The Museum of Modern Art, Gunma

The Museum of Modern Art, Gunma stands in Gunma no Mori, a prefectural park in Watanuki-machi, Takasaki. It opened on 17 October 1974, together with the park itself. The collection covers works by artists connected with Gunma, modern art from Japan and abroad, contemporary expression and textile art that suits Gunma's weaving tradition, and numbered about 2,100 works as of March 2023.

The building was designed by Arata Isozaki and is regarded as one of his representative works. A high-definition wing and a restaurant wing were added in 1994 and a contemporary art wing in 1998, but all were built behind the original structure, so the view from the lawn looks almost as it did at opening. The museum closed in 2005 for major renovation and reopened in 2008.

A highlight is the Kohoan Inoue Collection of Japanese and Chinese paintings and calligraphy, 229 items formerly owned by Inoue Fusaichiro, two of which are Important Cultural Properties. Western works include Monet's Water Lilies, Renoir's Two Girls Reading and Munch's Summer at Aasgaardstrand, and the museum also owns a full-size tapestry of Guernica made with Picasso's permission. Displays change over time, so check the official website before you go.

Gunma no Mori was created on the site of a former Army gunpowder factory (the Iwahana works), and the museum was developed together with the Gunma Museum of History. The building faces a broad lawn, so it suits a visit that continues with a walk through the park. Allow one to two hours for the galleries, depending on the exhibition. Public transport relies mainly on the Gururin loop bus from the East Exit of Takasaki Station, which takes about 26 to 35 minutes to Gunma no Mori depending on the route. The fare is 200 yen, and it is wise to check the timetable on the official website beforehand. Takasaki Byakui Kannon, Shorinzan Daruma-ji and Konnyaku Park lie roughly 9 to 15 km away by straight line, so the museum fits well into a day of sightseeing around Takasaki.