5 recommended sightseeing spots to enjoy Yufuin to the fullest even on a rainy day
Rain tends to throw a wrench in the plans of a well-planned trip, but Yufuin, which has a long history as a tourist destination, has a full range of Properties that can entertain travelers even on rainy days. Here are some recommended indoor tourist spots where you can experience art and culture regardless of the weather. We hope you will find them useful in planning for rainy days.
1COMICO ART MUSEUM YUFUIN
A luxurious space where works by renowned contemporary artists come together in one place
Yufuin Museum of Contemporary Art, which opened in 2017, is located in a perfect location overlooking Mt.
The main building exhibits Yayoi Kusama's representative pumpkin motifs and "INFINITY-NETS" from the early days of her creative career. The new wing offers a luxurious space where visitors can enjoy works by leading Japanese contemporary artists all at once, including Tatsuo Miyajima's "Time Waterfall - panel #COM," in which numbers pour down like a waterfall, Hiroshi Sugimoto's "Seascape" and "Optical Glass Five-Ring Pagoda," and Takashi Murakami's works using flowers as a motif. The exhibition space is also a luxurious place where visitors can enjoy works by leading Japanese contemporary artists all at once.
Experience unique works of art in harmony with Yufuin's natural surroundings.
Your Dog" by Yoshitomo Nara welcomes you at the open gallery outside on the second floor of the main building, with the majestic Mt. Yufudake in the background. You can also admire the adorable figure from the indoor lounge. Also on display in the open gallery are Kohei Nawa's "Ether (lava)" and Mariko Mori's "Eternal I," both three-dimensional works. Some of these works were created in conjunction with the location of Yufuin, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in a viewing experience that can only be experienced here.
The sophisticated building designed by Kengo Kuma also makes the time spent experiencing art even more special.
- COMICO ART MUSEUM YUFUIN
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2995-1 Kawakami, Yufuin-cho, Yufu City, Oita Prefecture MAP
10-minute walk from JR Yufuin Station
9:30-17:00 (last admission 16:00)
Wednesdays (other days may be closed on a temporary basis)
Admission: Adults 1,700 yen, college/university students 1,200 yen, junior/senior high school students 1,000 yen, elementary school students 700 yen
No admission fee
None
Discounts available for online reservations through the website.
2Yufuin Stained Glass Museum
Historically valuable antique stained glass on display
Established in 1996, this is Japan's first full-scale stained glass museum. The British-affiliated founder fell in love with the history of Yufuin, which was known as the "Christian Shangri-La" 400 years ago, and its idyllic countryside, and decided to open the museum here.
The museum consists of two English-style buildings, "Neal's House" and "St. Robert's Church," and exhibits mainly antique European stained glass from the 1800s onward. In "Neal's House," stained glass and artifacts are displayed by country, giving visitors a sense of both regional and period characteristics.
The beauty of stained glass in a church is exceptional
At St. Robert's Church, "The Virgin Mary and Angels," by 1810, is displayed in the front. The "Three Saints" is on the left, and "Be Still, Be Silent" is on the right. The elaborate construction of the building is a sight to behold. On a clear day, sunlight shines through the stained glass windows, bringing the beauty of the building to its peak. It is recommended to sit in a chair in the solemn atmosphere and enjoy the beauty of the stained glass windows.
Stained glass is also known as "the art of light. This is a rare museum where visitors can discover the charm of stained glass, which does not lose its luster even after hundreds of years.
- Yufuin Stained Glass Art Museum
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- 2461-3 Kawakami, Yufuin-cho, Yufu City, Oita Prefecture MAP
- 15-minute walk from JR Yufuin Station
- 9:00-17:00 (last admission 16:30)
- No holidays
- Adults 1,000 yen, elementary/junior high school students 500 yen
- 0977-84-5575
- Parking: Free (Parking is available next to the Stained Glass Experience Studio located 100m east of the museum.)
3Chopstick shop Issen Honten
Try your hand at making your own unique chopsticks
Each table is carefully crafted by artisans from wood grown in Yufuin and Oita Prefecture. Using a variety of tree species, this chopstick specialty store offers chopsticks for various uses and needs.
