Sagawa Art Museum in Moriyama, Shiga Prefecture, is a museum where visitors can experience art together with a waterside setting near Lake Biwa.
A water garden covers most of the grounds, and the exhibition halls appear to float on its surface. The collection centers on works by Japanese-style painter Ikuo Hirayama, sculptor Chūryō Satō, and ceramic artist Jikinyū Raku.
Beyond the special exhibitions, the museum’s distinctive spatial composition becomes clear when you also take in the architecture, water, light, underground galleries, and reservation-only tea rooms.
What Is Sagawa Art Museum? A Moriyama Museum Where Water and Art Meet
Sagawa Art Museum opened as part of a project commemorating the 40th anniversary of Sagawa Express.
Rather than serving only as a container for collecting and displaying works, it incorporates the relationship between nature and architecture into the viewing experience itself.
Opened on a Site Overlooking Lake Biwa
Sagawa Art Museum opened in Moriyama in March 1998, on a site overlooking Lake Biwa and Mount Hiei and the Hira Mountains.
Aiming to be a museum open to both the local community and the world, it shares art and culture through exhibitions, lectures, workshops, and other programs.
During your visit, look not only at the artworks but also at the surrounding sky, mountains, and water reflected in the architecture.
3 Buildings Floating on a Water Garden
3 buildings are arranged around the water garden, taking on different appearances with the seasons and time of day.
The water reflects the roofs and columns, while wind makes the reflections ripple, so even the same spot never looks exactly the same.
Alternating between a close-up view of the buildings and a distant view of the whole complex helps reveal the connection between the galleries and the outdoor space.
Experience the Architecture and Exhibitions as One
At Sagawa Art Museum, the corridors between galleries, the water garden seen through the windows, and the stairs descending underground are all part of the viewing experience.
Instead of rushing from artwork to artwork, move through the museum while noticing changes in light and sound between galleries to better understand the intention behind the spatial design.
Do not step down into the water garden or enter restricted areas; observe the architecture only from designated indoor and outdoor locations.
Collections by 3 Artists: Ikuo Hirayama, Chūryō Satō, and Jikinyū Raku
At the heart of Sagawa Art Museum are collections by 3 artists who work with different materials and forms of expression.
Viewing Japanese-style painting, sculpture, and ceramics in sequence introduces a range of themes, including people, journeys, prayer, and the tea ceremony.
Japanese-Style Paintings by Ikuo Hirayama
Ikuo Hirayama was a Japanese-style painter whose works explored the route along which Buddhism spread eastward and the Silk Road.
Sagawa Art Museum holds many of Hirayama’s works and displays selections from the collection under changing themes.
Look beyond the colors of the distant scenery and the subtle movements of figures, and consider how thoughts of travel and peace appear in the composition.
Sculptures by Chūryō Satō
Chūryō Satō was a sculptor who portrayed familiar people, including children and women, with a warm gaze.
Rather than viewing three-dimensional works only from the front, change your angle within the permitted area to see how facial expressions, posture, and lines of clothing appear differently.
Do not touch the display stands or artworks; experience the figures’ presence through their relationship with the surrounding space.
Tea Ceramics by Jikinyū Raku
Jikinyū Raku inherited the Raku ware tradition as the 15th Raku Kichizaemon and continues to pursue new forms today.
The Raku Kichizaemon Wing mainly presents yaki-nuki black Raku tea bowls, black Raku tea bowls, water jars, and other works created since 2000.
In addition to the vessels’ shapes and surfaces, imagine the physical sensation of holding a tea bowl and the setting of the tea ceremony to deepen the meaning of the display.
Raku Kichizaemon Wing: Underground Galleries Beneath the Water Garden
The Raku Kichizaemon Wing consists of underground galleries embedded beneath the water garden and tea rooms that appear to float on the surface.
A defining feature is that the artist himself conceived both the works and the spaces.
An Exhibition Space Expressing Shu-Ha-Ri
The wing’s concept is shu-ha-ri: preserving tradition, breaking with it, and then moving beyond it toward new expression.
The route underground creates a transition from a bright everyday space to quiet galleries, providing an environment where visitors can focus more easily on the works.
Do not rush while your eyes adjust to the darkness; watch your step and follow the museum’s guidance.
The Relationship Between the Works and the Tea Ceremony Space
Jikinyū Raku himself developed and supervised the design of the galleries and tea rooms, making the way the works are shown part of his expression.
Rather than treating a tea bowl as an artwork complete within a display case, imagine preparing tea and facing another person; this makes the meaning of its form easier to perceive.
Exhibitions change over time, so check the exhibition page before visiting.
Tea Rooms Designed at the Level of the Water
The tea rooms consist of a small room submerged beneath the water and a larger room that seems to float on the water garden, embodying the idea of people and nature meeting at the same eye level.
Separate from the regular galleries, interior visits are offered as advance-reservation guided tours.
Tea room visits have age and walking-related requirements, so review the notes on the reservation page.
Water Garden and Architecture Highlights: Observe Light, Reflections, and Stillness
The architecture of Sagawa Art Museum has a different appeal not only under a blue sky but also on cloudy, rainy, or windy days.
