Isamu Noguchi Garden Museum

The Isamu Noguchi Garden Museum (イサム・ノグチ庭園美術館), located in Mure, near Takamatsu, offers an intimate exploration of the life and artistry of Isamu Noguchi, the celebrated Japanese American sculptor. Although he spent much of his life in the United States, Noguchi maintained a deep connection to Japan, particularly to Mure, a town renowned for its expertise in stone masonry. In Mure, he established a workshop that became the focal point of his creative process. After Noguchi’s death in 1988, the workshop was transformed into a museum, providing visitors with the rare opportunity to experience the artist’s environment and gain insight into his artistic evolution. Access to the museum is available only through guided tours, which must be booked in advance, ensuring a personal and in-depth experience.

The tour begins in Noguchi’s original workshop, housed in a beautifully restored Edo-period storehouse. The space is filled with the artist’s tools, preserved as though he had just stepped away, offering a sense of being immersed in his creative world. Outside, nearly 150 stone sculptures, many left unfinished, dot the landscape, highlighting Noguchi’s deep commitment to the medium. From there, visitors proceed to a Meiji-period warehouse, where a selection of his completed works, including the imposing 3.6-meter "Energy Void" sculpted from black Swedish granite, is displayed. The final stop on the tour is Noguchi’s home, nestled within a tranquil hillside garden he designed for his 80th birthday. This serene space offers a harmonious blend of modern artistic vision and traditional Japanese aesthetics, reflecting the artist’s unique approach to integrating art with nature.