Oita Prefectural Art Museum

OPAM opened in 2015 in a glass-and-timber building designed by architect Shigeru Ban, and from the start it felt less like a formal gallery and more like a generous public room. The collection centers on modern and contemporary art with deep ties to Oita and Kyushu, displayed in bright, relaxed galleries. The ground-floor atrium, framed by a soaring wooden lattice ceiling, regularly hosts installations and community events alongside rotating national and international exhibitions. The museum sits a short walk from Oita Station, and its ground-floor cafe looking out over the plaza makes it worth a stop even on a tight schedule.