Following the boundary between the water and the buildings reveals a design that visually connects indoors and outdoors.
Roofs and Columns Reflected on the Water
In the water garden, the low, extended roofs and columns are reflected, making the buildings’ outlines appear to spread both upward and downward.
On calm days the water mirrors them, while ripples distort their shapes, allowing changes in nature to create the architecture’s expression.
When taking photos, do not block the walkway or cross fences or the boundary at the water’s edge.
Changes in Light Between Galleries
Corridors and the lobby admit natural light, while lighting and brightness are carefully adjusted in the galleries to protect the artworks.
When entering a suddenly dark area, pause until your eyes adjust and avoid bumping into artworks or other visitors.
Notice how the intensity of light differs by material to compare how Japanese-style paintings, sculptures, and ceramics are displayed.
Seasonal Scenery as Part of the Design
The distant mountains and the sky reflected in the water garden change with the seasons, giving the museum a different backdrop on every visit.
Like an exhibition, the architectural landscape can look unique at any given moment, so even when the weather differs from what you hoped for, it is important to appreciate that day’s light.
Viewing Etiquette and Museum Use: Preserve the Quiet Gallery Environment
Sagawa Art Museum is surrounded by a water garden and hard architectural surfaces, so voices and other sounds can echo easily.
Review the museum rules to protect the artworks while allowing other visitors to enjoy them.
Rules for Food, Smoking, and Pets
Eating and drinking, including chewing gum and candy, are prohibited inside. Put plastic bottles in your bag or use a locker.
Smoking is prohibited throughout the grounds, and pets are not allowed inside.
If you use an assistance dog or require individual accommodations, contact the museum in advance.
Conversation and Visiting with Children
Because voices carry easily inside, speak quietly even when discussing the artworks.
Visitors with elementary-school-age children or younger are asked to hold hands and ensure the children do not get too close to the works.
If a child needs a break, leave the gallery once and resume at a comfortable pace.
Store Umbrellas and Luggage
Long umbrellas cannot be brought inside, so use the umbrella stand at the entrance.
Place large bags and items that could easily contact the artworks in a locker; walking through the galleries with less to carry is safer.
Locations and artworks where photography is permitted vary by exhibition, so check signs at the entrance and in each gallery.
Check Exhibitions, Reservations, and Admission Before Your Visit
Sagawa Art Museum admission fees are set according to the content of each special exhibition.
The museum may close while exhibitions are being changed, and some exhibitions require reservations, so check the event calendar and exhibition page before deciding when to visit.
Opening Hours and Closed Days
Opening hours are 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with last admission at 4:30 p.m.
The museum is generally closed on Mondays. If Monday is a national holiday or other holiday, it closes the following day; it also closes over the New Year period and while exhibitions are being changed.
Temporary closures may also be scheduled, so confirm the museum’s opening status on the day of your visit.
Check Admission Fees for Each Exhibition
Admission fees during special exhibitions vary by exhibition.
Junior high school students and younger are admitted free, as are a person presenting a disability certificate and 1 accompanying person, but proof such as a student ID is required.
For exhibitions requiring online reservations, check the time slot and group-size conditions before arriving.
Advance Reservations Required for Tea Room Tours
The Raku Kichizaemon Wing tea room visit is an approximately 30-minute guided tour of the interior architecture led by museum staff.
Matcha is not served during the tour, and children below elementary school age cannot participate.
Tour dates, fees, and availability are not fixed, so check the application details on the dedicated page.
How to Get to Sagawa Art Museum by Bus from Katata or Moriyama Station
Sagawa Art Museum is some distance from a train station, so visitors use a bus or taxi from Katata Station or Moriyama Station.
If your exhibition has a reserved entry time, depart with extra time in case the bus is delayed.
About 15 Minutes from Katata Station
From Kyoto, Osaka, or the western side of Lake Biwa, the suggested route is to get off at Katata Station on the JR Kosei Line and take a Kojak Bus or taxi.
The estimated travel time is about 15 minutes.
Check the transport operator’s service information for bus destinations, stops, and schedules.
About 35 Minutes from Moriyama Station
From the Biwako Line side, get off at JR Moriyama Station and take an Ōmi Railway Bus or taxi.
The estimated travel time is about 35 minutes and may vary with road conditions.
Check the return bus schedule when you arrive and plan so that you do not have to wait a long time after the museum closes.
Use the Free Parking Lot When Driving
Free parking for museum visitors is available for those arriving by car.
Special exhibitions and weekends may be busy, so arrive earlier than your reservation slot, allowing time to park.
Do not park on nearby roads or outside the facility; follow the signs at the entrance and staff directions.
Summary: Experience Art, Water Garden, and Architecture Together at Sagawa Art Museum
Sagawa Art Museum offers a single viewing experience that brings together works by Ikuo Hirayama, Chūryō Satō, and Jikinyū Raku with architecture that appears to float on a water garden.
Visiting the aboveground exhibition halls, the underground Raku Kichizaemon Wing, and the reservation-only tea rooms reveals the relationships among materials, light, water, and nature from different perspectives.
Before visiting, check the exhibitions, admission fees, reservations, closed days, and bus schedules, and allow plenty of time while observing quiet museum etiquette.
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