Located in the coastal hot spring town of Atami in Shizuoka Prefecture, the MOA Museum of Art opened in 1982 to commemorate the 100th birthday of its founder Mokichi Okada (1882-1955). The museum’s diverse collection of approximately 3,500 works of Japanese and East Asian art includes paintings, Buddhist sculptures, calligraphy, ceramics, textiles, metalwork, and lacquerware. Three national treasures and 67 designated important cultural properties are also among the works housed at the museum.
The museum’s modern exhibition galleries seamlessly incorporate cutting-edge technology and traditional Japanese materials, thanks to internationally recognized contemporary artist Hiroshi Sugimoto and architect Tomoyuki Sakakida, who collaborated on the museum’s renovation in 2017. Situated on a hilltop with a stunning view of Sagami Bay and the Pacific Ocean from its main lobby, the museum also offers a tranquil Japanese garden, tea houses, and a noh theatre onsite.