The Home of the Heart is Here —
Doll Art by Mayumi Takahashi
A couple talking together in one place, walking home holding hands, a secret hideout with friends... Mayumi Takahashi's dolls evoke a sense of nostalgia as if they had met before, and the warmth of human contact. Living in the rich natural environment of Nagano Prefecture, where the four seasons are abundant, she creates dolls based on motifs such as the everyday life of her family and the people living in her community.
Mayumi Takahashi has continued to create dolls with the desire to "not forget, to leave behind precious things." "Hometown" is one of them. It could be the place of one's birth, a place encountered on a trip, or even the home of one's heart. We hope you will spend some time thinking about the various "hometowns" through Mayumi Takahashi's dolls.
Outline
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Admission
Adults and university students: 1,300 yen; elementary, middle and high school students: 650 yen
* Elementary and junior high school students receive free admission on Saturdays.
* Groups of 15 or more receive a 20% discount on admission fees. -
Advance tickets (until January 8, 2026)
Adults and university students: 1,000 yen / High, junior high & elementary school students: 500 yen
Available at:
○ Sano Art Museum (until December 21, 2025)
○ Seven-Eleven (Ticket Pia/P Code: 687-344)
○ Family Mart (please purchase directly at CN Play Guide [multi-copy machine]) -
Discounted Tickets (During the Exhibition)
Adults and university students: 1,170 yen / High, junior high & elementary school students: 590 yen
Available at:
〇 Staffed stations on the Izuhakone Railway Sunzu Line
○ Seven-Eleven (Ticket Pia/P Code: 687-344)
○ Family Mart (please purchase directly at CN Play Guide [multi-copy machine]) -
Opening Hours
10:00–17:00 (Last admission at 16:30) -
Closed Days
Thursdays, February 16 (Monday) to February 20 (Friday) -
Organized by
Sano Art Museum, Mishima City, Mishima City Board of Education, The Shizuoka Shimbun and Shizuoka Broadcasting System -
Supported by
Shizuoka Prefectural Board of Education -
Grant Support
Mishima Shinkin Bank -
Publicity Support
Izu-Hakone Railway Co., Ltd. -
Special Cooperation
Mayumi Takahashi Museum of Doll Art -
Cooperation
Yamato Transport Co., Ltd.
Profile
Mayumi Takahashi
She lives in Iiyama City, Nagano Prefecture. She learned the basics of doll making through correspondence courses and, through trial and error, developed the style of dolls she creates today. She has won various awards, including the Grand Prize in her category at the 1998 Yuzawaya Creative Awards. Since 2003, she has been running a national traveling exhibition produced by the Executive Committee for "Gifts from Back Home." By spring 2010, her works had been exhibited in 95 locations across Japan, attracting 1.8 million visitors and receiving rave reviews at each venue.
In 2010, Mayumi Takahashi Museum of Doll Art opened in Iiyama City, Nagano Prefecture. Her work has quietly found its way into various fields, including appearances in television commercials and on NHK’s “Minna no Uta.”
Also on View
A Retrospective of the Artwork of Yutaka Murakami and Regional Artists from Eastern Shizuoka
This exhibition highlights the original illustrations of Yutaka Murakami, a painter from Mishima City in eastern Shizuoka Prefecture. Alongside Murakami’s works, we will also present pieces by artists from the same region, including Hansei Hosoi and Chuji Kurihara.
The Hina Dolls Collection of the Sano Art Museum
The Hina Matsuri, or Doll Festival, is a traditional celebration wishing for the healthy growth and well-being of young girls. On a spring day, we invite you to enjoy the splendid world of hina dolls at the Sano Art Museum.