During the run of to the white sea, I will also be taking part in Wasaku Week 2026, held at VILLA WASAKU, the former home of the painter Wasaku Kobayashi, in Onomichi. The exhibition centres on new directions I have begun exploring in recent years, and includes a painted gold folding screen. There will also be screenings of the short documentary film REQUIEM IN SALT. I hope you will visit both the museum and VILLA WASAKU.
VILLA WASAKU is the house where the late Wasaku Kobayashi, a painter who made Onomichi his home, lived and kept his studio for forty years. Built in 1933, it is a fine example of Japanese domestic architecture and a place of real architectural and cultural significance. It faced demolition in 2020, and was reborn in 2024 as a center for cultural exchange.
“Wasaku Week 2026” – Where the White Path Lies
Dates: October 31; November 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 14 and 15 (8 days in all)
(Weekends and public holidays from late October to mid-November, plus Wednesday, November 4)
Hours: 13:00–17:00
Venue: VILLA WASAKU (former residence of the painter Wasaku Kobayashi)
Programme: Works by Motoi Yamamoto, including a painted gold folding screen, with screenings of the short documentary film REQUIEM IN SALT
Organised by: Onomichi Akiya Saisei Project (NPO), AIR Onomichi
Admission: ¥1,000 (¥500 on presentation of a ticket for the Onomichi City Museum of Art; re-entry permitted). Free for university students and younger, including printed materials and a badge
No reservation required. Enquiries: +81-80-6323-9921 mail@onomichisaisei.com
※ About Wasaku Week (Japanese)
Getting to VILLA WASAKU
2-18-21 Nagae, Onomichi / Google Map
On foot: About 11 minutes from the ropeway’s Sanroku (foot of the mountain) Station, walking north along Nagae-dori.
By car: There is space for two or three cars. As places are limited, please use a nearby pay car park if the spaces are full. Trust Park Onomichi Juyokamotomachi (1-9 Juyokamotomachi, 13 spaces, open 24 hours) is closest to Sanroku Station, and My Park Nagae (1-5-9 Nagae) is another option. Both are about a 10-minute walk from VILLA WASAKU.
Visiting both the Onomichi City Museum of Art and VILLA WASAKU
Ropeway and walking: Five to ten minutes on foot from the museum to Sancho (summit) Station, three minutes by ropeway down to Sanroku Station, then an 11-minute walk. About 25 minutes in all.
Walking all the way: Around 25 to 30 minutes, with steps and steep slopes for much of the route. For those with time to spare who enjoy walking the hillside lanes.
By car: Please check the parking information for each venue. (Rather than driving between the two, it is easier to park at one venue and travel between them on foot and by ropeway.)
Concurrent Exhibition
Motoi Yamamoto Solo Exhibition “To the White Sea” Detail
Dates: Sep. 19 (Sat) – Nov 15 (Sun), 2026
Hours: 9:00–17:00 (last admission 16:30)
Closed: Mondays (open on September 21 and October 12, as these are public holidays; closed the following day, October 13)
Friday, October 17: extended hours until 20:00 (Onomichi Lantern Festival)
Venue: Onomichi City Museum of Art (Hiroshima)
