Marugame Genichiro-Inokuma Museum of Contemporary Art

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Marugame Genichiro-Inokuma Museum of Contemporary Art (MIMOCA) 丸亀市猪熊弦一郎現代美術館

The Marugame Genichiro-Inokuma Museum of Contemporary Art (MIMOCA) displays the work of artist Genichiro Inokuma (1902-1993), who spent his childhood in the small Shikoku port town of Marugame, a short train ride west of Takamatsu.

Marugame Genichiro-Inokuma Museum of Contemporary Art, Marugame, Shikoku

Marugame Genichiro-Inokuma Museum of Contemporary Art, Marugame, Shikoku

The Marugame Genichiro-Inokuma Museum of Contemporary Art opened in 1991 and is located immediately to your right as you exit Marugame Station.

The three story, cubist concrete building, with sculptures in bold, primary colors in the courtyard outside, was designed by Japanese architect Taniguchi Yoshio in collaboration with Inokuma. A mural by Inokuma graces the facade of the museum.

Taniguchi Yoshio's work as an architect in Japan includes the Heisei Chishikan Wing of the Kyoto National Museum, the Hiroshima City Naka Incineration Plant and the Horyuji Homotsukan building of Tokyo National Museum.

The museum holds over 20,000 works donated by Inokuma, which are shown in rotation along with special exhibitions of contemporary art. As well as its collection of Inokuma's paintings, the museum holds regular workshops and aims to promote participation in the arts by young children.

Inokuma was born in Takamatsu but spent his childhood in Marugame before attending Tokyo Fine Arts School (now, Tokyo University of the Arts). He then spent part of the 1930's in Paris where he met and was influenced by such artists as Leonard Foujita, Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso.

At the outbreak of war in Europe, Inokuma returned to Japan before leaving Japan again in the 1950's with the intention of returning to Paris. On the way he was attracted to New York, where he was to base himself for the next 20 years. In his later years, Inokuma divided his time between Hawaii and Japan and on his death in Tokyo, left his complete works to the museum in Marugame.

Marugame Genichiro-Inokuma Museum of Contemporary Art, Marugame, Shikoku

Marugame Genichiro-Inokuma Museum of Contemporary Art, Marugame

Inokuma also counted the architect Kenzo Tange and the artist Isamu Noguchi amongst his friends and he was influential in persuading Noguchi to open a studio in Mure on Shikoku which is now the renowned Isamu Noguchi Garden Museum Japan.

The Marugame Genichiro-Inokuma Museum of Contemporary Art also includes the excellent Cafe Mimoca, with the decoration, furniture and light fittings all designed by Taniguchi and Inokuma.

Marugame Station, Marugame, Kagawa, Shikoku

Marugame Genichiro-Inokuma Museum of Contemporary Art Access

Marugame Genichiro-Inokuma Museum of Contemporary Art (mimoca.org)

80-1 Hama-machi, Marugame-shi, Kagawa 763-0022

Tel: 0877 24 7755

Hours: 10 am-6 pm (last entrance 5.30 pm)

Admission: 300 yen for adults; 200 yen for college students; free for school students.

Located just one minute from JR Marugame Station. Marugame Station is 25 minutes from Takamatsu JR Station on an express or 40 minutes on a local Dosan Line train. Marugame Castle is a 15-20 minute walk south.

Marugame harbor area

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