ABOUT
About this spot
Iwate Museum of Art is a prefectural museum in Motomiya, Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture. It stands in Morioka Central Park on the west side of Morioka Station and opened in October 2001. It is a registered museum under the Museum Act, and its two-story building was designed by the museum planning office of the Iwate Prefectural Board of Education together with Nihon Sekkei. The collection is built around artists connected with Iwate. According to the museum, it collects and shows works by local artists, with three at its core: Yorozu Tetsugoro, Matsumoto Shunsuke and Funakoshi Yasutake. Works introduced as main holdings include Yorozu's "Self-Portrait with Red Eyes" and "Town Seen from Between the Trees", Matsumoto's "Introduction" and "Black Flower", and Funakoshi's "Blue Fish" and "Hara Castle". In addition to the permanent collection, special exhibitions on Japanese and international themes are held. Special exhibition fees vary, so please check the official website before visiting. The museum is open 9:30-18:00 (last entry 17:30). It is closed on Mondays (when Monday is a holiday it is open and closed the next weekday) and at the year end and New Year, and may close at other times. One exhibition takes about one to two hours. Being indoors, it is a good choice on rainy or snowy days in Morioka. From the east exit of Morioka Station take an Iwate Kenkotsu bus to the Kenritsu Bijutsukan-mae stop, or walk about 15 minutes from the west exit. Morioka Castle (about 2.3 km) and the Iwate Bank Red Brick Building (about 2.7 km) can be combined with a visit. From the east exit you can also take the Seinan Loop 200 bus to Ice Arena-mae or Sogo Pool-mae and walk about 5 minutes.
Last updated October 24, 2026