Machida is a city of mixed culture where various cultures mingle.

Located about a 15-minute walk from the bustling Machida Station, in the nature-rich Serigaya Park, is the Machida City Museum of Graphic Arts, one of the few museums in the world that focuses on prints.

The origins of one of the few print art museums in the world and the appeal of prints

The Machida City Museum of Graphic Arts is one of the few museums in the world that specializes in printmaking, exhibiting and preserving over 30,000 print works from all over the world, past and present. It opened in 1987 as a cultural facility befitting Machida, a city of 300,000 people.

"Public art museums in Japan often have a collection policy of modern art and artists with ties to the region. However, Machida City came up with a new concept when it founded its museum, specializing in printmaking," explains curator Takano.

Takano, who studied Western art at university, was attracted by the large number of rare Western prints on display at the Machida City Museum of Graphic Arts and applied to be a curator at the museum. He currently mainly supports exhibitions, research into artworks, and education.

Unlike the general image of printmaking, which is made by carving with a chisel and printing in black and white, printmaking can involve multicolor printing and complex techniques. The appeal of printmaking lies in the depth that can be created through such a wide range of techniques.
"If you look closely at the works, you can see the unique textures and techniques, just like paintings. There are also many intricately detailed works, and some people use magnifying glasses to look at them. The appeal of prints is that you can look at them in various ways, such as the depth of the ink," says Takano.

Some exhibition rooms display a list of various techniques, allowing you to enjoy the charm of printmaking while looking at the differences between the techniques.

Printmaking is the center of people's thoughts and feelings

The Machida City Museum of Graphic Arts' motto is not only "the joy of looking" and "the joy of making," but also "the joy of presenting." In the Citizens' Exhibition Room, many works are exhibited not only by artists, but also by Machida residents.

The printmaking studio also occasionally holds printmaking experiences. The experiences are wide-ranging, with experiences that allow you to enjoy a variety of techniques and even a T-shirt printing experience that children can participate in. The experiences are so popular that they are always fully booked. "I remember seeing parents who came to pick up their children's work after participating in the experience and were very happy," said staff member Nishi with a happy look on her face.

Give shape to your memories: Museum shop

The museum shop sells badges and clear files with print designs, postcards of the collection, etc. The product lineup changes depending on the exhibit, so you can also purchase products related to the exhibited works.

Machida City is currently developing Serigaya Park, where the art museum is located, into an "Art Forest" park museum, with the aim of creating a park where people can enjoy the diverse art and culture that is unique to Machida, and the art museum is also scheduled to be renovated.

Spreading the charm of printmaking from Machida to the world.

The International Print Museum is loved by the people of Machida. A survey of visitors showed that they wanted to spread the word about its charms to more people.


"The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has lessened, and we are now seeing many visitors from both Japan and abroad. I would like to make this an art museum that is loved by the people of Machida and that contributes to the branding of the city," curator Takano said with confidence.

We will continue to spread the circle of prints from Machida to the world.

With the establishment of the Machida City Museum of Graphic Arts as a springboard, the day is likely not far off when Machida will be known as a world-renowned city of prints and art.

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Machida City Museum of Graphic Arts

電話番号：​​042-726-2771

Address: 4-28-1 Haramachida, Machida, Tokyo

Access: 15 minutes on foot from Machida Station on the Odakyu Line/15 minutes on foot from Machida Station (North Exit) on the JR Yokohama Line

Official website:https://hanga-museum.jp/

SNS: https://twitter.com/machida_hanbi

*For details on business hours and holidays, please check the link above.