Location: the Urasoe art museum may be seen from the 330, and is next to Tedako hall. The easiest way to access this area is to turn right on the 38, and turn left at the next main street, where there is a sign pointing to the Library, Museum, and Hall. Park in the lot in front of the Tedako hall entrance. Hours: 9:30-4:30, except on Friday when open until 7p, closed on Mondays, days following National Holidays, and Dec 28-Jan 4 Usual admission is 150Y, but for the special exhibit the price is 1000Ypp. From July 5 until August 17, 2008, the Urasoe art museum has a display of woodblock prints from four masters of the 17-1800s: Hokusai, Sharaku, Hiroshige, and Utamaro. Hokusai is the artist responsible for perhaps the most iconic image of Japan: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:The_Great_Wave_off_Kanagawa.jpgTo read more about his life and work: http://www.andreas.com/hokusai.html. While Hokusai focused most on natural settings, Sharaku's work is portraiture of kabuki actors. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharaku. Hiroshige's stuff quite beautiful - lots of natural scenes, people in motion, dramatic colours: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiroshige. Utamaro is fascinated with the female face and form, and there are lots of lovely prints of courtesan faces. Not surprisingly, the Urasoe museum does not have any of his erotica (http://eviebyrne.blogspot.com/2007/12/utamaros-floating-world.html). The permanent collection is a small but interesting collection of Ryukyu lacquerware. There is a pamphlet with an explanation of the different techniques and how they evolved over time. Similar info is at this site: http://www.pref.okinawa.jp/summit/some/index2.htm. They have a bow-and-arrow set, some really elaborate mother-of-pearl inlaid work, and some modern pieces which we might like to have in our living room. While at the museum, wander the grounds briefly to appreciate the museum building, and climb up the observation tower to look over Urasoe out to sea.
