Miho Museum was designed by the architect I.M.
Pei to showcase the extensive art collection of the Shumei
Family. The building is situated in the forested area west
of Koka.
Miho Museum was built in a forested
area west of
Koka.
The architect that designed the complex was I.M. Pei.
He named the design of the building Shangri-La and
got
inspiration from the Chinese tale “Peach Blossom
Valley.” The founder, Mihoko Koyama, wanted the
structure to be integrated with its’ surrounding nature.
Mihoko is one of the wealthiest women in Japan and
founded the Shinji Shumeikai spiritual movement
back
in 1970. Miho Museum was named after her and it
had
taken 6 years of planning to gain permission to build
in
the national park. It was finally completed in 1996 on
a
scenic mountainside.
The highlight of the building is that it blends into its
natural surroundings. In one section you will be in the
man-made construction and then suddenly you are
exposed to the natural environment. You have
panoramic views of the outside due to the use of
steel
and glass framing it as such. The collection at the
museum features works from the Egyptians, Romans,
and Asian cultures. They are largely from Mihoko
Koyama’s private collection. The main exhibit
changes
every year, while the special exhibits change every
few
months. There is even an underground tunnel that
leads
to a road lined with cherry blossom trees for visitors
to
enjoy when in season.
Please
see below for tours that include Miho Museum:
