We are pleased to announce that the Goryokaku Tower Collection “Soetsu Ueki Gallery,” a permanent exhibition space featuring works by Hakodate-born painter Soetsu Ueki, known for his unique paintings themed around kappa, is now open to the public.

2026 Spring Exhibition
“Drafts, Sketches, and Wildflower Studies”

Exhibition Period:
February 21, 2026 (Sat) – May 22, 2026 (Fri)

This exhibition will showcase preliminary drawings, sketches, and paper fragments related to Ueki’s creative process—materials usually not presented as completed works. These include color studies, notes on lighting, and other handwritten annotations that reveal the artist’s methods and way of thinking.

Hours

9:00–18:00
Free admission / Please feel free to enter.
※ Food and drinks are not allowed inside the gallery.

Upcoming Exhibition

Summer Exhibition 2026
“Scenes of Kappa Playing by the Water II” (tentative title)
Exhibition Period: May 23 (Sat) – August 21 (Fri), 2026
Details: This exhibition presents 18 works by Sōetsu Ueki depicting kappa together with water environments such as lakes, rivers, and waterfalls.
Among Japan’s traditional yokai (supernatural beings), the kappa is perhaps the most closely associated with water. Through these works, visitors can explore how Ueki anthropomorphized the kappa and what thoughts and meanings he may have expressed through this symbolic figure—one that represents the rich natural environment of Japan’s satoyama landscapes, particularly their waters.