Mogi Honke Museum of Art is an art museum in Noda City, Chiba Prefecture, featuring an extensive collection of artworks owned by the Mogi family, one of the founding families of Kikkoman, Japan’s internationally known soy sauce producer.
The museum opened in January 2006 and is affectionately known by the abbreviation MOMOA. Its collection is centered on artworks collected by Mogi Shichizaemon XII, the 12th head of the Mogi Honke family.
The collection covers a wide range of genres, including ukiyo-e prints, Japanese paintings, Western-style paintings, and sculpture. The museum offers visitors an opportunity to explore Japanese art from different periods while also experiencing a distinctive architectural and garden setting.
The museum holds approximately 500 ukiyo-e works by major artists of the genre, including Katsushika Hokusai, Utagawa Hiroshige, and Kitagawa Utamaro.
Among the highlights are works related to Hokusai’s famous series Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji, one of the best-known ukiyo-e series outside Japan. Hiroshige and Utamaro are also represented, allowing visitors to explore different approaches to landscape, everyday life, and people in the Edo period.
The museum’s collection of Japanese paintings is even larger, numbering approximately 3,700 works. Artists represented include Yokoyama Taikan, Ogura Yuki, and Nakajima Chinami. Together, these works provide a broad perspective on the development of modern Japanese painting.
The collection also includes numerous examples of modern Japanese Western-style painting. Artists such as Umehara Ryuzaburo, Wada Eisaku, and Kinutani Koji are represented.
The museum also houses sculptures by prominent Japanese artists including Takumura Koun and Hirakushi Denchu. These works reflect the period when Japanese artists actively incorporated techniques and ideas from Western art while developing distinctive Japanese approaches.
The museum building was designed by architect Hiroshi Hikosaka. It stands on a site of approximately 4,300 square meters, with around 175 square meters of exhibition space.
The building was carefully designed to blend into its surroundings rather than dominate the landscape. Locally produced roof tiles are used on the exterior, giving the museum a strong connection with the architectural character of the region.
The surrounding garden is another important feature of the museum. Its landscape design takes into consideration the relationship between the museum, the historic Mogi family residence, and an Inari Shrine on the grounds.
Symbolic trees such as crape myrtle and Japanese cornel are carefully arranged throughout the spacious garden. Visitors can enjoy the changing appearance of the landscape while moving between the museum’s interior spaces and the garden.
The museum is designed so that visitors can appreciate both the artworks and the architecture itself. Several exhibition rooms, including Gallery 1, Gallery 2, and Gallery 3, have different spatial designs.
One particularly distinctive feature is the Column Court between the garden and exhibition rooms. This open space creates a visual connection between the interior and exterior, allowing natural light and the surrounding landscape to become part of the museum experience.
After viewing the exhibitions, visitors can relax at Cafe MOMOA inside the museum.
The cafe serves original Japanese sweets made with local ingredients and tea, as well as aromatic coffee. It provides a pleasant place to take a break and reflect on the artworks after a visit to the galleries.
The cafe walls also feature a collection of salt and pepper sets collected by the museum’s first director, Mogi Tamako. These everyday objects demonstrate how an appreciation of design and beauty can extend beyond traditional works of art.
The museum also has a museum shop offering original merchandise and products related to the exhibitions.
Visitors can find a variety of art-related souvenirs and limited items associated with Mogi Honke Museum of Art. For travelers interested in Japanese art, the shop provides an opportunity to take home a small reminder of their visit.
Mogi Honke Museum of Art uses a limited-capacity, advance-reservation system so that visitors can enjoy the artworks in a calm and comfortable environment.
The museum is generally open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday, with final admission at 4:00 p.m. The museum may also close for extended periods during the summer and winter seasons.
Advance reservations are recommended. However, visitors may sometimes be admitted without a reservation if there are vacancies. Checking the latest admission information before visiting is therefore advisable.
The museum’s garden is an integral part of the overall experience. Trees including crape myrtle and Japanese cornel provide seasonal scenery, while the carefully planned relationship between the garden, museum, Mogi family residence, and Inari Shrine creates a harmonious landscape.
The design encourages visitors to move naturally between indoor and outdoor spaces. Through the Column Court and garden, art, architecture, and nature become closely connected.
Mogi Honke Museum of Art is more than a place to display works of art. It serves as a venue for preserving and sharing a private collection that has been built up by the Mogi family over generations.
Through its extensive collection of ukiyo-e, Japanese paintings, Western-style paintings, and sculpture, the museum introduces visitors to important aspects of Japanese art history and culture.
The museum also provides a glimpse into the cultural heritage associated with one of the families behind Kikkoman, while its architecture and garden offer an experience that goes beyond the traditional museum visit.
The museum continues to present special exhibitions that offer visitors new perspectives on its collection and Japanese art. Improvements to the facilities and events developed in cooperation with the local community are also expected to further enhance the visitor experience.
By preserving valuable works while introducing them to new audiences, Mogi Honke Museum of Art plays an important role in connecting Japan’s artistic heritage with contemporary visitors.
Mogi Honke Museum of Art offers a distinctive combination of art, architecture, garden scenery, and family history. From famous ukiyo-e artists such as Hokusai and Hiroshige to modern Japanese painters and sculptors, its diverse collection provides plenty to discover.
For international visitors interested in Japanese art and culture, the museum offers a quieter and more intimate experience than many large public museums. The carefully designed building, peaceful garden, Japanese sweets, and museum shop make it a rewarding destination to include when exploring Noda City and the surrounding area of Chiba Prefecture.