Kodansha Noma Memorial Museum of Art

About

The moment one opens the door and steps in, an old wooden desk, books holding handwritten script, and the rounded shape of a traditional kiln faintly bathed in light come into view. The moment one steps into the exhibition hall, amid a stillness mixed with tension and anticipation, one can encounter the essence of modern Japanese art. Above the works of Kawai Gyokudo, Uemura Shoen, Yokoyama Taikan, and Kaburagi Kiyokata flows a stillness as if time had stopped. The sculptures, ceramics, and thousands of shikishi on display are all traces of devotion that flowed through the artists' fingertips. That devotion still fills the air of the museum, and visitors, too, find themselves unconsciously holding their breath as they gaze on.