Art, Architecture, and the Sea
One day amidst the architecture, art, and finest landscapes of Setouchi.
- Duration: 9 hours (starting at 9:00)
- Price: On request
- Departure: Departure and arrival at a hotel in Matsuyama or at Matsuyama Airport
Overview
The Seto Inland Sea is one of Japan’s most inspiring landscapes, to which the country’s greatest architects have returned time and again.
Amidst the tranquil sea and hundreds of islands, architecture here never seeks to dominate. It blends delicately into the surrounding landscape, allowing light, wind, and the sea to take center stage. This is why the works of contemporary Japanese masters are unimaginable outside of Setouchi—they are born from the very character of this place.
During your journey, you will discover the works of outstanding architects whose projects reveal the beauty of the Inland Sea in a new light.
On Omishima Island, located along the scenic Shimanami Kaido, you will visit the Toyo Ito Museum of Architecture—the first museum in Japan dedicated to the work of a single architect. Here, Toyo Ito’s philosophy merges organically with the nature of Setouchi. Next, you will discover the Tokoro Museum Omishima, created by architect Hideaki Yamamoto (DEN House Laboratory), where contemporary sculpture and architecture seem to extend the surrounding landscape, and the building itself becomes part of the artistic vision.
In the afternoon, you will travel to Oshima Island, home to Kirosan Observatory Park, designed by Kengo Kuma. Almost hidden within the mountain, the observatory is built on the principle of “invisible architecture”: only after passing through a narrow passage in the slope do you suddenly find yourself before one of the most breathtaking panoramas of the Seto Inland Sea and the Kurushima Kaikyo bridges.
The journey concludes in Matsuyama, at the Saka no Ue no Kumo Museum, created by Tadao Ando. Here, the strict geometry of concrete, natural light, and works inspired by Ryotaro Shiba’s novel create a space where architecture, literature, and the city’s history become one.
This journey is dedicated not only to outstanding Japanese architecture. Above all, it reveals the very spirit of Setouchi—a place where sea, islands, light, and human creation exist in rare harmony.
Itinerary:
Matsuyama City → Toyo Ito Museum of Architecture → Tokoro Museum Omishima → lunch on Omishima → Kirosan Observatory Park → Saka no Ue no Kumo Museum → Matsuyama City Hotel
Key Features
- Shimanami Kaido — A sea route of approximately 60 km. Connecting islands with bridges, the route showcases the architectural achievements of modern engineering, including the world’s first triple suspension bridge.
- Toyo Ito Museum of Architecture — The museum consists of two buildings: the experimental Steel Hut pavilion and the famous Silver Hut house—the former residence of Toyo Ito—one of the iconic works of contemporary Japanese architecture.
- Tokoro Omishima — Contemporary sculptures, donated to the city by entrepreneur Atsuo Tokoro, are displayed in halls descending the slope toward the sea, uniting art, architecture, and the Setouchi landscape in a single space.
- Lunch on Omishima Island — On weekends, enjoy Italian cuisine at "Ve.G.I" with organic vegetables from our own farm; on weekdays, try French dishes at "Filer," located in a 90-year-old traditional house.
- "Invisible Architecture" — The observatory, created by Kengo Kuma, is integrated into the landscape. At the end of a narrow passage, the Kurushima-Kaikyo Bridge and the beauty of the islands suddenly appear. This view is included in the list of the "88 Scenic Views of Shikoku."
- Saka no Ue no Kumo Museum — Opened in 2007 and designed by Tadao Ando. Glass walls reflecting the greenery of Matsuyama Castle and triangular concrete spaces connect the world of Ryotaro Shiba’s “Clouds Above the Hill” with Matsuyama.
Continue with VIP ACCESS
The day-by-day itinerary, the timetable and the names of the shops and workshops we visit are available to VIP ACCESS members.