The museum building was designed by Yoshio Taniguchi, the same architect responsible for the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) expansion in New York.
The location was specifically chosen because Higashiyama’s ancestral home is located in the nearby city of Sakaide.
The architecture is intentionally low-profile to ensure it does not obstruct the view of the Seto Inland Sea.
The museum houses a special collection of lithographs donated by the artist's family following his death.
The site provides a direct vantage point of the Seto Ohashi, a massive double-deck bridge system that connects Honshu and Shikoku.
The Higashiyama Kaii Setouchi Art Museum is uniquely positioned on the Shamijima peninsula to overlook the Seto Inland Sea, offering a panoramic view that mirrors the artist's own aesthetic focus on coastal landscapes. Designed by architect Yoshio Taniguchi, the structure utilizes a minimalist aesthetic to draw attention to the surrounding scenery rather than the building itself. The permanent collection features a rotating selection of lithographs and sketches by the renowned Nihonga painter Kaii Higashiyama, whose grandfather was born in this region. The museum serves as a cultural bridge between Higashiyama's traditional Japanese painting style and the modern architecture of the Seto Ohashi Bridge, which is visible from the site. Visitors can explore the intimate connection between the artist’s depictions of nature and the actual geography of the Kagawa coastline.
The outdoor terrace area, which frames the Seto Ohashi Bridge against the backdrop of the sea.
Visit the cafe to enjoy views of the Seto Inland Sea through the large floor-to-ceiling windows.
Check the museum's rotating exhibition schedule online before arriving, as themes change periodically.
Spend time on the outdoor deck to photograph the interplay between the architecture and the bridge in the distance.
Do not expect a massive, sprawling complex; the museum is intentionally small and requires a contemplative pace.
Closed on Mondays, or the following day if Monday is a national holiday.
Maintain a quiet volume and refrain from using flash photography inside the galleries.
