.: Ishibashi Museum of Art - 1015, Nonaka-machi, Kurume-shi, Fukuoka 839-0862, Japan.

Ishibashi Museum of Art (Main Building) opened as the main institution of Ishibashi Cultural Center, which Ishibashi Shojiro, founder of Bridgestone Corporation, donated to his hometown, the city of Kurume, in 1956.

Japan, Arita

Hexagonal Vase, decorated with bamboo,

plum and tiger design in overglaze enamels

Edo period, 1670-1700 Porcelain h.29.0cm

Although tigers in the same pose can be found on other works, the painting on this vase is exceptional. The same can be said of the rocks, bamboo, and plum blossoms. The smooth touch, the highly transparent overglaze, and the thin and well-proportioned shape of the vase all demonstrate sophisticated techniques. This vase is considered to have been produced around the Enpo period (1673-1680) when the Kakiemon style was perfected.

Like the other facilities at the Center, it was initially managed by Ishibashi Cultural Center. From 1977, it has been administered by the Ishibashi Foundation together with Bridegestone Museum of Art in Kyobashi, Tokyo.

The Asian Gallery opened in 1996. The Asian Gallery was built and donated to the city of Kurume by Shojiro’s eldest son, Kanichiro, so that the paintings, calligraphic works, and ceramics could be put on view and to further enrich the Center.

Of the collection owned by the Ishibashi Foundation, Ishibashi Museum of Art takes care mainly of modern Japanese Western-style paintings, Japanese paintings and calligraphic works, and ceramics.

Fundamentally, the Western-style paintings are housed in the Main Building and the Japanese paintings and calligraphic works and the ceramics are shown in the Asian Gallery. Thematic exhibitions mainly featuring works in our collection are organized three to four times a year and we do our best to provide chances for the visitors to enjoy art repeatedly from different viewpoints.

Sakamoto Hanjiro’s Former Studio

This studio originally stood in the city of Yame in Fukuoka and was relocated and reconstructed within Ishibashi Cultural Center in 1980. Most of Sakamoto Hanjiro’s representative works such as his series of horses and still lifes were produced in this studio. It is open to the public for limited periods in conjunction with events held within the Center.

The collection began with Ishibashi Shojiro, founder of Bridgestone Corporation, collecting art and continues to be enhanced to this day by the Ishibashi Foundation. The works are kept and exhibited in the two museums, Bridgestone Museum of Art in Tokyo and Ishibashi Museum of Art in Kurume.

The main focus of the collection at Ishibashi Museum of Art consists of modern Japanese Western-style paintings, Japanese and Chinese paintings and calligraphic works, and Japanese, Chinese, and Oriental ceramics. Part of our collection is introduced below.