Architect borrows from artist to design Hiroshige museum

Although Japanese artist Ando Hiroshige is best known for his colorful wood-block prints, his drawings of ink on paper are quite rare, so a museum was built to house them. When architect Kengo Kuma designed the museum in Tendo-shi, about three hours from Tokyo, he took inspiration from Hiroshige's work, particularly a famous piece called "Rain on Travelers." Kuma used latticework to reproduce Hiroshige's rain. He used local material for construction, including cedar wood for the roof, aluminum, glass and rice paper. The building is designed in a long rectangular shape, which Kuma says was chosen to give visitors a better view of the mountains and the outdoors. Because much of Hiroshige's work depicts nature, Kuma believes his designs must be influenced by nature. The direction of the garden was crucial to him, and he insisted on a north-facing garden with its views of the mountains. nside, the museum is divided into two galleries, one for Hiroshige's art and another for the work of local artists. Kuma says the museum houses the best collection of Hiroshige's drawings in the world. Eighty percent are in storage, and because they're so delicate, they're exhibited for only a short period each year.