Isamu Noguchi Garden Museum

Fascinating place to visit on the outskirts of Takamatsu. Tools left as they were by Noguchi himself, along with several iconic works and unfinished pieces. We visited in the depths of winter - no wonder he didn't really stay here in that season, it was cold, but also very few people. Def recommend. Take cash if you can, credit card is possible but caused quite a kerfuffle.

You have to get the entry ticket months ahead. You cannot take pictures once there. You cannot enter his private house. And still I would give 5 stars. I loved seeing the sculptures. Loved. It was a meditative experience even though a tourist groups were there. If you love his artworks, the trip is a definite yes. And I loved the house even though you can only peek inside. But boy, what a peaking position. The rock table and bamboo background... It is so beautiful, balanced, serene. Mure is a rock carving village. Taking a bus there and walking through the village to get to the Noguchi garden is enlightening. There is rocks everywhere.

A highlight of my trip to Japan. The indoor and outdoor spaces are filled with a sense of peace and beauty, with the noise of distant stone chiselling just adding to the atmosphere. Well worth the effort to come here. Reservation is essential though I only emailed two days before the date request and it was not a problem, also the tour was mostly in English (I think it depends on the makeup of the group). The best aspect was the guide allowed the everyone to enjoy the spaces slowly and to move with freedom so there was no feeling of rushing.

Pros: Noguchi's work has a profound impact in this environment - I think the commute out to Mure gives a sense of pilgrimage. Walking through the town, it's clear that this is a place where masonry, and stone, are important. Supposedly, much has been left untouched since this was an active workshop, and things are pleasingly spartan. Cons: It costs 3300 yen, which feels like a *lot* for a the semi-chaperoned tour of about an hour and 10 minutes. It's strongly tailored to Japanese speakers (fair enough), although I think most of the work speaks for itself. As someone who doesn't really like guided tours, I would much rather have had freedom to explore. A reluctant 4 stars: sublime sculpture in a small-town setting, but boy do they really bleed you dry for it. If you know you're gonna be into it - totally go.

sculpture works are great. no photos allowed though sketching on site is possible. however, the museum guide gave just an hour for all dozens of art pieces. one can barely take time to appreciate the geometry and textures of each art piece, not to mention the studio and noguchi residence settings. perhaps the winter wind chill posed some challenges for the outdoor tour. but it’s indeed disappointing to spend the amount of time transport from takamatsu plus 3300yen admission fee. such kind of rushed museum experience is a definitely first. [the museum staff did offer a possible re-entry in the afternoon. but considering its remote location, it’s tough to return via public transportation within the given time frame.]

We had a difficult time getting here and communicating with the staff, but it was well worth the effort. Really soulful to see this place if you love art, sculpture, and Noguchi, Be sure to have cash if you are taking a taxi. The museum only takes cash as well. And be sure to have Google translate on hand!

Absolutely fascinating place: his studio, house, the sculptures, and particularly his tools. Even the immediate vicinity is interesting because of the huge slabs of stone on the roadside. We came away thinking we had really come close to the man and his work.

Book a visit with the excellent guided tour in English & Japanese. Yeah. I know. You can’t take photos but honestly Noguchi was a mad genius who spent the two best seasons Autumn & Spring here in a dead end Masonic stone end of town, so celebrate that with a sneaky pic.