Kumaya Art Museum
Photo: Own work — CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Kumaya Art Museum in Hagi, Japan, displays the private collection of the Kumaya family, featuring over 3,000 items including paintings, tea ceremony utensils, and the oldest piano in Japan.
Planning your visit
The Kumaya were merchants who supplied the Mori clan, the daimyo of the Hagi domain, and the family's private collection accumulated over generations is now a museum in their former residence. Over 3,000 items cover paintings, calligraphy, tea ceremony utensils, lacquer, ceramics and antiques, displayed in traditional storehouses around a garden.
Its most unexpected holding is the oldest surviving piano in Japan — imported in the nineteenth century, an object that documents the country's abrupt encounter with the West at exactly the moment Hagi's samurai were driving it.
That context is what makes Hagi worth understanding. This small castle town on the Sea of Japan produced a remarkable number of the figures who overthrew the shogunate and built the Meiji state, and the preserved samurai quarter, with its earthen walls and citrus trees, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The tea ceremony is offered as part of some visits, which suits the collection's emphasis. Allow an hour. Bookable options include museum entry with tea ceremony and garden tour. Current availability is listed below.
Before you book
Where is Kumaya Art Museum?
Kumaya Art Museum is in Hagi, Japan. The map on this page marks its exact location.
How long should I allow for Kumaya Art Museum?
Allow an hour. That is the time the collection itself takes at an unhurried pace, before any queue.
Do I need to book Kumaya Art Museum in advance?
Tickets can be bought on the door at quiet times, but booking ahead fixes the date and avoids the queue at busy ones. Live availability is shown on this page.