Asahi Beer Oyamazaki Villa Museum of Art

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Taking the train to Oyamazaki

Asahi Beer Oyamazaki Villa Museum of Art — beautiful fresh greenery

After lunch near the Kyoto National Museum, I set out a little farther afield for the Asahi Beer Oyamazaki Villa Museum of Art.

From Shichijō Station on the Keihan Main Line (the station nearest Sanjūsangen-dō), I headed first to Yodo Station.

Yodo Station is the closest station to Kyoto Racecourse and is quite a grand station, but because the racecourse is currently undergoing major renovations there were almost no people around…

I planned to continue on to Oyamazaki where the museum is, but there was absolutely nothing in front of the station and no taxis at all!!! After waiting about 15 minutes a taxi finally arrived and I was able to go.

It took about 15 minutes by taxi to reach the museum, but since there’s a significant risk of not being able to catch a taxi, I recommend going from JR Yamazaki Station or Hankyu Oyamazaki Station instead. (By the way, Google says it would take 1 hour 8 minutes to walk from Yodo Station — no way.)

The museum sits up high, but a taxi will essentially drop you at the entrance, skipping most of the climb. The slope is quite steep, so if you don’t want to walk there’s a free shuttle bus from Oyamazaki and Yamazaki stations.

Entrance tunnel "Rōkandō" of the Asahi Beer Oyamazaki Villa Museum of Art — The museum's entrance tunnel, "Rōkandō"

After getting out of the taxi I still had to climb the hillside for a while. The fresh green leaves were beautiful — what a wonderful season to visit, I thought.

Fresh greenery at the Asahi Beer Oyamazaki Villa Museum of Art

At a small hut along the way I put large luggage (including my backpack) into a locker, and then it was just a little further. What came into view were a wooden villa and a concrete building.

Exterior of the Asahi Beer Oyamazaki Villa Museum of Art

A charming museum set in a restored villa

You might wonder why a museum stands alone on this hill. The building was originally the villa of an industrialist named Shotaro Kaga. Based on what he saw while spending time in Europe when he was young, he personally designed it. It is said to have been completed around 1937 (Shōwa 7).

Over time there was even talk of condominium development, but at the request of the local community, Asahi Beer — which had ties with Shotaro Kaga during his lifetime — restored the villa and reopened it as a museum in April 1996. It’s quite an impassioned story.

Of course there are exhibits, but a distinctive feature of this museum is that you can enjoy the harmony between the building itself and the surrounding nature.

Lotus pond at the Asahi Beer Oyamazaki Villa Museum of Art — Lotus pond. I imagine it must be beautiful in summer.

On either side of the villa, buildings designed by Tadao Ando were added, and needless to say those are also highlights.

The "Dream Box" of the Asahi Beer Oyamazaki Villa Museum of Art — In the distance you can see Ando's "Dream Box"

There’s a café in the villa, and the view from its terrace is very pleasant.

It’s said that when Shotaro Kaga visited Windsor Castle in England and saw the flow of the Thames, he decided to build his villa in Oyamazaki, where the Kizu, Uji, and Katsura rivers meet. (Source: Asahi Beer Oyamazaki Villa Museum of Art guidebook)

The expanding world of Tadao Ando

I’ll also introduce the building by Tadao Ando that was attached to the villa. This is the “Underground Jewel Box,” which was added when the museum opened.

The "Underground Jewel Box" at the Asahi Beer Oyamazaki Villa Museum of Art

So that the villa’s scenery wouldn’t be disturbed, the exhibition space was built at a lower level than the villa. It feels very Ando-like. You descend steps like these to enter.

This is the view of the stairs from the outside. Water flows quietly.