Asakura Museum of Sculpture
The Asakura Museum of Sculpture(Place od Scenic Beauty and Registered Tangible Cultural Property) was once Fumio Asakura's, a sculptor, studio and home, which he had used for 57 years, from 1907 to 1964. The museum is now open to the public. Fumio Asakura was born in Oita Prefecture, and created many sculptures. According to the wishes of Asakura, his home was opened as the Asakura Museum of Sculpture in 1967. The ownership of the museum was transferred to Taito City in 1986. Since then, the museum has been run by Taito City. A plaster mold of his masterpiece "Hakamori," or the grave keeper, has been designated as an important cultural property. Asakura Museum of Sculpture has been registered as a national tangible cultural property in 2001, and "Former Mister Asakura Fumio's Garden" has been designated as a national place of scenic beauty in 2008. (Yanaka 7-chome, Taito City)
Fumio Asakura's studio and home were converted into the Asakura Museum of Sculpture. His sculptures have been exhibited in the museum. The building consists of two parts: a studio wing which is of Western architecture with reinforced concrete construction and a residential wing which is of Japanese architecture with a bamboo-themed, teahouse style. Asakura himself designed the building, carefully selecting materials and completing the construction. Although the walls of the studio are made up of concrete, the surface is covered by floss silk, creating soft shade in the room.
In addition to Asakura's masterpiece "Hakamori," "Toki-no Nagare," or flowing of time, and "San-so," or three phases, statues of distinguished people at that time, including "Shigenobu Okuma," "Danjuro IX" and "Futabayama" are being exhibited in the studio, showing a variety of styles and suggesting his interaction with many people. "Hakamori" stands at the front of the entrance. The old man's face is lined with deep wrinkles, and has dignity as if he acknowledges himself to be a guard of the Asakura Choso Museum.
Asakura Museum of Sculpture
The Asakura Museum of Sculpture(Place od Scenic Beauty and Registered Tangible Cultural Property) was once Fumio Asakura's, a sculptor, studio and home, which he had used for 57 years, from 1907 to 1964. The museum is now open to the public. Fumio Asakura was born in Oita Prefecture, and created many sculptures. According to the wishes of Asakura, his home was opened as the Asakura Museum of Sculpture in 1967. The ownership of the museum was transferred to Taito City in 1986. Since then, the museum has been run by Taito City. A plaster mold of his masterpiece "Hakamori," or the grave keeper, has been designated as an important cultural property. Asakura Museum of Sculpture has been registered as a national tangible cultural property in 2001, and "Former Mister Asakura Fumio's Garden" has been designated as a national place of scenic beauty in 2008. (Yanaka 7-chome, Taito City)
