Ota Ward Ryushi Memorial Museum

Sweet staff. Everything is in Japanese so Google translate will be your friend and you will be here longer than you might think. The interviews of the artist and description of the artworks were immaculate and persuaded me enough to buy a book that they sold regarding some of the work in the museum along with further information on the artist. Sadly they don't have any selections in other languages, just Japanese, but at least I can translate on my own time and enjoy the images. You aren't allowed to take pictures or videos of the artwork but you can talk to the staff as they are more than likely to let you if it's for educational and advertising purposes. It doesn't hurt to ask them. The entrance fee is only a few hundred yen and it's nice to just look at the artwork in a quiet and calm environment.

Beautiful museum, Ryūshi's residence across the street is a must see. What an incredible artist and human being. The staff were very kind and helpful. If you can you really must make this a priority to visit.

Lovely museum. Beautiful paintings and kind and helpful staff. I was also given a tour of Kawabata Ryushi's house next door, an idyllic place that's very naturally designed. Highly recommend.

beautiful art pieces by Kawabata Ryushi, no English explanations though. 200 yen admission for adults.

(Translated by Google) This memorial museum is adjacent to the former home of Ryushi Kawabata, a master of Japanese painting, and exhibits works according to the current theme. In my opinion, he is the greatest Japanese painter born in the Meiji era who continued to be active after the war. When I visited, the exhibition was organized to commemorate the 140th anniversary of his birth, and I felt that there were many representative works from the collection on display. Unusually for the time being, almost all of the works can be viewed directly, not through glass, and when I visited, the three-dimensional gold brushwork on black and dark blue backgrounds came into view more clearly, which was very worthwhile. On the opposite side of the one-way road are his former home and studio, which were designated as nationally registered cultural properties along with the memorial museum in 2024, and both can be visited for about 30 minutes at set times. The studio requires advance reservations due to the number of people allowed in. According to the guide, the blue stones, bamboo, and stone pavement are particularly noteworthy. The blue stones visible through the water in the circle, triangle, and ▢-shaped water basin were colorful. The Jibutsu-do, where the standing Bishamonten statue from Ryushi's possession, now frequently exhibited at the Tokyo National Museum, was once enshrined, was also located in the old house and could be viewed from outside. The Jibutsu-do has a Sakura-kasane-zu sliding door (now an elaborate replica) by Tawaraya Sotatsu, which is a gorgeous yet very calm piece. As expected, the aesthetic sense of the master is reflected to the fullest in his home. When I checked after returning home, I was sure I had seen the real thing at an exhibition called the Dairinpa Exhibition nearly 20 years ago, but I had no memory of it at all. The admission fee is only 200 yen for adults. This price is so cheap that I think it should be at least 500 yen for local residents. I bought a few clear files and postcards after the tour, hoping to add a little to my savings. The images of the works were taken by the poster using his smartphone. Photography was permitted. (Original) 日本画の巨匠というに相応しい、川端龍子旧宅隣に隣接する記念館で、その時々のテーマに合わせて作品が展示されています。あくまで個人的にですが、明治生まれで戦後も活躍された日本画家の中で、最も偉大な方だと思います。 訪問時は生誕140年記念の展示構成となっており、所蔵作品の中でも代表的な作品が多めに展示されていた気がします。 今時珍しく、ほぼ全作品がガラス越しで無く直接観覧できる展示環境となっており、訪問時は特に黒や濃紺地に金彩の立体感溢れる筆致がより鮮明に目に入って来て、大変見応えがありました。 一方通行の道路を挟んだ向かい側に、令和六年に記念館と共に国登録文化財に指定された旧宅とアトリエが残されており、どちらも決まった時間に30分程度見学可能です。アトリエは入れる人数の都合からか、事前予約制となっています。 ガイドさんによると、青石、竹、石畳が特に見所だそうです。〇△▢に形どられた水鉢の水面から見える青石が色鮮やかでした。 今東京国立博物館で頻繁に展示されている、龍子旧蔵の毘沙門天立像などがかつて安置されていた持仏堂も旧宅内にあり、外から拝見できました。持仏堂には伝俵屋宗達作の桜芥子図襖(の現在は精巧なレプリカ)があるのですが、絢爛でありつつも大変落ち着きのある作品でした。さすが巨匠の美意識は自宅にも余すところなく反映されているものですね。 帰宅後確認した所、実物を20年近く前に大琳派展という展覧会で絶対に観ているはずなんですが、全く記憶にありませんでした。 入館料は大人でたったの200円です。この価格は区民価格にして、通常はせめて500円でいいんじゃないかと思うような激安価格。多少なりの足しにもと思い、観覧後にクリアファイルと絵葉書を少々購入させてもらいました。 作品画像は投稿者がスマホで撮影させていただいたものです。撮影可でした。