Hoki Museum

Hoki Museum is a rare museum specializing in realist painting. Its collection consists of about 500 realist artworks, from masters to young artists, collected by the museum’s founder Masao Hoki. The museum has three levels (1 above ground, 2 underground), with a corridor-style gallery totaling about 500 meters. From the outside, the low, long building—built with inorganic straight lines and curves—may feel like “not such a big museum,” but inside it extends down to B2 and feels larger than expected. On B2, the museum displays large-scale works (size 100-go and above), mainly ‘My Masterpieces’—major pieces created specifically for the Hoki Museum that you can only see here. Some galleries are partially suspended using steel structures, and through the windows you can look out over the lush ‘Showa no Mori’ greenery. A great feature is that same-day re-entry is allowed unlimited times, so visitors can stroll through Showa no Mori, return to the museum, take a break at the on-site Italian restaurant or café (known for good food and wine), and then go back to viewing—making it easy to enjoy realist paintings at a relaxed pace. Access: from JR Sotobo Line Toke Station, take Chiba Chuo Bus from the south exit stand #3 bound for “Asumigaoka Brand New Mall,” get off at “Asumigaoka Higashi 4-chome,” then walk about 5 minutes.