Adachi Museum of Art

The Adachi Museum of Art is located in Yasugi City, Shimane Prefecture. Founded in 1970 by businessman Adachi Zenko, the museum showcases his collection of modern Japanese paintings alongside meticulously designed Japanese gardens. Adachi combined his passion for nihonga (traditional Japanese-style painting) with his belief that gardens represent living art. The museum holds over 120 paintings by Yokoyama Taikan, considered the father of modern nihonga, making it one of Japan's premier institutions for modern Japanese art.

The museum's gardens have been ranked number one in Japan by the Journal of Japanese Gardening consecutively for nearly two decades. The gardens span approximately 165,000 square meters with multiple distinct landscapes including the Dry Landscape Garden, Moss Garden, Pond Garden, and White Gravel and Pine Garden, all designed to be viewed as living paintings through the museum's windows. The gardens employ traditional Japanese landscaping techniques including borrowed scenery, incorporating distant mountains into the composition. The collection includes significant nihonga works by Yokoyama Taikan, Takeuchi Seiho, and Hashimoto Kansetsu, as well as ceramics, lacquerware, and contemporary works.

Visitors view the art collection and observe gardens from designated points throughout the museum building. Galleries display nihonga paintings in climate-controlled spaces with rotating exhibitions. Large windows frame specific garden views, designed as three-dimensional paintings that change with seasons and weather. Garden entry is prohibited to preserve the landscapes; all viewing occurs from interior spaces or designated walkways. A tearoom offers traditional Japanese tea service with garden views.

The museum is accessible from JR Yasugi Station on the JR San'in Main Line. From the station, a free shuttle bus operated by the museum runs regularly, taking approximately 20 minutes. By car, the museum is approximately 15 minutes from central Yasugi. From Izumo Airport, the drive takes approximately 40 minutes, while Yonago Airport is roughly 50 minutes away. From Matsue, the journey by train and shuttle takes approximately 40 minutes total. Admission is ¥2,300 for adults and ¥1,000 for university students.