The Museum of Modern Art, Hayama

Special Exhibition | August 4, 2026

Before you lies the tranquil Isshiki Beach. Along with the view of Sagami Bay, on a clear day you can even see Mount Fuji in the distance. ©︎Takeshi Taira
The "courtyard," surrounded by two L-shaped buildings, connects the landscape of Hayama, where mountains and the sea intertwine. ©︎Takeshi Taira
To the east of the building lies the lush green hill of Mikagaoka. The building's height is kept below 10 meters to blend seamlessly with the deep green surroundings. ©︎Takeshi Taira

A minimalist art museum that blends seamlessly with the landscape of Hayama

This art museum stands along Isshiki Beach in Hayama Town, Miura District, Kanagawa Prefecture. The site is the former residence of Prince Takamatsu, and the museum was planned as a place where visitors can experience the three elements of "sea," "mountains," and "light." It also serves as a new base for the Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Modern Art, Japan's first public modern art museum, and has held exhibitions in a three-museum system along with the existing Kamakura branch (which has since closed and is now used as the "Kamakura Bunka-kan Tsuruoka Museum") and the Kamakura annex. With a simple facade that emphasizes the horizon, visitors can proceed from the approach, through the entrance hall and four exhibition rooms, and out through the courtyard to a restaurant overlooking the Pacific Ocean from Isshiki Beach. Exhibition room 3 has a large opening, and sometimes works are displayed in a way that resonates with the sea. The architecture blends seamlessly with the landscape of Hayama, encompassing mountains and the sea.

The Museum of Modern Art, Hayama
・Architect :AXS SATOW INC.
・Location : 2208-1 Isshiki, Hayama-machi, Miura-gun, Kanagawa Prefecture
・Use : Museum
・Completed : 2003

Text: Yoshinao Yamada