Kurayoshi, Tottori Pref. ¨C Located on the craggy and windblown coast of western Japan, Tottori Prefecture has long lent itself to the moody and artistic. The name of the San¡¯in region, comprising Tottori and Shimane prefectures, literally means ¡°the shadowy side of the mountain,¡± and the area is known as the ¡°Land of the Gods,¡± where tales of Shinto kami and ²â¨°ì²¹¾± (spirits) originated.
Though it has long been a source of inspiration for creative minds, Tottori is Japan¡¯s least populous prefecture and nearly the last to establish its own public art museum. That is, until March 30, with the official opening of the .
Gov. Shinji Hirai and the family of manga master and Tottori native Mizuki Shigeru were among the participants in a ribbon-cutting ceremony held March 28 on the museum¡¯s grounds in Kurayoshi, a historical city of just under 45,000. The following day was filled with festivities that attracted a crowd of 12,000 and included live performances and a street parade with 1,000 revelers. The atmosphere inside the museum and outside on its grassy lawn was one of both triumph and the casual pleasure of a Georges Seurat painting.
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