What’s New

Stories

(English) Komatsu’s Many Museums

[:en]

Despite its small-ish size, Komatsu is home to several wonderful museums!

In addition to the city museum, which covers the local history and cultural treasures, there are numerous art museums, historical and cultural preservation sites and more!

Museums of Komatsu


PAID FACILITIES

Kanjincho Museum (Kanjincho Monogatari Kan)

Address: Ta-140-4 Ataka-machi

Opening Hours: 9:00 – 17:00. Closed Wednesday.

Entrance fee: 300 yen

Located along the Ataka shore, the Kanjincho museum is dedicated to its namesake, which is one of the 18 famous Kabuki plays. The Kanjincho is based off a historical face-off between the warrior monk Benkei and the guardian of the gate Togashi that supposedly happened in Ataka itself.

The museum contains an explanation of the Kanjincho story, as well as several other displays, including a collection of the various TV, book etc. media adaptions of Kanjincho. Original costumes from the play as well as a short clips can be viewed here.



Miyamoto Saburo Art Museum (Miyamoto Saburo Bijutsukan)

Address: 5 Konmade-machi

Opening Hours: 9:00 – 17:00. Last Entry 16:30.

Entrance Fee: 400 yen (Joint Admission with Furusato Museum)

One of the three located in or close to Rojo Park, the museum consists of a glass building connected to a traditional stone storehouse. The museum displays the various art pieces created by Miyamoto Saburo, an internationally famous local-born artist. Due to his extensive travels, Miyamoto art style was highly versatile and includes from pencil sketches, and European-influenced oil paintings.



Komatsu City Museum (Komatsu Shiritsu Hakubutsukan)

Address: 19 Marunouchikoen-machi

Opening Hours: 9:00 – 17:00. Last Entry 16:30.
Closed Mondays (unless it’s a public holiday). Closed the day after public holidays.

Entrance Fee: 300 yen

The second of the Rojo trio, the City Museum covers a wide range of topics about local nature and history. The museums houses over 50,000 items, from documents, archaeological findings, local artworks and even preserved specimens of animals and insects. It’s a wonderful way to learn more about the city.



Honjin Memorial Art Museum (Honjin Kinen Bijutsukan)

Address: 19 Marunouchikoen-machi

Opening Hours: 9:00 – 17:00. Last Entry 16:30.
Closed Mondays (unless it’s a public holiday). Closed the day after public holidays.

Entrance Fee: 300 yen

The final member of the group is the Honjin Memorial Art Museum. It was setup to regularly exhibit the close to 900 pieces of art collection by Honjin Jin’ichi, the former president of Hokkoku Bank. Much of his collection consists of oil painting by local artists, as well as ceramics, lacquerware, glassware and wood carvings.



Nishikigama Gallery (Nishikigama Tenjikan)

Address: 95-1 Daimonji-machi

Opening Hours: 9:00 – 17:00. Last Entry 16:30.
Closed Mondays (unless it’s a public holiday). Closed the day after public holidays.

Entrance Fee: 300 yen

The Nishikigama Gallery is the former house and workshop of the Tokuda Yasokichi line of Kutani pottery artists. The museum contains works created by the family, as well as the tools used to make the pieces. The highlight of the museum is the original kiln, one of 2 remaining in Japan.



Miyamoto Saburo Furusato Museum (Miyamoto Saburo Furusato Kan)

Address: 16-1 Matsuzaki-machi

Opening Hours: 9:00 – 17:00. Last Entry 16:30.
Closed Mondays (unless it’s a public holiday). Closed the day after public holidays.

Entrance fee: 400 yen. (Joint Admission with the Art Museum)

Located within his hometown, this is the 2nd of the museums dedicated to Miyamoto Saburo. Buying a ticket to either museum, will also allow the ticket holder to enter the other. It houses many of his pieces as well as a recreation of his studio containing his original tools and paint palettes.



Komatsu Archeological Research Center (Maizo Bunkazai Center)

Address: To-77-8 Hara-machi.

Opening Hours: 9:00 – 17:00. Last Entry 16:30. Closed Wednesday (unless it’s a public holiday). Closed the day after public holidays.

Entrance Fee: 100 yen

The center was opened in 2010 to display and educate visitors about the natural history and archaeological findings of the city that date back 2100 years old. Visitors are also encouraged to participate in the offered activities of ancient braiding or making their own beads, some activities may need prior reservation.



Ogoya Mine Museum / Mine Road (Ogoya Kozan Shiryokan)

Address: Ka-1-1 Ogoya-machi

Opening Hours: 9:00 – 17:00. Last Entry 16:30. Closed Wednesdays (unless it’s a public holiday). Closed the day after public holidays. Closed from Dec-Mar.

Entrance fee: 500 yen

Ogoya was one of the busiest mines in Japan during its heyday. The mine closed in 1962, and one of factories was repurposed into the museum that details the mine’s history. The adjacent park holds the Mine Road, where visitors can enter one of the original mine shafts to see what it was like before.




FREE ENTRY

Hikiyama Gallery Miyossa (Komatsu Hikiyama Koryukan Miyossa)

Address: 72-3 Yokkaichi-machi

Opening Hours: 10:00 – 17:00. From Dec-Mar, closed Wednesdays.

Entrance fee: free

Miyossa is an activity space for people wishing to learn kabuki culture. It contains 2 of the Hikiyama festival floats, and visitors can participate in a free guided tour or even refer to the multi-language tablets set up in the building. Visitors can also opt for various activities including dance lessons, instrument classes or even a simple tea ceremony.



Noborigama Gallery (Noborigama Tenjikan)

.

Address: Mi-20-2 Yawata

Opening Hours:

Entrance Fee: free

The gallery houses one of the few Noborigama or climbing kilns to still exist in Japan. The kiln is 10.9m long and is built up the slope of a hill. Other than the kiln itself, old tools and Kutani ceramic pieces are also displayed in the gallery.



Kodayama Old Burial Mounds Museum (Kodayama Kofungun Shiseki Shiryokan)

Address: 3-64 Kokufudai

Opening Hours:

Entrance Fee: free

More park than museum, visitors to this places will be able to enter the old Kofun burial mounds to take a look inside or observe the various recreations of the inner rooms. It’s a must see for those interested in Japanese history.



Komatsu Museum Pass

If you decide to visit more than one museum, do consider buying the Komatsu Museum Pass (Green) . For just 500 yen, the holder is eligible for unlimited free entrance to all of the 8 paid facilities for up to a week, as per the list above! The pass can be bought at any of the participating institutions!

For long term residents, there is also a year round option (Pink) for 1500 yen. It expires on 31st March of the next year, but the holder is allowed unlimited entrance until then.



*All photos credited to Komatsu Guide


[:]