The Shoto Museum of Art, opened in 1981, is one of the final works of Seiichi Shirai (1905–1983). It shares many commonalities with the Shizuoka City Serizawa Keisuke Art Museum, another work by Shirai, which opened around the same time. “The Shoto Museum is smaller in scale, but it’s packed with charm,” says Sakata. “Comparing buildings by the same architect allows you to imagine what they thought and how they adapted their designs based on different locations and themes—that’s what makes it so fascinating.”
The interior lighting and signage in the museums were also designed by Shirai.

As you step into the first-floor entrance, you notice the ceiling made of natural onyx stone. The feature is also present at the Serizawa Keisuke Art Museum. The two museums share the exterior walls of kounseki (reddish granite) and the de Sede sofas of different colors inside the buildings. Sakata quickly raises her camera. “Including the front arch with the ceiling and shooting from a pulled-back position makes the space appear expansive.”

Through the oval atrium, you can catch a glimpse of a neighboring apartment building. This is Chambord Shoto, a work by Von Jour Caux (1934–), often called the “Gaudí of Japan,” from when he was still called himself Toshiro Tanaka. “Some might see it as an obstruction to a clean architectural space, but the truth is, the Shoto Museum of Art was built later. I would like to see it as a timeless collaboration between two great architects.”

The bridge’s fence is adorned with an emblem, with “SHOTOH” engraved at its center. You can find a similar decoration at the Shinwa Bank (now Juhachi‐Shinwa Bank), but it was not designed by Shirai.

Through the circular window in front of the elevator, you can see the garden with maple trees and white gravel. Sakata includes the reflection on the P-tiles (a type of single-layer tile made from plastic resin) in the frame, lowers the camera lens, and shoots from ground level.

“This technique is effective when shooting reflective surfaces like water. The low positioning of your line of sight creates a mood similar to that found in Yasujirō Ozu’s films.”

The lighting of the spiral staircase is also striking, but it was set much dimmer when the building was built, creating a cave-like atmosphere.
“I’ve taken photos from an overhead angle every time I come here, so I probably have around 1,000 pictures of it.”

The windows are usually covered with curtains to protect the artworks from sunlight, but they may be opened depending on the exhibition. “Today, we’re lucky,” says Sakata, looking pleased. She turns her camera towards the atrium and captures an interesting image created by reflections from multiple windows.

The photo combines soft light and a mirror, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of paintings by Danish painter Vilhelm Hammershøi.
“You never find a mirror in a museum. This demonstrates Shirai’s strong design statement.”

The second floor was used as a café until around 2009 (it is no longer in operation). Sakata has visited it and recalls, “Enjoying cake and tea while looking at artworks was the best experience.” With velvet-covered walls and rosewood beams, this space also carries a strong design statement, unusual for an art museum.

The discreet outdoor faucet is the same as the one that used to be found at the entrance of Kankodo, a bookstore in Maebashi completed in 1954. The front bears the Latin inscription PVRO DE FONTE (pure fountain), and the back is engraved with Shirai’s signature and the bookstore’s completion year.
Having joined several architectural tours of the museum, Sakata recalls being surprised the first time she saw water flowing from it during a tour (*the faucet is not currently functional).

At the end of the interview, we asked Sakata for her recommended architectural spots around the Shoto Museum of Art.
“You can see early works by renowned architects, such as Von Jour Caux’s apartment building and Gallery TOM, designed by Hiroshi Naito, which was established as a gallery where the visually impaired could see works through touch. In Nabeshima Shoto Park, you’ll also find a restroom designed by Kengo Kuma for THE TOKYO TOILET project.”
After enjoying the art at the Shoto Museum, these sites are well worth a visit.