Miyagi Museum of Art

The Miyagi Museum of Art occupies a modest building in Kadan Park, a short bus ride from central Sendai. The permanent collection covers Japanese Western-style painting, prints, and craft from the late 19th century to the present, with a particular strength in works connected to Tohoku. The quiet galleries are rarely crowded.

Special exhibitions rotate through and can be the main reason to visit — check what's showing before you go. The surrounding Kadan Park is pleasant for a short walk, especially in cherry blossom season, and the area near the museum includes a few good cafes. Combined with a visit to the nearby castle ruins, this side of the city makes for a satisfying half-day.

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The museum's permanent collection is weighted toward Japanese Western-style painting (yoga) from the Meiji and Taisho periods — artists who studied in Paris and returned to Japan in the early 20th century, trying to reconcile European technique with Japanese sensibility. It's a category that gets little attention in Tokyo's big museums, and the Miyagi collection is one of the better places to see it.