Rokuzan Bijutsukan

Matsumoto & the Northern Japan Alps


Ten minutes' walk north from JR Hotaka Station, Rokuzan Bijutsukan showcases the work of Meiji-era sculptor Rokuzan Ogiwara (1879–1910; aka the 'Rodin of the Orient') and his Japanese contemporaries in a delightful garden setting. Rokuzan is said to have learned the essence of sculpture from Rodin in Paris in the early 1900s and brought modern sculpture to Japan.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Matsumoto & the Northern Japan Alps attractions

1. Dai-ō Wasabi-Nōjo

1.58 MILES

Fancy some wasabi wine or ice cream? This farm, a 15-minute bike ride from JR Hotaka Station, is a must for wasabi-lovers. An English map guides you among…

2. Chihiro Art Museum Azumino

5.32 MILES

This popular art museum showcases the work of Chihiro Iwasaki (1918–74), who became world-renowned while specialising in children's-book illustrations…

3. Japan Ukiyo-e Museum

8.27 MILES

Housing more than 100,000 woodblock prints, paintings, screens and old books, this renowned museum exhibits but a fraction of its collection. The museum…

4. Matsumoto Open-Air Architectural Museum

8.29 MILES

Adjacent to the better-known Japan Ukiyo-e Museum, amid fields and rice paddies beneath the gaze of the Alps, stand these five examples of striking late…

5. Kaichi School Museum

8.48 MILES

A few blocks north of the castle, the former Kaichi School is both an Important Cultural Property and the oldest elementary school in Japan, founded in…

6. Matsumoto-jō

8.74 MILES

Must-see Matsumoto-jō is Japan's oldest wooden castle and one of four castles designated National Treasures – the others are Hikone, Himeji and Inuyama…

7. Matsumoto Timepiece Museum

9.01 MILES

Home to Japan's largest pendulum clock (on the building's exterior) and over 300 other timepieces, including fascinating medieval Japanese creations, this…

8. Nawate-dōri

9.01 MILES

Nawate-dōri, a few blocks south from the castle, is a popular street for a stroll. Vendors along this riverside walk sell antiques, souvenirs, and…