Sagawa Art Museum was opened on March 22, 1998,
as part of celebrations to mark the 40th anniversary of the establishment of Sagawa Express Co., Ltd.
The museum is located in Moriyama, in the ancient district of Omi,
amongst lush natural surroundings and in view of Lake Biwa.
The S.A.M.'s mission is to contribute to the promotion and
development of art and culture, through a variety of cultural initiatives,
focused on the exhibition of works by outstanding artists that embody
the spirit of Japanese art, such as the painter Hirayama Ikuo,
the sculptor Sato Churyo, and the ceramic artist Raku Kichizaemon.
Our aim is to serve not only the local community, but to
provide a rich museum resource that is wide open to the whole world.
Sagawa Art Museum
Concept : Prayer for Peace
Yearning for Peace
Throughout the year, the museum space dedicated to
Nihonga(traditional Japanese-style painting), named
“Prayer for Peace,” presents theme-based exhibitions of
approximately 50 works, selected from our collection of
more than 300 paintings by Hirayama Ikuo,
whose major lifework is the “Silk Road” series,
concerning the diffusion of Buddhism through Asia.
We thus present an insight into the world of Hiryama Ikuo,
and his exploration of the wellspring of Japanese culture.
Exploring the ideal way to present Nihonga paintings, we are
exhibiting these works under soft lighting to give maximum
expression to the profound appeal of these works.
Concept : Bronze Poetry
Warm scenes, seen with gentle gaze
This section of the museum, called “Bronze Poetry,”
is devoted to sculpture. At any time here is a theme-based
exhibit ofsome 40 sculptures and sketches,
selected from our collection of over 100 works by
internationally renowned Japanese sculptor Sato Churyo,
spanning his entire career—from his beginnings to
his present work. To this day,as he has done for many,
many years, Sato explores and gives expression to
the “beauty of the human.”
His works, which principally depict women and children,
are characterized by the warm gaze he lends to the
humanity of his subjects.
Come to witness and enjoy the masterpieces of Sato Churyo.
Concept : Shuhari
Centering ourselves vertically, gently
This section of the museum is composed of an exhibition
room and tea room, laid out within a water garden,
according to the concept of shuhari (three stages of learning
an art from a master: shu = following; ha = breaking out;
ri = separation). This wing of the museum is truly unique,
because the artist himself has designed not only the art
works on exhibit, but also a tea ceremony room.
On display here is a wide range of ceramic artworks by the
15th Raku Kichizaemon, mostly created since 2000.
These include yakinuki black raku tea bowls,
black raku tea bowls, yakinuki tea jars, and yakinuki
water jars, which enable visitors to observe the evolution
of the artist’s output. Come and immerse yourself in
this otherworldly underwater space, to be enchanted by
the masterful art of the present Raku Kichizaemon.
