Opened in 2002 within the HAT Kobe district, built on waterfront land redeveloped after the 1995 Great Hanshin earthquake, and described by the prefecture as the largest art museum in western Japan. The building is by Tadao Ando and is as much a draw as the collection: board-formed concrete, a glazed circular staircase and seaward terraces connecting to the coastal park. Holdings concentrate on modern and contemporary Japanese and Western art, including sculpture, prints and works by Kobe-associated painters such as Ryohei Koiso. A dedicated Ando Gallery documents the architect’s projects. Admission is charged for the collection exhibition, with separate or combination tickets for special exhibitions. Closed Mondays.
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