The Homma family were personal suppliers to the Shogunate and were often compared to the legendary wealth of the Kaga domain lords.
The Seienkaku Villa was originally constructed to accommodate the lords of the Shonai domain visiting Sakata.
The garden features 'borrowed scenery' (shakkei) techniques, integrating the distant Mount Chokai into its landscape design.
The museum collection features rare works by Kano school painters and important archaeological finds from the local Shonai plain.
The villa served as a temporary residence for the Emperor Showa during his visit to Yamagata Prefecture in 1954.
The Homma Museum of Art is housed in the former villa of the wealthy Homma merchant family, who were once the largest landowners in Japan. The museum consists of the Seienkaku Villa, built in 1813, and a modern gallery wing added in 1968. It is renowned for its Meien-no-niwa, a traditional Japanese stroll garden designed in the Edo period. The collection includes over 2,500 items, focusing on Japanese paintings, calligraphy, ceramics, and historical artifacts related to the Sakata region. Visitors can view artworks while seated on tatami mats inside the historical villa, offering a direct view of the garden. The site serves as a testament to the cultural influence of the Sakata merchant class during the feudal era.
From the edge of the Seienkaku Villa veranda looking out toward the meticulously raked sand and pond of the garden.
Bring a pair of clean socks, as you will be required to remove your shoes to walk on the wooden floors and tatami mats of the villa.
Check the rotating exhibition schedule on the official website, as the museum frequently changes its featured collection.
Do not rush through the garden; the experience is intended for slow contemplation rather than sightseeing speed.
Closed on Mondays, or the following day if Monday is a national holiday, and during exhibition changeovers.
Remove shoes at the entrance of the villa; refrain from touching artifacts or photography inside restricted gallery rooms.
