- Address: 2418 Omishimacho, Urado, Imabari 794-1308, Ehime Prefecture
- Phone: +81 897-74-7220
- Official website: www.tima-imabari.jp
- Date of foundation: 2011
- Working hours: Tuesday-Sunday 9: 00-17: 00
One of the most interesting cultural centers of the Land of the Rising Sun over the past few decades was the island of Omisima, which united the Museum of Calligraphy, the Omisima Art Museum, the Tokoro Museum in its vicinity. Here on the coast of the Inner Sea Seto there is a unique complex of art galleries - the Toyo Ito Museum of Architecture. This is the first museum in Japan dedicated to the work of one architect.
Multifaceted work of art
In 2011, in the prefecture of Ehime, an unusual structure appeared, authored by the famous Japanese architect Toyo Ito. Thanks to the boundless creativity, the master has connected the physical, virtual and real worlds. The basis for the design of the Toyo Ito Museum of Architecture is correct and irregular geometric figures: octahedron, tetrahedron and cuboctahedron. These polyhedra surprisingly contrast with the natural landscape in the district.
The museum complex consists of two buildings, which, according to the author's idea, are called "huts". "Steel hut" is a cumbersome and geometrically complex building, which houses the main exhibition halls, lecture hall, storage and main lobby. "Silver hut" - a group of arched buildings, where the personal home of Toyo Ito, which was moved from Tokyo . The architect's house also has exhibition spaces, classrooms, auditoriums, a library and a small cinema hall.
The halls of the buildings contain various architectural artifacts, including books, amazing 3D models of buildings built almost throughout the country, and about 90 Ito drawings. The appearance of the Museum of Architecture in Japan resembles the ship's deck, and the similarity is not accidental, since the first exhibit of the gallery is called "a worthy ship". And the location on the coast of Seto gives even greater intimacy. Architectural mock-ups of the marine theme have impressed the audience for several years already.
How to get to the museum?
From Kyoto to an architectural landmark is best to go by car. The fastest route runs along the Sanyo Expressway. On the road without taking into account traffic jams takes about 4.5 hours. From Tokyo, traveling by car will be quite tiring, about 10 hours. There is an alternative option: the island can be reached by air, first to Hiroshima Airport, and from there it takes about 2 hours by taxi to the Toyo Ito Museum of Architecture.