Yugawara has long been known as a hot spring resort, even mentioned in the Manyoshu, and many cultural figures came to relax there from the Meiji to Showa periods.
Japanese painter Takeuchi Seiho, known as "Taikan of the East and Seiho of the West," and Western painter Yasui Sotaro both lived and worked here in their later years.
The Yugawara Museum of Art was opened in 1998 after being renovated from a long-established inn where Natsume Soseki and Takeuchi Seiho stayed. Currently, the museum hosts special exhibitions and exhibitions of contemporary artists, as well as the Hiramatsu Reiji Gallery, which displays the works of contemporary Japanese painter Hiramatsu Reiji, and the Permanent Gallery, which displays the museum's collection.
The Contemporary Artists Exhibition is usually held two to three times a year, showcasing works by artists with ties to Yugawara. Hiramatsu Reiji's studio is open to the public, allowing visitors to 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"
