Isamu Noguchi Garden Museum

***Check the opening hours before you head over.*** It’s only open three days a week, with just three time slots per day, so be sure to book your ticket in advance. The garden is lovely and captures the spirit of Noguchi—don’t miss the egg-shaped rock on the hill, where half of his ashes are scattered. A quiet, momentary place to pay tribute.

A must go if you are an art lover or you have visited Noguchi museum in NY, you will definitely enjoy your time. Btw, only accept reservation online. You can visit it without reservation.

Fascinating place to visit on the outskirts of Takamatsu. Tools left as they were by Noguchi himself, along with several iconic works and unfinished pieces. We visited in the depths of winter - no wonder he didn't really stay here in that season, it was cold, but also very few people. Def recommend. Take cash if you can, credit card is possible but caused quite a kerfuffle.

Very Disappointing Visit – Not Recommended I was very disappointed with my visit to the Isamu Noguchi. The guide only spoke Japanese and barely any English, so we received no information during the tour. I expected to visit the artist's house, but instead, we could only glimpse it from the outside—through a window and behind bars—which made it nearly impossible to see anything clearly. The visit is limited to just one hour, and everything feels rushed. There is no time to appreciate the place properly, and we finished the tour without learning anything meaningful about Noguchi or his work. For the high price of the ticket, the experience was extremely underwhelming. On top of that, the foundation is located in a rather remote area of Takamatsu, and the return journey is difficult due to the limited number of buses. I absolutely do not recommend this visit.

We had a difficult time getting here and communicating with the staff, but it was well worth the effort. Really soulful to see this place if you love art, sculpture, and Noguchi, Be sure to have cash if you are taking a taxi. The museum only takes cash as well. And be sure to have Google translate on hand!

Pros: Noguchi's work has a profound impact in this environment - I think the commute out to Mure gives a sense of pilgrimage. Walking through the town, it's clear that this is a place where masonry, and stone, are important. Supposedly, much has been left untouched since this was an active workshop, and things are pleasingly spartan. Cons: It costs 3300 yen, which feels like a *lot* for a the semi-chaperoned tour of about an hour and 10 minutes. It's strongly tailored to Japanese speakers (fair enough), although I think most of the work speaks for itself. As someone who doesn't really like guided tours, I would much rather have had freedom to explore. A reluctant 4 stars: sublime sculpture in a small-town setting, but boy do they really bleed you dry for it. If you know you're gonna be into it - totally go.

You have to get the entry ticket months ahead. You cannot take pictures once there. You cannot enter his private house. And still I would give 5 stars. I loved seeing the sculptures. Loved. It was a meditative experience even though a tourist groups were there. If you love his artworks, the trip is a definite yes. And I loved the house even though you can only peek inside. But boy, what a peaking position. The rock table and bamboo background... It is so beautiful, balanced, serene. Mure is a rock carving village. Taking a bus there and walking through the village to get to the Noguchi garden is enlightening. There is rocks everywhere.

A highlight of my trip to Japan. The indoor and outdoor spaces are filled with a sense of peace and beauty, with the noise of distant stone chiselling just adding to the atmosphere. Well worth the effort to come here. Reservation is essential though I only emailed two days before the date request and it was not a problem, also the tour was mostly in English (I think it depends on the makeup of the group). The best aspect was the guide allowed the everyone to enjoy the spaces slowly and to move with freedom so there was no feeling of rushing.