🗺️ Sagawa Art Museum佐川美術館

The Sagawa Art Museum is a private art museum established by the renowned Japanese logistics company Sagawa Express Co., Ltd. in 1998 to commemorate its 40th anniversary. The museum covers a vast area of approximately 29,000 square meters. Surrounded by Mount Hiei and Mount Hira, with Lake Biwa just a stone's throw away, it is a picturesque location that harmonizes beautifully with nature. The "Garden of Water," which occupies the majority of the museum's area, can be considered the main attraction of the Sagawa Art Museum. The ripples created by the breeze over Lake Biwa and the sunlight reflecting off the water's surface create a stunning spectacle. Floating above this shimmering water are three buildings that seem to hover. The changing scenery with the seasons and time can be regarded as a work of art co-created by humanity and nature. The buildings and spatial design, perfectly coordinated with the surrounding natural environment, have received numerous awards and high praise from various sectors. Inside, the museum houses works by three masters representing the Japanese art world: the painter Ikuo Hirayama, the sculptor Tadashi Sato, and the ceramic artist the 15th generation Raku Kichizaemon (now renamed Naoi). Among them, Mr. Hirayama's collection exceeds 350 pieces, making it the largest collection in all of Japan. The exhibition areas are primarily divided into three sections: the Ikuo Hirayama Gallery, the Tadashi Sato Gallery, and the Raku Kichizaemon Gallery, each of which has put considerable effort into using the most suitable display methods to showcase the maximum charm of their works.

In the water garden that occupies most of the museum's area, three buildings are established that seem to float on the water. They collect and display works by Ikufuu Hirayama, Tadayoshi Sato, and Yoshikazu Sakai. The collection of Ikufuu Hirayama's works exceeds 350 pieces, making it the largest in Japan.