About the Museum
NHN JAPAN has been creating valuable businesses together with group companies and taking on various challenges to create connections between people that utilize the infinite possibilities of the Internet and to realize a richer society, based on the concept of "Next Human Network." COMICO ART MUSEUM YUFUIN is the NHN Group's first offline facility, and was opened with the aim of creating a cultural space where high-level cultural arts can be shared with as many people as possible.
The "COMICO" in the museum's name comes from "comico," a comprehensive entertainment platform operated by a group company. "comico" is one of the core businesses of NHN JAPAN, a company that loves culture and art, and offers web comics, manga, novels, movies, and more. In addition to the business that "comico" has established on the Internet, our museum hopes to foster new sensibilities through art for a wider range of generations and demographics.
Yufuin is a small, quiet town, but it is filled with abundant and vibrant nature and the history and vitality of the people who live there.
It is our sincere hope that the encounter between architecture that blends in with the landscape and artworks by Japan's leading contemporary artists will bring healing and comfort to Yufuin and all those who visit the area.
About architecture and logos
Mount Yufu is the symbol of Yufuin.
COMICO ART MUSEUM YUFUIN stands in this place, overlooking the majestic yet gently rolling ridgeline of Mt. Yufu. Kengo Kuma, the architect, always considered the concept of "village" when designing the building.
By arranging several small roofs in a row, the structure is designed to blend in with the small houses lined up in the Yufuin village. In addition, by effectively using materials such as wood, earth, washi paper, and water, the structure aims to coexist with nature over the long term.
The black material that covers the exterior of the museum is burnt cedar. The black material blends into the scenery of Yufuin, making the scenery of Mt. Yufu and the surrounding area stand out even more clearly. From a distance, burnt cedar appears a uniform black color, but up close you can feel the texture and warmth of the wood. The characteristics of the material will deepen over time.
The traditional village culture that lives on in Yufuin has been carefully passed down to the present day. However, this land has not only preserved its traditions since ancient times, but also has the flexibility to adapt to the changing times.
The exhibition area, which will be expanded in 2022, gives shape to the multifaceted and sophisticated image of Yufuin. With a large reverse slope on the black burnt cedar exterior, the building's tip stretches into the sky, creating more space on the site. If you let your eyes wander around every corner of the building, you can sense the architecture incorporating light, water, and wind. Enjoy the art and architecture while listening to the whispers of Yufuin's nature.
Photo 🄫 JC Carbonne
Architect
KUMA
KENGO
Kengo Kuma
Born in 1954. Head of Kengo Kuma & Associates, and Distinguished Professor and Professor Emeritus at the University of Tokyo.
Inspired by the Yoyogi National Gymnasium designed by Kenzo Tange during the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, he aspired to become an architect from an early age. He studied under Yoshiya Uchida and Hiroshi Hara. During his graduate school years, he traveled across the Sahara Desert in Africa to survey villages, where he was awakened by their beauty and power. He aims to create architecture that blends into the local environment and culture, proposing gentle, soft designs on a human scale. He is also exploring the nature of architecture in the post-industrial society world through his search for new materials to replace concrete and steel.
The COMICO ART MUSEUM YUFUIN logo is designed to fit within a square. The logo sign at the entrance to the museum is made of solid stainless steel, and its minimalist design without any unnecessary shapes expresses its fusion with contemporary art.
The symbolic square shape is the prototype of an extremely human form created by humans. The simple design based on modernity draws out the unique characteristics of the building's "Japanese material composition" of wood and paper, and its lean "minimalist space," allowing visitors to connect with the materials and nature.
Photo by Takashi Sekiguchi
Logo Design
HARA
KENYA
Kenya Hara
Born in 1958. President and CEO of Nippon Design Center, Professor at Musashino Art University.
He regards design as a universal wisdom accumulated in society, and is involved in the planning and implementation of a wide range of design projects based on communication. He has served as the art director for MUJI since 2002, and is active in a wide range of fields, including VI design for Tsutaya Bookstore, GINZA SIX, MIKIMOTO, and Yamato Transport. He has received numerous design awards both in Japan and overseas for these activities. In 2019, he launched the website "Low Altitude Flight," which introduces Japan in high resolution from a personal perspective, and is attempting a new approach to the tourism industry.