In addition to purchasing chopsticks, the shop also offers a hands-on chopstick-making experience with a lecture by a craftsman. The wood used for the Experience is cherry wood, which is moderately hard and soft. Using a small knife and sandpaper, you can shave the wood into any desired shape and fineness. Sandpaper alone can also be used to finish the work, making it safe even for children. Once the shape is completed, the desired pattern or lettering is added using a burnt pen.
Chopsticks made with great care make great gifts for your loved ones
Once the chopstick design is completed, the final finishing touches, such as waterproofing, are applied at the workshop, and the finished product is delivered to your home at a later date. This is a perfect gift for your loved ones as well as a memento of your trip.
Chopsticks purchased at Chopstick Shop Issen can also be repaired if they are old or if the waterproof coating has peeled off. Chopsticks are an important tool for Japanese people, appearing at the beginning of the weaning process and at other milestones in life. We hope that our one-of-a-kind chopsticks will be with you for a long time and add a subtle touch of elegance to your daily meals.
- Chopstick Shop Issen Honten
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- 2093-2 Kawakami, Yufuin-cho, Yufu City, Oita Prefecture MAP
- 5 minutes drive from JR Yufuin Station
22 min. walk from JR Yufuin Station - 9:00-17:00
- No holidays
- Chopstick-making Experience 2,750 yen per person (shipping fee not included)
- 0977-84-4108
- Free of charge
- Reservations for the chopstick-making Experience can be made online or by phone. Experience is available only at the Chopstick Shop Issen Honten.
4yufuin showa-kan
Retro theme park that recreates the townscape of the 1930s.
In order to preserve the charm of the good old Showa period for future generations, the museum has collected and exhibited items from the glory days of the Showa period. Upon entering the museum, visitors will find themselves in a retro and nostalgic world, as if they have stepped back in time to that era.
The museum recreates the streets of the Showa 30s and 40s, with about 20 booths including an electronics store, a candy shop, a barbershop, a pure coffee shop, and a movie theater. The atmosphere of those days is realistically reproduced, and the attraction of the museum is the hands-on exhibits where visitors can actually touch and sit in the seats. Everywhere you turn is photogenic, and you will want to take lots of pictures.
Nostalgic school lunches. You can enjoy the world of the Showa era.
In the fall of 2023, "Natsukashi Showa School Lunch" will open on the second floor of the building. It offers a menu full of school lunch and Showa-esque items, such as toasted bread, bottled milk, and cream soda. Inside the restaurant, desks and chairs that were once used at a local elementary school have been reused, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of a school classroom. The atmosphere is like that of a school classroom, bringing everyone back to their childhood.
On the first floor, there is also a candy store where visitors can actually shop, a souvenir store selling Yufuin specialties, and an observatory from which visitors can enjoy a view of the Yufuin cityscape. Immerse yourself in the world of the Showa period and enjoy all that it has to offer.
- Yufuin Showakan
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- 1479-1 Kawakami, Yufuin-cho, Yufu City, Oita Prefecture MAP
- Approximately 18 minutes on foot from JR Yufuin Station
- 9:00-17:00
- No holidays
- Admission: Adults 1,200 yen, Junior and senior high school students 1,000 yen, 4 years old to elementary school students 600 yen
- 0977-85-3788
- None
5artegio
A museum in the forest with a collection of music-related works
The museum is located on a hill in Yufuin, away from the hustle and bustle of the city, on the grounds of "Sanso Murata," one of Yufuin's representative inns. Here, in a quiet, verdant setting, you can enjoy a variety of artworks based on the theme of music.
The exhibit opens with the words of world-renowned composer Toru Takemitsu: "Man's eyes and ears are almost in the same position (omission), and their relationship will be close. Inspired by music, works by John Cage, Man Ray, Andy Warhol, and others are on display. Visitors can slowly immerse themselves in the world of these masterpieces with the beautiful music playing in the museum.
A time to spend quietly reading a book is also very luxurious.
The libraries on the first and second floors each have about 1,000 books, mostly on music and painting. Visitors can take a break from the library to sit on a sofa and read a book or two. Unexpected encounters with books that you would not normally pick up are a pleasure that only a traveler can enjoy.
The chocolate store "théomurata" and the tea room "thé théo" are also located on the premises. We recommend visiting in conjunction with art appreciation. A relaxing time spent in the quiet environment of the forest, experiencing art, will enrich your mind and soul.
MAP
- Hoshino Resorts facilities nearby
Local Guide who was in charge of this article
- Momoyo Jono Service Professional
