The Orient Museum is not the place to look for traditional Japanese art. Instead it has a collection centered on ancient Persia, going as far west as Greece. The museum was founded with the private collection of Mr. Shinjiro Yasuhara, who dedicated his 5,000 artifacts to the city upon his death. Get an opportunity to both look at the art of the ancient Middle East and see how the region is understood by the Japanese.
Check ahead to see what will be on display, as the exhibit space is smaller than the collection it is meant to hold.
Spend time outside to appreciate the architecture of the building itself, designed by Shinichi Okada. Follow the clean, almost boxy lines that set the building apart from the rest of the block. However, it fits with the nearby Okayama Prefectural Museum of Art, designed by the same firm.
Enter the light-filled atrium, where the light concrete walls have a paradoxically airy ambiance.
Continue into the exhibit areas. Spend time appreciating some of the finer details of the items in the glass cases, many of which are best appreciated from a close perspective. Admire the stone Apkallu, a Sumerian god statue that is one of the highlights of the collection.
Go between the pottery and the carved stone, many of which are set out to highlight connectivities across different regions. Think about the deep history of these objects, whose counterparts may have at one time made their way to ancient Japan along the Silk Road.
The Orient Museum is not far from most of Okayama’s other attractions. Walk from Okayama Castle or Korakuen Garden in about 10 minutes. Okayama Station is a 7-minute tram ride or 13-minute walk away. Several metered parking lots are available nearby, but public transportation is generally the best option, especially during peak tourist season.
Visit the museum from Tuesday to Sunday except when it closes at year-end. It is open during normal business hours, from morning to early evening. The admission fee can be combined with tickets for Okayama Castle, and may increase for special exhibitions.
