Facility Outline:
The museum houses the artwork of Kotaro Migishi, a painter from Sapporo

The Migishi Kotaro Museum of Art is dedicated to the outstanding achievements of Sapporo oil painter Kotaro Migishi (1903 – 1934). His works and associated resources are collected, stored and exhibited at the facility, where related investigation, research and awareness-raising activities are also carried out.

Migishi played a significant part in the history of modern Western-style painting in Japan from the Taisho period (1912 – 1926) to the early Showa period (1926 – 1989). The museum primarily holds exhibitions featuring its collection of Migishi’s life works in addition to special exhibitions intended to highlight his art from various angles as well as lectures, concerts and other events. These activities provide visitors with opportunities to experience and enjoy the artist’s world to the full.

Permanent Exhibition:
An image of the studio that Kotaro Migishi, a modernist who died young, had in mind

The museum’s design is partially based on the blueprint of an atelier planned by Migishi. It is characterized by a double-height space that enables works to be viewed from various places. Five exhibition spaces on the first and second floors showcase a variety of works in chronological order. The museum provides opportunities for visitors to appreciate the world of Migishi in a calm ambience.

Recommended Activities:
A concert was held based on his masterpiece Orchestra

Despite his short life of just 31 years, Migishi’s genuine talent helped him to thrive in Japan’s world of fine art from the 1920s to the 1930s. The museum showcases works that evoke his ideals and poetic sentiment, including simple portraits, paintings of attractive women, works depicting the melancholy of a clown, images depicting the liveliness of Sapporo, pictures of resplendent flowers and paintings describing illusions of butterflies and seashells.

This elegant facility nestled in the garden of the Hokkaido Governor’s Official Residence is a pleasant space with a design based on the image of the painter’s atelier. The site’s Café Kinezumi is also an ideal place to relax.

The museum holds about 20 concerts each year in an exhibition space in tribute to one of Migishi’s best-known works titled Orchestra.

The Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art, which is located to the west of the museum, is also an essential part of any itinerary in the city.