Enoura Observatory
| Enoura Observatory | |
|---|---|
One of the protruding hall installations at Enoura Observatory | |
Interactive map of Enoura Observatory | |
| General information | |
| Location | 362-1 Enoura, Odawara, Kanagawa 250-0025, Japan |
| Coordinates | 35°11′18″N 139°08′06″E / 35.18836962732539°N 139.13496982522284°E |
| Opened | October 7, 2017 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architects | Hiroshi Sugimoto, Toshiyuki Sakikida |
The Enoura Observatory is a museum and land art exhibition designed by Japanese multimedia artist Hiroshi Sugimoto and located in Odawara, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.[1][2] Built along the hills of Odawara with principles of Heian gardening in mind, it features architecture interwoven into natural surroundings, Sugimoto's works on display, and objects of archaeological significance, among other installations.[3][4] It opened in 2017 after two decades of planning.[3]
Tokyo Weekender named the Enoura Observatory one of five beautiful museums in Japan designed by famous architects.[5]
Space
Sitting between the mountains of Hakone and Sagami Bay on a citrus grove across 60,000 square meters, the Enoura Observatory has several indoor and outdoor exhibition spaces, several outdoor stages, a teahouse, installations along various walking paths throughout the hilltop, and offices for Sugimoto's Odawara Art Foundation.[6][7][8]
The space is also occasionally used to host other artists, exhibitions, and performances that fall in line with the Odawara Art Foundation's goal of bringing awareness to ancient history.[9]
History
Sugimoto became familiar with Odawara from a young age through various train trips, on a now defunct Tokaido line, which ran between the town and the Pacific Ocean.[10] In 2008, he founded the New Material Research Laboratory, and In 2009, he founded the Odawara Art Foundation with the goal of conveying Japanese art and culture to as wide of an audience as possible. Together, these two foundations, under Sugimoto's lead, would make plans for the Enoura Observatory.[11][12]
Built in collaboration with Japanese architect Tomoyuki Sakakida, the museum opened on October 9, 2017.[13] It had taken Sugimoto and his collaborators over 20 years to realize.[14] Sugimoto intended it to be a space where others can also reconnect with their most primordial memories, such as one first recognizing the passage of time, as well as premodern Japanese aesthetics in general.[4][15][16] He has considered it to be the most holistic project of his career as an artist spanning multiple disciplines and hopes that the space will "devolve beautifully into ruins of stone" in the wake of civilizational collapse.[17][18]
References
- ^ Tiernan, Laurier (2022-12-13). "Romancing Odawara | Dining". Metropolis Japan. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
- ^ "Enoura Observatory - Hiroshi Sugimoto". World-Architects. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
- ^ a b Reyes, Alma (2025-05-16). "Revival of ancient Japanese tradition in Enoura Observatory". Meer. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
- ^ a b "The Enoura Observatory, Art Suspended Between Earth and Sky". Pen Magazine International. 2019-09-05. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
- ^ Reyes, Alma (2021-11-24). "5 Most Beautiful Museums in Japan Designed by Famous Architects". Tokyo Weekender. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
- ^ designboom, philip stevens I. (2018-02-05). "enoura observatory by hiroshi sugimoto / odawara art foundation for architecture and garden design". designboom | architecture & design magazine. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
- ^ "Acclaimed artist Hiroshi Sugimoto's accidental journey back to his roots". Nikkei Asia. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
- ^ Rothstein, Edward. "Opinion | At Japanese Museums, Art and Nature Merge". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
- ^ "The Veteran Photographer Making Stunning New Buildings (Published 2017)". 2017-04-03. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
- ^ "BOMB Magazine | Hiroshi Sugimoto by James Beacham". BOMB Magazine. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
- ^ "'The art and the architecture are inseparable': Hiroshi Sugimoto and his Enoura Observatory". Christie's. 2021-04-01.
- ^ "Odawara Sightseeing Guide: Art Meets Nature at Enoura Observatory". Tokyo Weekender. 2019-12-17. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
- ^ Murphrey, Patrick (2019-07-16). "Tokyo Day Trip: Relive Epic Moments from Japanese History at Odawara". Tokyo Weekender. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
- ^ Gilhooly, Rob (2017-10-07). "Hiroshi Sugimoto: The illusion of architecture". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
- ^ "Hiroshi Sugimoto's Leap of Faith: The Enoura Observatory". artscape Japan. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
- ^ "Art Day Trip to Enoura Observatory | Asia Society". asiasociety.org. 2019-12-26. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
- ^ Ogura, Junko; Hassett, Melissa (2017-10-20). "Why this building is like a photograph". CNN. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
- ^ "A Complex for the End of Time (Published 2021)". 2021-12-07. Retrieved 2025-09-06.