Set in a beautiful wooden structure resembling Western architectural designs of the early twentieth century, the Hakuba Saegusa Art Museum boasts around one hundred paintings by 80 of Japan’s top artists, including Yayoi Kusama (1929– ), Ikeda Masuo (1934–1997) and Yamashita Kiyoshi (1922–1971). Most of the pieces are inspired by the beautiful scenery of Hakuba and Japan’s Northern Alps throughout the seasons, channeling winter’s crisp air off the snowy mountains or the fresh green grass and colorful flowers in the highlands during the spring.
The museum’s adjoining sunroom provides its own beauty, allowing you to sip on a cup of tea while looking out onto the garden where hundreds of different flowers bloom between spring and autumn, while Japan’s Northern Alps tower in the backdrop. (Note that the museum is open only between April and November).