Ichihara Lakeside Museum is an art museum located on the shores of Lake Takataki in Ichihara City, Chiba Prefecture. Surrounded by beautiful natural scenery, the museum offers visitors the opportunity to enjoy art in a peaceful lakeside setting.
The museum originally opened in 1995 as “Ichihara City Water and Sculpture Hill.” After a major renovation, it reopened in 2013 under its current name, Ichihara Lakeside Museum. Today, it is known as a cultural destination where art and the natural environment come together.
One of the museum’s major attractions is its permanent exhibition dedicated to Yukio Fukasawa, an internationally recognized Japanese printmaker and an honorary citizen of Ichihara City.
The museum holds approximately 500 works by Fukasawa, including copperplate prints, glass paintings, pastel works, and calligraphy. The collection is regularly rotated throughout the year, allowing visitors who return at different times to encounter different works.
Fukasawa’s art is particularly notable for its sophisticated use of copperplate printing techniques and its distinctive combination of color, symbolism, and philosophical themes.
The artistic experience at Ichihara Lakeside Museum extends beyond the museum building itself. Artworks are also displayed on Lake Takataki, creating an unusual setting in which contemporary art appears to float within the natural landscape.
The combination of the lake, surrounding greenery, and artwork creates a unique atmosphere that is difficult to experience in a conventional gallery. Visitors can enjoy the changing relationship between art and nature as the light, weather, and seasons transform the scenery.
Yukio Fukasawa (July 1, 1924–January 2, 2017) was one of the leading Japanese copperplate printmakers of the postwar period. He also served as an honorary professor at Tama Art University, and his works are held in museums in Japan and overseas.
Fukasawa was born in Yamanashi Prefecture in 1924 and spent part of his childhood on the Korean Peninsula. He developed an interest in art during his middle-school years and explored different forms of creative expression, including oil painting and ceramics.
These early experiences became part of the foundation for his later career as an artist who worked across several different media.
Fukasawa entered the Tokyo School of Fine Arts, now Tokyo University of the Arts, where he studied metal engraving. During his student years, he was injured during the Tokyo air raids of World War II.
After the war, he returned to his studies and concentrated on drawing. Later, through an introduction from the poet Ryūkō Kawaji, he married and eventually made the decision to devote himself to copperplate printmaking despite difficult living conditions.
In 1963, Fukasawa was invited to Mexico, where he taught copperplate printing techniques to local students. His encounter with Mexico’s history and culture had a profound influence on his artistic development.
Before this period, much of his work had emphasized monochrome expression. After experiencing Mexico, however, he increasingly incorporated vivid colors into his art.
Mexican symbols, myths, and cultural imagery appeared in his works, allowing him to develop a distinctive artistic language that combined his interpretation of history with his own philosophical perspective.
Fukasawa is particularly associated with mezzotint, a copperplate printing technique capable of producing rich tonal gradations and deep, velvety surfaces.
He developed the technique in his own distinctive way and expanded its possibilities, including producing large-scale works. He also experimented with multi-plate, multi-color printing to create more complex and vibrant compositions.
Fukasawa did not limit himself to printmaking. He also explored ceramics, calligraphy, glass painting, and pastel painting.
This diversity is an important part of his artistic legacy. His works are not simply concerned with visual beauty; many contain reflections on humanity, history, culture, and philosophical ideas.
Fukasawa received numerous awards and honors in Japan and abroad throughout his career. His achievements helped establish him as an important figure in postwar Japanese printmaking.
1957: Association Award, Japan Print Association Exhibition
1962: Award for Excellence, 5th Contemporary Japanese Art Exhibition
1972: Banco di Roma Prize, International Biennial of Graphic Art in Florence
1987: Medal with Purple Ribbon
1995: Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette
In 2014, Ichihara Lakeside Museum held a retrospective exhibition celebrating his artistic career and achievements.
Fukasawa’s works are preserved in museums throughout Japan, including museums in his home region of Yamanashi and Ichihara Lakeside Museum. Through his artistic activities, he also contributed to the development and appreciation of art culture and supported younger generations of artists.
His willingness to experiment with different techniques and media continues to make his work relevant to visitors interested in the evolution of modern Japanese art.
Weekdays: 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Saturdays and days before public holidays: 9:30 a.m.–7:00 p.m.
Sundays and public holidays: 9:30 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
The museum is generally closed on Mondays. When Monday is a public holiday, it closes on the following weekday instead. It is also closed during the year-end and New Year holiday period.
Adults: 200 yen
High school and university students and visitors aged 65 or older: 100 yen
Junior high school students and younger, and visitors with a disability certificate: Free
Ichihara Lakeside Museum offers an experience that combines art with the peaceful landscape of Lake Takataki. Visitors can discover the work of Yukio Fukasawa in the galleries, encounter artworks displayed on the lake, and enjoy the surrounding natural scenery.
Rather than being simply a place to view artworks indoors, the museum creates a connection between art, water, landscape, and the changing seasons. It is an appealing destination for travelers who want to experience Japanese art in a relaxed natural setting.
A visit to the museum can also be combined with time beside Lake Takataki, making it a pleasant stop for those exploring the natural and cultural attractions of Ichihara and the Boso Peninsula.