony created between the museum’s surroundings and the artworks on display inside.