View selections of the more than 10,000 works of art when you visit the Yamanashi Prefectural Museum of Art in Kofu. The collection offers a blend of works by European painters and modern to contemporary artists from Japan.
Perhaps surprisingly, this museum in the heart of Japan has a large collection of pieces from the mid 19th-century artists of the Barbizon school of French painting. Notice how the artists’ use of realism in landscapes brings out the serenity of nature, which is consistent with Japanese philosophy in art and culture.
Jean-François Millet was a primary leader of the Barbizon school. His work is featured here to such an extent that some call this the Millet Museum. Millet’s depiction of a peasant in The Sower was the museum’s first acquisition. See this inspiring piece and others from noted European landscape artists.
Before you enter the museum, view the outdoor sculptures and note the structure’s box-like architecture. The building was constructed in 1978, with exhibition space added in the South Wing in 2004 and a special Millet Wing constructed in 2009 to hold all the Barbizon works.
The museum is open Tuesdays through Sundays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. You will need to pay a fee to view the permanent collection ask for discounts for college students. Younger students, seniors and people with disabilities have free admission. The museum is open to all with free admission on November 20, Yamanashi Citizen’s Day.
Travel by bus to the Yamanashi Prefectural Museum of Art from the center of Kofu in about 15 minutes. Consider purchasing a combined ticket to include the Yamanashi Prefectural Museum of Literature, which is just east of the art museum.
If you drive, park for free in the adjacent outdoor lot serving both museums. Wander around the grounds, which include shady walks, an outdoor amphitheater, statues and fountains.
