Image: Iwate Museum of Art, Morioka
Iwate Museum of Art in Morioka is currently presenting a large retrospective of the Japanese Western-style painter Kobayashi Tokusaburo, together with the museum’s second collection exhibition of the year, 'Special Feature: Introduction to Newly Acquired Works 1'. The exhibitions are on view through 23 August 2026, with the museum describing the Kobayashi show as the artist’s first major retrospective and an exhibition built from more than 300 works and related materials.
According to the museum, Kobayashi was born in what is now Fukuyama in Hiroshima Prefecture and had a close relationship with the painter Manten Wataru. His work included paintings of sardines and horse mackerel, family portraits, and stage design. The retrospective is intended to trace a body of work that the museum says has remained little known, using paintings, documents and other materials to reconstruct his career.
The museum’s main website presents the Kobayashi exhibition under its exhibitions and events schedule, placing it within a broader program that also includes collection displays, talks, workshops, film screenings and family-oriented activities. The retrospective’s run is listed as 20 June to 23 August 2026 at Iwate Museum of Art in Morioka, Japan.
Running in parallel, the collection exhibition opened on 17 July 2026 and continues until 12 October 2026. The museum says this second installment of its collection program is the first of two presentations introducing works acquired in the 2025 fiscal year, and it includes pieces by first-time collection artists such as Hatakeyama Sanro and Taisei Hiroshi.
The museum’s notices also indicate related summer programming tied to the exhibitions. On 20 July, Iwate Museum of Art is scheduled to hold 'Hello! Museum: A Full Enjoyment Art Event 2026', described as a special day featuring concerts and workshops. The site also lists family time sessions, an art-cinema screening series, and an open studio workshop during the same period.
The museum’s posted information notes that 20 July 2026 is an open day, while 21 July is a closing day. Regular opening hours are 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., with last admission at 5:30 p.m.
