Towada Art Center

The Towada Art Center opened in 2008 as part of the Arts Towada project, an ambitious initiative to revitalize the city of Towada in Aomori Prefecture through contemporary art. Designed by architect Ryue Nishizawa, who won the Pritzker Prize in 2010, the museum features a distinctive layout of 16 individual exhibition spaces connected by glass corridors. This unique architectural approach integrates the building seamlessly with the surrounding urban landscape, blurring the boundaries between interior galleries and exterior public spaces.

The museum holds permanent works by prominent contemporary artists including Yayoi Kusama, Ron Mueck, Yoshitomo Nara, and Choi Jeong Hwa. The collection focuses on site-specific installations created specifically for the Towada Art Center, giving visitors an experience unavailable elsewhere. The surrounding streets form an open-air art district where sculptures and installations extend the museum experience into the cityscape, creating what locals call an "art promenade" through downtown Towada.

Visitors can explore both indoor galleries and outdoor installations, with some artworks designed for interaction and photography. The museum regularly hosts temporary exhibitions alongside its permanent collection. The on-site café and museum shop provide spaces to relax between gallery visits. The architectural design itself becomes part of the experience, with transparent corridors offering views between different exhibition spaces and into the street.

The Towada Art Center is located approximately 20 minutes by bus from JR Shichinohe-Towada Station on the Tohoku Shinkansen line. Local buses connect the station to the museum, with the stop directly in front of the center. Visitors arriving by car will find parking available on-site. General admission costs ¥1,200 for adults, with reduced rates for students and groups. The museum is situated in central Towada, making it accessible for exploration of the broader art district on foot.