Akita Museum of Art

What to know

The Akita Museum of Art (秋田県立美術館, Akita Kenritsu Bijutsukan) in Akita City was designed by the celebrated architect Ando Tadao. It houses a significant collection of works by Fujita Tsuguharu (1886–1968), better known as Leonard Foujita, one of Japan's most renowned Western-style painters.

Born in Tokyo, Foujita spent much of his life in France and later became a French citizen. The Akita Museum of Art is one of the few places worldwide to display a comprehensive collection of his works, with the centerpiece being his 20-meter-long mural "Annual Events in Akita," which depicts life in Akita throughout the four seasons.

In addition to Foujita's art, the museum showcases pieces from the collection of Hirano Masakichi, an Akita-born art enthusiast and Foujita's patron who passed away in 1989. Temporary exhibitions feature works by local artists, and various projects are displayed in the ground-floor gallery.

Architectural highlights include a freestanding staircase and a triangular skylight that greet visitors upon entry. On the second floor, glass panels line one side of the building, offering views of Senshu Park (the former site of Akita Castle). The paid exhibition area starts on the second floor, but admission to the cafe and museum shop is free.