About

Main Hall

The stage is the largest in Shimane Prefecture and is equipped with the latest suspension mechanisms and travelling sound reflectors, enabling a variety of performing arts, including musicals and concerts. 1,500-seat auditorium (993 seats on the first floor, 4 wheelchair seats and 503 seats on the second floor) is arranged in a gentle arc towards the stage for easy viewing of the stage. The seats are arranged in a gentle arc towards the stage for an easy view of the stage.

Exhibition Room

The museum will hold a large scale special exhibition, making use of four large and small exhibition rooms with different atmospheres. The exhibition will also feature works by artists associated with Mori Ogai, Iwami art, fashion and other items from the museum’s collection.

Small Hall

The stage, equipped with a suspension mechanism and acoustic reflector, can be used for theatre, chamber music and lectures. The auditorium seats 400 people and its proximity to the stage creates a familiar atmosphere.

Museum Lobby

The general information counter provides information on events at the museum, theatre and other venues, and sells museum tickets. The art library offers free access to specialist books and magazines on art and music, as well as film, fashion and architecture.

Corridor

The flooring in the corridor is made of flowering pear. Visitors can sit on benches at various locations and look out over the courtyard square.

Multipurpose gallery

It can be used as a venue for the free presentation of artworks. Various educational and promotional activities will also be carried out.

Studio 1

There are two two-room studios: a studio the same size as the main hall main stage and Studio 2, which is suitable for small-scale rehearsals. The studio can be used for rehearsals for performances as well as mini-concerts.

Studio 2

Courtyard Square

The water basin, 25 m on a side, is mortar-shaped with a depth of 12 cm at its deepest point in the centre, and water from the spring flows in all directions and through slits into an underground tank for circulation. On windless days, the ‘water mirror’ reflects the building and surrounding landscape, while the gentle sound of running water echoes.

The symbol consists of the letter ‘S’ for Shimane Prefecture and the letter ‘I’ for Iwami, and was also designed to add a sense of depth reminiscent of the distant view of the Sea of Japan. The orange image of the letter ‘I’ is not only reminiscent of the colour of Ishizhu tiles, but also, in combination with other colours, evokes an image of a richly-coloured, sunny celebration of the museum and hall’s cultural facilities.

Yahagi Kihanro

The monument Orochi is made of granite, and is based on the theme of a ‘familiar’ serpent (Orochi), which inherited its image from Iwami Kagura, one of Japan’s most famous Shinto music and dance festivals. Orochi is an archaic word meaning a high peak or hill, and ‘chi’ means god, a dragon- or snake-shaped demon, said to have the power to rule the universe at will, living on earth, in the water and in the air. He is a free spirit of creation who has the energy to soar to the heavens in an instant if ridden by the sound of music. The Grandtois, which is a hall of cultural creativity representing Iwami, including art and music, has a dignified appearance covered in Ishu tiles. In order to match this architecture, a sense of rhythm with curved lines was carved into the megaliths, making the sculptures most suited to the environment. The sculpture also encompasses a space where the sculpture can pass through a gap. The backs, mouths and nostrils of the Orochi, which serve as benches, can be easily touched, making the sculpture a familiar sight. Above all, the sculpture should be a unique monument that can only be seen in Masuda. The sculpture was created with all my heart in the hope that the San’in region will develop as a cultural prefecture in the future, transmitting the cultural power of the region, centred on its precious historical heritage.

Kiichi Sumikawa

The nickname was chosen from among 16,456 entries submitted from all over the country, and after a rigorous screening process, the nickname ‘Grand Toit’ was chosen by Mr Hiroaki Kawahara from Yamaguchi Prefecture. Grand Toit’ means “grand” and “toit” in French, and it expresses well the Centre for Arts and Culture, which is characterised by its gabled roof made of Ishizhu tiles, a proud feature of Shimane Prefecture. At the same time, the word has a sense of power, grandeur and expanse, and was chosen as a suitable nickname for a centre of arts and culture.