Ashiya and Nishinomiya

Hanshin-kan Modernism

Hanshin-kan Modernism is the refined living culture born in the inter-zone between Osaka and Kobe (Hanshin-kan) from the Taisho to early Showa periods. Literary figures and artists including Tanizaki Junichiro, Shiga Naoya, and Kawabata Yasunari lived here, producing important works of modern Japanese literature and art.

Tanizaki Junichiro Memorial Museum

Ashiya City's Tanizaki Junichiro Memorial Museum displays the life and works of Tanizaki, who produced masterpieces like "The Makioka Sisters." The world of the novel "The Makioka Sisters" set in Ashiya can be experienced.

Otani Memorial Art Museum

Otani Memorial Art Museum in Nishinomiya's lush residential area is an art museum embodying "Hanshin-kan Modernism." Diverse collections of Western paintings, Japanese paintings, and sculpture plus a beautiful garden can be enjoyed.

Ashiya's Kurakuen

Kurakuen in Ashiya is a quiet high-class residential area developed as a villa district. Modern architecture including the Ashiya City Museum of Art and History designed by Maekawa Kunio, a disciple of Le Corbusier, can also be seen.