Ichihara Lakeside Museum is presenting a series of theatrically staged solo exhibitions by two artists with completely different styles, in a partially open format following a full closure for renovation from January to April 2026, running through September.
Visitors enter through a secret entrance at the back of the museum shop, pass through pitch-black darkness, and find themselves in a world quite different from everyday life — an otherworldly space that draws each guest into a curious alternate reality.
Highlights
The renovation-era museum hides a surprise: step through the dark entrance and an "Another World" unfolds. The first installment features video installations by Kota Takeuchi, an artist known for working with historical traces such as stone monuments and ruins. Drawing on four months of fieldwork in Ichihara, the work traces time flowing from ancient days alongside the shifting rhythms of nature — from the sun and moon, to waterfalls, earth, and fire. Prayers nurturing life, and then modernization and war. The exhibition leads visitors into an alternate space where ritual and governance intertwine.
Water Thief (2024)
Artist Profile
Kota Takeuchi
Born in 1982 in Hyogo Prefecture. Lives in Fukushima Prefecture.
Kota Takeuchi creates installations drawing on the historical traces of localities — stone monuments, cinemas, and similar sites. He also presents a series of works on the history of balloon bombs that crossed the Pacific during World War II.
Recent exhibitions include "Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale 2024" (2024, Niigata), "To Me Who Cannot Be Judged" at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo (2023, Tokyo), and solo show "Beyond the Shore" at Iwaki City Art Museum / Iwaki Ario (2022, Fukushima). He received the Tokyo Contemporary Art Award 2021–2023.
Venue Information
Venue: Ichihara Lakeside Museum (75-1 Irazu, Ichihara City, Chiba Prefecture)
Opening Hours:
Weekdays: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturdays & days before holidays: 9:30 AM – 7:00 PM
Sundays & holidays: 9:30 AM – 6:00 PM
Last entry is 30 minutes before closing.
Closed: Mondays (if Monday falls on a holiday, closed the following weekday instead)
Admission:
General: ¥800 (¥600)
University/high school students & seniors (65+): ¥600 (¥400)
Prices in parentheses are for groups of 20 or more.
Free for junior high school students and under. Visitors with a disability certificate (or the "Mirairo ID" disability card app) and one accompanying person also admitted free of charge.
Related Events
Kota Takeuchi Special Talk
Kota Takeuchi will take the stage to discuss the works on display and share his creative process and background.
- Date: May 2 (Sat), 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Admission: Free (separate museum entry ticket required)
- Capacity: First 50 attendees
- Registration: Registration form
Grand Discussion: "Is There Another World in Ichihara?"
A roundtable featuring local residents active in community development and cultural activities in Ichihara City — a city known for its many local historians — alongside exhibiting artist Kota Takeuchi, for a wide-ranging conversation.
- Date: May 2 (Sat), 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM
- Admission: Free (separate museum entry ticket required)
- Capacity: 50 attendees
- Registration: Registration form
For more details, visit the Ichihara Lakeside Museum website.
