[Toyama Castle Town (② Brilliant Crafts and Captivating Architecture)] (Toyama City, Toyama Prefecture, Former Province: Etchu)

As a branch of the Maeda clan of the Kaga Domain (present-day southern Ishikawa Prefecture), the Toyama Domain held a territory of 100,000 koku in central Ecchu Province (present-day Toyama Prefecture). Its castle town, its base, was protected by natural boundaries: the Jinzu River and the Kureha Hills to the west, and the Joganji River to the east. The clear waters of the Tateyama mountain range nurtured the fertile soil. While the domain faced political challenges, such as frequent intervention from the main Kaga domain, this influence paradoxically fostered a unique industry and culture. A prime example of this was the pharmaceutical industry, which was founded during the reign of the second feudal lord, Masatoshi (1649-1706). Brands such as "Ecchu Hangontan" enjoyed nationwide recognition. At the same time, drug dealers devised innovative methods to survive the high-level competition. The "first-use, then-profit" business model (where medicine sellers deliver medicine to consumers' homes and, after a certain period of time, collect payment based on actual consumption) is a prime example. At the same time, "design" also developed to appeal to discerning consumers (particularly in the Kaga domain, where extremely advanced craftsmanship and aesthetic sense were cultivated). Today, Toyama is a city renowned for its design, but its foundation is backed by historical necessity, including pharmaceuticals.

In the modern era, demand for traditional Japanese medicines declined nationwide, and while Toyama's pharmaceutical industry suffered a setback, a new industry emerged: glass manufacturing. Toyama City was home to many glass manufacturing factories and operating companies. This was due to the need for vials to store and distribute medicines made in Toyama, and the industry evolved naturally from the pharmaceutical industry. However, Toyama suffered severe damage in air raids at the end of the Pacific War, and the glass factories that were concentrated there were destroyed, losing their industrial backbone. However, the skills cultivated over many years of glass manufacturing remained latent in Toyama, and in the 1980s, a public course on glass as a craft was held, which garnered great acclaim. In response, Toyama City began branding itself as "Toyama, the City of Glass" to promote its appeal using glass technology as a hook. By persistently working to train glass artisans and artists and establishing the necessary facilities, the city is now known as a successful example of branding, with a significant impact on the sophisticated design of the city itself.
The culmination of this project is the Toyama Glass Art Museum (Photos 2-8). Located within the "TOYAMA KIRARI" public complex in the city center, the museum exhibits outstanding glass art and crafts from not only the prefecture and city, but also from around the world. Seeing the glass in person is captivating, not only for its beautiful sparkle, but also for its intricately crafted, streamlined shapes that are hard to believe given its hardness, and its rich colors, delicately interwoven with shades of light and shade. The vast potential of glass is truly astounding. The facility was designed by world-renowned architect Kengo Kuma (1954-), and is uniquely Toyama, inspired by the snow and rocks of Mount Tateyama. The dynamic structure, symbolized by the central atrium, and the way the glass's brilliance is reflected from multiple angles, make it easy to see why it is considered one of Japan's finest modern architectural masterpieces.

Toyama's rich design can be seen throughout the city. A prime example is the Toyama Prefectural Ink Museum of Art (Photos 1, 9-10). Located on the west bank of the Jinzu River, this public art museum houses many modern Japanese ink paintings. The collection includes works by masters such as Takeuchi Seihō (1864-1942) and Yokoyama Taikan (1868-1958), as well as works by local artists such as Takamura Gyujin (1901-1984), who was born in the prefecture and still retains a profound influence on Toyama. The single-story building that houses these works expresses the continuity of the Jinzu River, and within the neatly divided grounds, a single magnificent weeping cherry tree is in full bloom. From inside the museum, the tree's branches appear cut out like a painting, and with the piercing blue sky considered as the blank space, the entire scene itself seems to overlap with the techniques of ink painting. The ingenious, unhurried design, along with the Glass Museum, left me deeply impressed by the diversity of Toyama's spatial design.

Recommendation for Solo Travelers: ★★★★ (There are people, but not many. Enjoy quiet sightseeing!)

Visited: Around 2 PM on a weekday in the second week of April

Access: Approximately a 2-minute walk from Nishimachi Station (Toyama Glass Museum)

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Post by hanakin_kozakura | Jul 31, 2024