History and Founder
The founder
Okada Mokichi (1882-1955) laid the foundation for MOA Museum of Art, following his first art gallery opened in Hakone, Kanagawa. Okada studied Japanese painting at the Tokyo Art College (present-day Tokyo University of the Arts), an academy established by Okakura Tenshin. However, his compromised health forced him to leave the school prematurely.
After his convalescence, Okada trained himself in artisanal craftwork such as maki-e (lacquerwork) and became a successful entrepreneur by designing and marketing women’s hair and fashion accessories. His creations were highly appreciated at various expos.
However, he suffered the loss of his family and experienced a significant setback in his business caused by 1923’s catastrophic earthquake and the world economic recession. The devastation led him to explore philosophy and the world’s great ideologies, and he eventually developed his own philosophy: works of refined art and their beauty cultivate humanitarian disposition in people and, by extension, form sound society.
It was Okada’s lifelong desire to conquer the world’s ill-health, poverty and violence, and realize an ideal world. He aspired to construct a prototype of beauty that nurtured aesthetic sensitivity in people through experiencing arts, and to create an art museum in its center, which promotes Japanese culture to the world.
About the founder Mokichi Okada
| Dec. 23, 1882 | Born in Hashiba, Tokyo, into a family of an established, well-to-do pawnbroker, Musashiya |
| 1897 (age 15) | Studied at the Tokyo Art College (predecessor of the Tokyo University of the Arts) until an eye disease forced him to discontinue |
| 1905 (age 23) | Opened his own shop Kōrindō in Tokyo, dealing in cosmetics and accessories for women |
| 1907 (age 25) | Started a wholesale business of fashion accessories for women, establishing Okada Shōten in Tokyo Developed understanding of the school of art Rinpa through friendship with Shimomura Kanzan, Kimura Buzan, and Okakura Tenshin |
| 1914 (age 32) | His design of kanzashi hair pin won an award at the Taisho Exposition Tokyo |
| 1915 (age 33) | His patented imitation jewelry “Asahi Diamond” enjoyed a commercial success: he had it patented in nine countries; he also had 11 registered utility models, and Okada Shōten enjoyed sound business growth |
| 1919 (age 37) | The bankruptcy of his bank thew his business into a serious financial difficulty |
| 1920 (age 38) | Attempted to save his business by issuing company shares to investors but struggled in the post-war economic depression |
| 1923 (age 41) | His business suffered critical damage in the major earthquake that devastated the Tokyo area |
| 1935 (age 53) | Inaugurated Dainihon Kannonkai on January 1 Moved to Kaminoge, Tokyo in October, naming his residence “Gyokusenkyō” |
| 1936 (age 54) | Launched Dainihon Kenkō Kyōkai (Japan association of health) in May to pursue a world without ill health |
| 1937 (age 55) | Started his agricultural explorations for a method of organic farming |
| 1944 (age 62) | Moved to Gora, Hakone in Kanagawa; started the construction of Shinsenkyō, the first model that embodied his concept of a utopian state of the world empowered by beauty of nature and the arts Moved to Atami in October; then alternated between Hakone (summer) and Atami (autumn to spring)"}">Moved to Atami in October; then alternated between Hakone (summer) and Atami (autumn to spring) |
| 1945 (age 63) | Purchased a land on a hillside in Atami and started the construction of Zuiunkyō, his second utopian model"}">Purchased a land on a hillside in Atami and started the construction of Zuiunkyō, his second utopian model With the acquisition of the Nabeshima ware overglaze dish with design of peach (registered important cultural property) started proactively collecting artworks |
| 1946 (age 64) | His residence Kanzantei was constructed at Shinsenkyō (completed on August 15) |
| 1948 (age 66) | Acquired a new residence in Atami, named it Hekiunsō |
| 1950 (age 68) | Established Sekai Meshiyasyō on February 4 Tea house Sangetsu-an was constructed at Shinsenkyō Acquired the painting Lady under a Tree (important cultural property) to prevent it from being purchased by a foreign collector |
| 1951 (age 69) | Presented his vision for the “creation of true civilization” to the general public at the Tokyo Metropolitan Hibiya Public Hall (on May 22) |
| 1952 (age 70) | Opened Hakone Museum of Art on June 15 Inaugurated Tomei Art Preservation Association in September (renamed MOA Art and Culture Foundation in 1972) Acquired a land in Sagano, Kyoto, and named it Heiankyō; started the construction of the third model of his utopian concept in October Donated a reproduction of the painting Women of a Public Bathhouse (important cultural property) to the UNESCO, mediated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 1953 (age 71) | The construction of an annex to the Hakone Museum of Art completed on May 25 Inaugurated the Association of Nature Farming in December Acquired the Calligraphy Album Tekagami Kanboku-jo (national treasure) |
| 1954 (age 72) | Acquired the Red and White Plum Blossoms (national treasure) by Ogata Kōrin on February 4 Held an exhibition of select brush-painted ukiyo-e at Mitsukoshi Nihonbashi store, the major department store in Tokyo, in April A panoramic hall Suishōden was constructed at Zuiunkyō in Atami (completed on December 11) |
| 1955 (age 73) | Acquired the overglaze Tea leaf jar with design of wisteria (national treasure) by Nonomura Ninsei on February 8 Passed away at his residence Hekiunsō on February 10 |
| 1957 | Atami Museum of Art opened on January 1 |
| 1982 | MOA Museum of Art opened |
| 2002 | The Complete Works of Mokichi Okada, 36 volumes (1992–2002) |
| 2015 | Opening of the Mokichi Okada Memorial Museum (Heian-kyō, Kyoto) (April) |