Miyanomori International Museum of Art, Sapporo

The Miyanomori International Museum of Art, Sapporo, also known as MIMAS, was a contemporary art museum located in the Miyanomori district of Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. Established in April 2006 as the first museum dedicated to contemporary art in Hokkaido, it operated from a renovated former wedding hall before closing for renovations in 2017 or 2018. The institution reopened on May 2, 2025, under the new name J Art Foundation, shifting its focus toward postwar Japanese art while maintaining its role as a significant cultural venue in northern Japan.

The museum opened in April 2006 in the Miyanomori Museum Garden, a former wedding hall that had opened in November 2004. Founded as a private initiative, it represented the first institution in Hokkaido devoted specifically to contemporary art. In 2011, the museum changed its English name to Miyanomori International Museum of Art, Sapporo (MIMAS) and opened a new main gallery wing. That same year, following the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami, the museum commissioned a monumental exterior painting by Guillaume Bottazzi titled "Hope 2011," created in partnership with the French Embassy in Japan. The museum closed for approximately seven years of extensive renovations, during which time it was rebranded as the J Art Foundation. The partial grand opening took place on May 2, 2025, with an inaugural teamLab digital installation and courtyard displays by leading contemporary Japanese artists.

The original collection emphasized Japanese modern and contemporary art from the 1950s to the 1970s, alongside significant international holdings. The museum held what it described as the largest collection of works by Christo and Jeanne-Claude in Asia and Oceania. It also possessed approximately 3,000 photographs by Daido Moriyama dating from the 1950s onward. The collection encompassed works by Lucio Fontana, Frank Stella, Jasper Johns, Yoshishige Saito, Lee Ufan, Guillaume Bottazzi, Sadamasa Motonaga, Takeo Yamaguchi, and Kumi Sugai. Following the 2025 reopening as J Art Foundation, the institution refocused on postwar Japanese art, including pioneers of abstract expression such as Ei-Q and Takeo Yamaguchi, Gutai school artists including Akira Kanayama and Atsuko Tanaka, Mono-ha movement figures, and leading contemporary artists such as Tomoo Gokita and Chiharu Shiota. The museum also maintains a permanent collection of rare original drawings by manga artist Suehiro Maruo, including works from his masterpiece Shojo Tsubaki (The Camellia Girl).

Among the museum's signature holdings were its Christo and Jeanne-Claude collection, the largest of its kind in Asia and Oceania, and its extensive Daido Moriyama photography archive of roughly 3,000 images. The 2011 Guillaume Bottazzi commission, a 900 square meter exterior mural titled "Hope 2011," was created on all sides of the museum building as a tribute following the March 2011 disaster. The museum also acquired a painting by Bottazzi for its permanent collection. Following the 2025 reopening, the courtyard features permanent outdoor installations by Yoshitomo Nara, Kohei Nawa, Noe Aoki, Shiro Matsui, Masayuki Nagare, and teamLab. The inaugural exhibition presented teamLab's "Proliferating Immense Life in the Church Ruins - A Whole Year per Year," a digital installation. The Suehiro Maruo original drawing collection, displayed in rotation, includes works such as The Strange Tale of Panorama Island, Imomushi (Caterpillar), Binzume no Jigoku (Hell in Bottles), The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Lunatic Lovers, Dream Q-SAKU, and Rose-colored Monster.

The museum occupied the Miyanomori Museum Garden, a former wedding hall in the upscale Miyanomori residential district of Chuo Ward, Sapporo. The building was situated at 11-2-1 Miyanomori 2 Jō. The site incorporated landscaped green spaces, outdoor art installations, and pathways blending urban residential surroundings with natural elements including wooded areas and gardens. The 2011 renovation added a new main gallery wing. The exterior featured Guillaume Bottazzi's 900 square meter mural, described as the largest painting in Japan at the time of its creation. Following extensive renovations from 2017 or 2018 until 2025, the facility reopened with improved accessibility features including ramps, elevators, and an accessible restroom on the first basement level of the main wing.

The institution is located at 11-2-1 Miyanomori 2 Jō, Chuo Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. It operates as the J Art Foundation, a private museum. The facility is open Fridays through Tuesdays and national holidays from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM, with last entry at 5:30 PM. It closes annually from December 25 to March 20, though dates may vary. Admission requires advance web reservations: adults pay ¥2,000, students ¥1,500 (ID required), elementary school students ¥500, and preschoolers enter free. The first-floor permanent exhibition is included in the general ticket, while special installations such as teamLab's digital artwork require full access tickets. Public transportation access includes a 19-minute walk from Maruyama Koen Station or Nishi 28-chome Station on the Tozai Subway Line, or bus routes including JR Hokkaido Bus lines 円14, 円15, 円16, or 循環西20, with a 5-minute walk from the "Miyanomori ichiacho" stop. Taxis from JR Sapporo Station take approximately 15 minutes. No on-site parking or bicycle facilities are provided. The museum offers two wheelchairs and two strollers for free rental within the building.