Asahi Group Oyamazaki Villa Museum of Art displays Japanese and European art, including a few paintings from Claude Monet's 'Water Lillies Series'.
It has a superb garden and, on the second floor, a cafe with a wonderful view.
Opening times and admission
Open from 10 am to 5 pm;
Closed on Mondays and New Year Holidays (January 1st-3rd)
Admission varies for each exhibition (around 1100 - 1200 Yen).
Entry is free for junior high school students or younger and there are reduced prices for University and High School Students as well as groups of 20 or more.
How to get there
Asahi Group Oyamazaki Villa Museum of Art is a 12-minute walk from Yamazaki Station (Tokaido-Sanyo Line) and a 15-minute walk from Oyamazaki Station (Hankyu-Kyoto Line)
I took the Tokaido-Sanyo Line from Kyoto Station to Yamazaki Station (14 minutes, 5 stops, 230 yen) then walked for 12-13 minutes to the museum.
Address: Japan, 〒618-0071 Kyoto, Otokuni District, Oyamazaki, Zenihara-5-3
Photography is not permitted anywhere inside the museum, apart from the cafe, but you can take as many pictures as you like of the beautiful garden.
The galleries display a variety of objects - ceramic works by Shoji Hamada, Kanjiro Kawai and Bernard Leach, a few 'Water Lillies' paintings by Claude Monet, Amadeo Modigliani's 'Portrait of a Girl' and various objects from Korea, China, Japan, Germany and Scotland.
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Shotaro Kaga, a businessman and entrepreneur, designed this British-style villa, which was built between 1910 and 1930 and meant to be his country retreat.
After a campaign was successful against its demolition in the 1990s, the Oyamazaki Villa was restored and refurbished with the help of Kyoto Prefecture, Oyamazaki Town and Asahi Breweries (Shotaro Kaga was a close friend of Tamesaburo Yamamoto, Asahi Breweries' first president).
Since my visit, the museum has slightly changed its name - from Asahi Beer Oyamazaki Villa Museum of Art to Asahi Group Oyamazaki Villa Museum of Art.
After I went through all the rooms and all the galleries, I went to the former master bedroom and veranda which has been transformed into a cafe with a beautiful view of Mt Otokoyama.
If you happen to visit this interesting museum, I highly recommend you try the cafe as well (The cafe only serves tea/coffee/soft drinks and sweets.).
The coffee was great, the cakes looked amazing and the scenery made everything even more enjoyable.
How long does it take to visit the Oyamazaki Villa Museum of Art?
I would set aside at least an hour to fully enjoy the museum, garden and cafe.
I paired the visit to Oyamazaki Villa with one to the Suntory Yamazaki Whisky Museum (and Distillery). The Museum and Distillery are only a 15-minute walk from the Villa.
Have you ever been there? If so, I would love to hear about your visit there, in the comments below.
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I hope life is treating you well.
Take care.