Yugawara is known as a hot spring resort town that was celebrated in ancient times, even appearing in the Manyoshu anthology of poetry. From the Meiji to Showa periods, many cultural figures visited it for rest and relaxation.
Japanese painter Takeuchi Seiho, who was known as "Taikan of the East and Seiho of the West," and Western-style painter Yasui Sotaro both settled in this area in their later years and continued their creative work.
The Yugawara Town Museum of Art opened in 1998 after renovating a long-established inn where Natsume Soseki and Takeuchi Seiho once stayed. Currently, it houses the "Hiramatsu Reiji Hall," which displays the works of contemporary Japanese painter Hiramatsu Reiji, and the "Permanent Collection Hall," as well as special exhibitions and exhibitions of contemporary artists.
The contemporary artists' exhibition is held two to three times a year, featuring works and artists associated with Yugawara. The museum also opens up the studio of Reiji Hiramatsu, where visitors can see works in progress and the Japanese painting materials he actually uses.
<Access> Approximately 12 minutes by bus from JR Yugawara Station bound for "Fudotaki/Okuyugawara"
