ABOUT
About this spot
Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Art is a prefectural museum in Dewamachi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture. It stands in an area of Kanazawa's cultural facilities, close to Kenroku-en Garden and the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art. Its history began in 1945, when the former Hokuriku Navy Hall was converted into the Ishikawa Prefectural Art Museum; a new building of the same name designed by Yoshiro Taniguchi opened in 1959. In 1983 it moved to its present site and took its current name. The present building was designed by Hiroyasu Tomiie, has a total floor area of about 12,422 square meters, and underwent major renovation completed in 2008. As of March 31, 2013 the collection numbered 5,444 works. It focuses on works linked to Ishikawa and covers painting, sculpture, crafts and old art. Its best-known work is the National Treasure pheasant incense burner in polychrome enamel by Nonomura Ninsei, shown permanently in Gallery 1 beside the Important Cultural Property female pheasant incense burner. In 2005 the museum also received a donation of 2,224 ukiyo-e prints (3,016 items) from a local businessman. The Maeda Ikutokukai Sonkeikaku Bunko annex shows art and craft objects linked to the Maeda family, with a new theme each month. The neighboring Hirosaka Annex was built in 1922 as the official residence of the commander of the Imperial Army's 9th Division and later used as housing for US Army officers and as a family court. It now serves as the Ishikawa Cultural Properties Conservation and Restoration Workshop, where restoration work can be observed. Seeing the old building adds a historical layer to a museum visit. There are special exhibitions and collection exhibitions, and the displays change with each season. The Ninsei incense burner is on permanent display, but the museum closes during exhibition changes, so check the official website for opening days and displays. Allow about an hour and a half; the collection alone takes 30 minutes to an hour. It is about 20 minutes by bus from JR Kanazawa Station, about 5 minutes on foot from the Hirosaka / 21st Century Museum bus stop, or about 5 minutes from the Dewamachi stop. By car, it takes 20 to 30 minutes from Kanazawa-nishi IC or Morimoto IC on the Hokuriku Expressway, and the shared cultural-facilities car park No. 1 (the Ishikawa Prefectural Noh Theatre car park, 128 spaces) can be used. Kenroku-en (about 260 m), the 21st Century Museum (about 300 m), the Kaga Yuzen Hall (about 500 m), the nearby National Crafts Museum and Seisonkaku Villa are all close, which makes it easy to plan a day of culture in Kanazawa.
Last updated October 26, 2026