Get up close to Yayoi Kusama for free tickets at Towada Art Center, a must-visit in Aomori

▲ Towada Art Center Art Plaza

Reported and photographed by Yu Jiayun / Aomori, Japan

Art is everywhere in life, and true art isn’t always confined behind untouchable glass in museums. At Towada Art Center in Aomori Prefecture, Japan, not only does it house works from artists around the world, but it also transforms the area around the museum into an “art city.” Without buying a ticket, you can get up close to masterpieces by renowned artists such as Yayoi Kusama, Takashi Murakami, and Choi Jeong Hwa, seamlessly blending life with aesthetics.

▲ Entrance of Towada Art Center

Located in Towada City, Aomori Prefecture, Towada Art Center was designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Ryue Nishizawa. With its minimalist lines and contours, it looks like a pure white town from afar. But even before stepping into the museum, you can experience the beauty of art in the surrounding open spaces. Tour guide Hirose Yoshinari explains that to make art more integrated into daily life, in addition to the 22 artworks inside the museum, Towada Art Center has also installed several large-scale public art installations around the venue, allowing anyone passing by to easily step into this aesthetically designed town.

▲ Whimsical graffiti with a black-and-white theme

▲ The clean and simple lobby of the art center

The most eye-catching piece around the museum is Yayoi Kusama’s colorful and highly recognizable work, “Love Forever, Singing in Tawada.” From afar, you can see her iconic polka-dot pumpkins, alongside colorful mushrooms, puppies, and a little girl in a polka-dot dress that bring a fairytale-like fantasy to the art plaza. Nearby, there’s also a giant ghost sculpture “Ghost” created by a German art team, which stands in front of a cottage, creating a delightfully striking contrast. Other artworks include giant red ants by the roadside trees, inflatable transforming houses, and cars—these seemingly casual yet deeply meaningful pieces of art greatly shorten the distance between life and art.

▲ Yayoi Kusama’s polka-dot works are highly iconic

▲ A giant ghost floating on the grass

▲ Bright red ants contrast with the tree-lined avenue

If you want to see more contemporary artworks, don’t forget to step inside the museum. The 22 impressive works by 21 designers each showcase unique creativity. Australian designer Ron Mueck’s 4-meter-tall female sculpture “Standing Woman” reveals every intricate detail under visual pressure; Korean designer Do Ho Suh’s “Cause and Effect” connects tens of thousands of tiny figures, using shades of blood-red to symbolize the cycle of life and death—the impact is even more profound up close. There are also many interactive pieces that are well worth exploring.

▲ A 4-meter-tall giant female sculpture greets you as you enter the museum

▲ A fantastical atmosphere created with light and sound projections

▲ Looks like a chandelier from afar, but up close it’s made of tens of thousands of tiny plastic figures

A visit to Towada Art Center allows you to witness the surreal between abstraction and reality, between massive forms and delicate details. With your own eyes, you see the illusory and immerse yourself in a world of imagination, satisfying your senses and spirit while injecting new inspiration into life. Before leaving, don’t forget to stop by the café designed by Taiwanese designer Michael Lin, inspired by traditional Hakka floral fabrics, and pick up a souvenir too.

▲ A café designed by a Taiwanese designer, inspired by Hakka culture

▲ A souvenir shop you won’t want to leave

Towada Art Center
Japan 034-0082 Aomori Prefecture, Towada, 10-9 Nishi-Nibancho