21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa

The 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, is located in central Kanazawa, a famous tourist spot in Ishikawa Prefecture. It's also within walking distance of Kenrokuen, one of Japan’s three most beautiful gardens. The building was designed by SANAA, an internationally renowned architectural team of Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa, who also designed the Louvre-Lens and the New Museum in New York.

There are four entrances on the circular building that can be accessed from various directions, embodying the idea of an art museum for anyone to casually drop by. The interior was designed to allow light to reach the center of the building as it passes through the corridors. The museum also features four courtyards, allowing guests to experience open spaces while moving between exhibitions. The “Swimming Pool” by Leandro Erlich, on display in one of the courtyards, is a representative piece of the museum. Works of art are also found on the lawn outside the museum, making this museum like a park that children can enjoy.

(Hero Image) Photo: WATANABE Osamu / Courtesy: 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa