Yugawara has long been known as a hot spring resort that is even mentioned in the Manyoshu, and many cultural figures came to relax there from the Meiji period through to the Showa period.
Japanese painter Takeuchi Seiho, known as "Taikaku of the East and Seiho of the West," and Western-style painter Yasui Sotaro both lived here in their later years and created artworks here.
The Yugawara Museum of Art opened in 1998 after renovating a long-established inn where Natsume Soseki and Takeuchi Seiho had stayed. Currently, the museum holds special exhibitions and exhibitions of contemporary artists, as well as the Hiramatsu Reiji Hall, which displays the works of contemporary Japanese painter Hiramatsu Reiji, and the permanent hall, which displays the museum's collection.
The Contemporary Artist Exhibition is usually held two to three times a year, featuring works and artists with a connection to Yugawara. Reiji Hiramatsu's studio is open to the public, and you can see works in progress and the Japanese painting materials he actually uses.
Access: From JR Yugawara Station, take the bus bound for "Fudotaki/Okuyugawara" for about 12 minutes.
