Oita Prefectural Art Museum: Contemporary Architecture by Sou Fujimoto

The Oita Prefectural Art Museum (OPAM), which opened in April 2015, is a masterpiece of contemporary architecture designed by the Pritzker Prize-winning world architect Shigeru Ban. In reference to Oita, where bamboo crafts flourish, it features a wooden lattice evoking bamboo weaving and a huge glass exterior wall that can be fully opened and closed. The building itself is a major highlight, splendidly embodying the philosophy of a museum for everyone, open to the town.

The Charm of Architecture Full of Openness

The atrium on the first floor is opened for free, and the horizontal folding doors that divide the street from the interior can open to a height of 6 meters. When these are flung open, it becomes an open structure where the indoor space and the street connect as one. The interior, into which soft natural light streams, changes its expression by time of day and weather, and at night the interior light overflows into the town, showing a fantastical figure like a moving museum. It is a large-scale building with four above-ground floors and one basement floor, with a total floor area of about 16,800 square meters, and for architecture lovers it is a space you will not tire of even spending a whole day in.

A Diverse Collection and Special Exhibitions

OPAM inherits about 5,000 works and materials collected over many years by its predecessor, the Oita Prefectural Art Hall. It boasts a wide-ranging collection, including works by artists connected to Oita, Japanese-style and Western-style paintings, and works by Shono Shounsai, who elevated bamboo craft to the realm of art. The collection exhibition is held with a changing theme each term, and the special exhibitions hold diverse exhibitions by famous artists from Japan and abroad. Being able to enjoy both art and architecture is the real pleasure of OPAM.

Access and Basic Information

About a 15-minute walk from JR Oita Station, it is located in the central downtown of Oita City with good access. Opening hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and on Fridays and Saturdays it is open until 8 p.m. (last entry 30 minutes before closing). The admission for the collection exhibition is 300 yen for adults, 200 yen for university and high school students, and free for junior high students and younger (special exhibitions have separate fees). Since it is an indoor facility, it can be enjoyed year-round regardless of weather, and it is also ideal as a sightseeing destination on a rainy day. At night, aiming for the architectural beauty lit up is also recommended.

Practical Travel Notes

• Recommended time of day: Since it is open until 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, visiting from dusk into the night lets you enjoy the moving-museum expression where the interior light overflows into the town. The contrast with the daytime atrium full of natural light is also a highlight.
• Time guide: For the collection exhibition alone, about an hour; if you include a special exhibition, appreciating the architecture, and a rest in the first-floor atrium, allowing about one and a half to two hours lets you enjoy it at ease.
• Nearby real spots: You can enjoy a town stroll together with the adjacent complex iichiko Cultural Center. From Oita Station it is also the gateway to Beppu Onsen and Yufuin, making it convenient as a base for city sightseeing.
• Budget sense: For the collection exhibition alone you can enjoy it at a reasonable admission, and the first-floor atrium and museum shop can be visited for free.

A Word of Advice

OPAM has different fee structures for special exhibitions and the collection exhibition, and special exhibitions set an admission fee for each. If there is a particular exhibition you are after, confirming the term and fee in advance on the official site is reassuring. Since the architecture itself is a work of art, by all means savor not only the exhibition rooms but also the atrium, the exterior, and the open space with the horizontal folding doors flung open.

📚 Sources

For information on the Oita Prefectural Art Museum (OPAM), the main reference is the museum's official site. The design by architect Shigeru Ban, the collection including works by Shounsai Shono, and the content and dates of special exhibitions can be traced through the official site's guidance. Opening hours and admission differ between special and collection exhibitions and may change, so please confirm the latest details through official sources before you visit. If there is a special exhibition you have in mind, checking its dates and fees in advance is recommended.

Visitor Checklist

• Estimated time: The collection exhibition alone takes about 1 hour; including a special exhibition, appreciating the architecture, and a break in the ground-floor atrium, allow about 1.5 to 2 hours.
• What to bring: Special exhibitions set admission by content, so if there is one you want to see, check its dates and fees on the official site in advance. As an indoor facility it can be enjoyed in any weather.
• Suggested route: Take in the free ground-floor atrium and the open space when the horizontal folding doors are raised, then view the collection and special exhibitions; since Friday and Saturday stay open until 8 p.m., an evening visit to enjoy the museum glowing into the street is also recommended.
• Nearby: A stroll combined with the adjacent iichiko Cultural Center is also enjoyable.