MOA Museum of Art in Atami: Tickets with Cafe Voucher

The MOA Museum of Art occupies a hilltop above Atami with the Pacific filling every window, and the journey in sets the tone: a series of vast escalators rising through the mountain under kaleidoscopic light. At the top waits one of Japan’s finest private collections, displayed in galleries renewed with the involvement of the artist Hiroshi Sugimoto, all dark lustre and perfect restraint. This ticket sweetens the visit with an original coaster and a cafe voucher to use on the premises.

The collection

The museum’s treasures include Ogata Korin’s Red and White Plum Blossoms, a national treasure so precious it is shown only for a limited season each year, typically when the plum trees themselves bloom. Around it sit superb ceramics, Buddhist art and painting, plus a glittering reconstruction of Hideyoshi’s golden tea room. It is not a large museum by room count, but nearly everything in it is of the first rank, and the sea view terraces insist on unhurried pacing.

Getting there

Atami is about 50 minutes from Tokyo on the Tokaido Shinkansen, and buses climb from Atami Station to the museum in roughly ten minutes. That proximity makes MOA one of the best art day trips from the capital, and pairing it with a soak in Atami’s hot springs or lunch in the harbour town below rounds the day properly.

Frequently asked questions

How long should I allow? Two hours, including the escalators, terraces and your cafe voucher moment.

When is the Korin masterpiece shown? For a limited period each year around plum season; check ahead if it is the reason for your trip.

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