MOA Museum of Art

Price: 3.5/5.0 Service: 4.2/5.0 Recommendation: Yes Would I visit again? Yes This was my favorite place in Atami. Every aspect of the museum felt perfect — the facilities, the scenery, and the photo spots were all thoughtfully designed so visitors can take home special memories of the city. The view from here is even more beautiful than the one from Atami Castle. If you’re visiting alone, you might not be able to take many photos of yourself, so I recommend bringing a small tripod.

The MOA offers a truly memorable experience. While getting there does take some effort—you either need to take a bus or drive quite a long way up the mountain—the journey is absolutely worth it once you arrive. I was especially lucky to visit on the first day of a special exhibition, where I unexpectedly had the chance to meet the artist himself. If I remember correctly, his name is Mr. Noboru. I was able to ask him many questions about his work, his craftsmanship, and how he created the bamboo pieces on display. Hearing directly from the artist added a rare and meaningful layer to the visit. The exhibition itself leans heavily into Asian cultural and artistic traditions, with clear influences from Buddhism. While the religious elements aren’t personally my favorite, there’s no denying the exceptional quality of the artworks. The level of skill, detail, and dedication in each piece is impressive and easy to appreciate, regardless of personal taste. Overall, despite the challenging location and some thematic preferences, the museum delivers a high-quality and enriching experience. I’d rate it a solid 9 out of 10, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in fine art and Asian cultural expression.

I love this museum. This was my 3rd visit (the last time was 36 years ago!), and each time I am thoroughly impressed with the location and views, the beautiful design of the museum and its displays, and the quality of their exhibitions. The quality of the classic Japanese crafts that we saw was second to none, and the display of "baskets" made by an octogenarian bamboo basket-making wizard was so impressive. The other thing that really impressed me this time was the use of non-glare glass that is so clear and unnoticeable that they have signs up to warn you not to bump your head/face. It really feels like there is no glass at all, and it really augments the enjoyment and visibility of the items on display. Tip: Prior to our visit we had gone to the Atami Plum Garden and by showing our tickets at the ticket window, we each received a Y200 discount.

It’s a beautiful boutique art museum. The architecture is building along the landscape. After the humble entrance, you will be entering the undersea pavilion by layers of escalators. The ocean view is magnificent and calming. The garden is classic and well maintained. Restaurants offering delicious local gourmet with reasonable price. Absolutely great place to visit.

Far from the atami city center, there is A LOT of stairs in the museum. No english audioguide. Take the bus or taxi. You have to love paintings as there is barely anything else. Still a nice museum worth going to if you are in atami.

The view from the museum is beautiful🥰 Thankfully the coin lockers here are free of charge, meaning I can enjoy the space without my bags. The exhibition I went to was super interesting, scrolls about a fantastical tragic love story from ancient times. The glass was so clear that I sometimes forget about it, and when you take pictures there's no reflection. The outside Japanese garden is also fun to walk around. Would spend about 2-3 hours here, if you don't sit down and eat.

It’s so lovely. Ride up in a cab and walk down. It’s got great view of the bay and city. So many national treasures. I recommend even if you’re a total meathead with zero culture or appreciation of art because it’s got cool escalators.

The MOA is meticulously prepared and cared about museum. The current exhibit (Rinpa) was nicely detailed with English translation. Every detail was perfect. We also enjoyed the view from the cafe and walking through the japanese garden. There is a direct bus from Atami Station (Stop 8) and you can buy tickets at the entrance. There are coin lockers.

A breathtaking architectural gem sits atop a hill in Atami. Two tiers of escalators with illuminated ceiling from the underground passageway lead visitors into the museum. At the top of the escalators, an open foyer with spiral-patterned fiber reinforced roof beckons with lights projected at intervals. The museum is airy and spacious. A beautiful cafe with seating besides a wall of windows offers a sweeping view of Sagami bay / Pacific ocean beyond on the first floor. The museum houses traditional calligraphy, textiles, paintings and pottery exhibits but we did not have a lot of time to explore them all (closing time is 4:30pm). The museum ground also includes a garden but it seemed to be closed early in early spring.

The art in this museum... I don't think it would appeal to tons of people, in my opinion. At least when I was here, there were a lot of bowls and drawers and plates in the exhibition and that's not really my style unfortunately.. however, the museum itself is quite lovely and offers such a nice view of Atami. It's not at all far from the station either! Just a quick bus ride away. I would come here for a relaxing time. Maybe stay for a few hours before other shops open and you can head back down at lunch time. I would recommend their lovely tea house though. It's a unique experience. It's very quiet and serene, because it's in the middle or the museum's garden. It's probably a bit of a tourist trap but this is better than going to really plain and expensive museum cafes! Either way, I do recommend this place. Maybe best in the spring or summer. To enjoy the Sakura or the beautiful view on a clear summer day. Atami is such a nice place overall that I hope you all give it a try!