The main reason I made a special trip to the Nanjo Art Museum this time was that the “Mika Ninagawa Exhibition with EiM: Dancing with Shadows in the Light” happened to be on. During the exhibition, the museum extended its hours into the evening, which made planning my itinerary much easier. The biggest advantage here is that it isn’t too crowded. You can take your time in each exhibition area without constantly being pushed along by the people behind you, making it easier to fully appreciate Mika Ninagawa’s use of color, flowers, light, and shadow.
I especially like the way she photographs flowers. Later, I even tried using some of her ideas for composition and lighting when photographing Atami-zakura cherry blossoms, and unexpectedly got several photos that I was very happy with. The exhibition wasn’t limited to the indoor spaces either. Some of the works extended outdoors and into the views through the windows. With mountains on one side of the Nanjo Art Museum and the ocean on the other, the exhibition blended very well with Okinawa’s natural environment. If you aren’t in a hurry, it’s a nice place to find somewhere to sit and simply enjoy the ocean view.
The Nanjo Art Museum is in a relatively remote location in Chinen, Nanjo City, near the World Heritage Site Sefa-Utaki. I had originally planned to visit Sefa-Utaki as well, but I got a little lost while riding there on a scooter and ran out of time, so I had to give up. The ticketing and administrative area is also distinctive, built from shipping containers. Electronic ticketing and various payment methods are mainly used, and the overall process is very convenient. Since it isn’t as easy to stop by as a museum in the city, I’d recommend checking the current exhibition first and making the trip only if it genuinely interests you. Otherwise, the museum itself is just okay.
There was also a memorable little moment during this visit. Just before I was about to leave, someone by the café suddenly started playing the piano and singing an Okinawan folk tune. It gave the previously quiet museum a more down-to-earth atmosphere and became the most memorable part of my visit.
