Do you know "Nagaizumi-cho", which stretches narrowly at the foot of Mt. Ashitaka near Mishima and Numazu overlooking Mt. Fuji? There are many parks and scenic spots that make use of the rich nature, and it is an area full of various leisure spots such as museums and botanical gardens.

In Nagaizumi-cho, Sunto-gun, Shizuoka Prefecture, there is "Clematis Hill" where you can enjoy art to your heart's content in the grand nature. There is also a free shuttle bus from Mishima Station, the gateway to Izu, so it is a popular spot that you should stop by when sightseeing around Izu and Mt. Fuji.

This time, I will tell you about the charm of Clematis Hill!

* Notice (Please check the details from the URL below)
https://www.clematis-no-oka.co.jp/vangi-museum/news/1447/

・Vangi Sculpture Garden Museum/Clematis Garden: Closed for the time being from January 2023

・Restaurant (Tessen, Pizzeria & Trattoria Chao Chao) and Shop (Museum Shop NOHARA BOOKS, Boutique Clematis, Flower Shop): Closed on December 25, 2022

You can enjoy magnificent nature, art and gourmet all at once!
What is Clematis Hill?

Clematis Hill is a complex cultural facility located in Nagaizumi town at the foot of Mt. Ashitaka. There are two museums, a garden/natural park, a literature museum, a restaurant and a cafe on the hilly grounds. It is a spot where you can spend your time as you wish, not only by strolling through gardens and natural parks where you can feel the charm of the four seasons, and by appreciating sculptures and paintings, but also enjoying gourmet food while feeling the grandeur of nature nearby.

Clematis Hill is roughly divided into two areas: the "Buffet Area" centered on the Bernard Buffet Museum, and the "Clematis Garden Area" which is a complex of gardens, museums, restaurants and shops.

Depending on how much time you spend appreciating art and how you spend your time, this is a spot where you can spend half a day to a full day.

Access to Clematis Hill

Clematis Hill has a parking lot, so you can access it by car, and you can also use the free shuttle bus to and from Mishima Station.

When using the shuttle bus, the time required for each is as follows.

・JR Mishima Station ⇔ Clematis Hill: about 25 minutes
・Clematis Garden Area ⇔ Buffet Area: About 3 minutes
*Stops are in the order of JR Mishima Station North Exit → Clematis Hill → Bernard Buffet Museum

The time for the free shuttle bus is fixed, so be sure to check in advance.
You can walk between areas in about 15 minutes.

Now let's take a look at each area!

[Buffet area]
50th anniversary of opening in 2023!
Bernard Buffet Museum & Nagaizumi-cho Yasushi Inoue Literature Museum

In the buffet area, there are the Bernard Buffet Museum (Buffet Children's Museum), the Nagaizumi-cho Inoue Yasushi Museum of Literature, the Cafe & Shop TREEHOUSE, and the Surugadaira Nature Park. The Museum of Art and Literature opened in November 1973 and will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2023.

Bernard Buffet Museum

The Bernard Buffet Museum was founded by Kiichiro Okano to collect and exhibit the works of Bernard Buffet, a French painter representing the postwar figurative art world. It boasts the world's largest Buffet collection, with more than 2,000 works in its collection, including oil paintings, watercolors, drawings, prints, illustrations, and posters.

Bernard Buffet Museum Exhibition Room Entrance

Large exhibition room for displaying large-scale works

Born in Paris, France, Bernard Buffet was a figurative painter who won the Critics Prize at the young age of 19 and made a shocking debut. With its black outlines and restrained use of color, it is said to depict the anxiety and emptiness of the post-World War II era, and caused a Buffet phenomenon.

At the Bernard Buffet Museum, more than 100 of his works are on display at all times. Until March 26, 2023 (Sunday), they are holding a special exhibition "Line Painter Bernard Buffet" that traces the changes in the expression of "line", which can be said to be the greatest feature of his work, along with his life.

The insect sculpture at the entrance of the museum is a rare three-dimensional work by Buffet, who likes nature and living things. It is installed only here at the Bernard Buffet Museum and in the village of Tourtour in the south of France that Buffet loved.

Buffet Children's Museum

On the 1st floor of the annex of the Bernard Buffet Museum, there is also the "Buffet Children's Museum", which is a place to create opportunities for children to encounter art. Among the various works in the museum, there are some that you can touch and play with.

"Rock and Roll and Life" by Nagaizumi-based author Jet Hasegawa

In an environment surrounded by artworks, you can enjoy art while playing with all five senses, such as looking at and actually touching artworks.

The big attraction is that parents and children can enjoy it while stimulating the sensibilities of children. Currently, it is available by advance reservation system.

For more information on using the Buffet Children's Museum, please click here.
https://www.clematis-no-oka.co.jp/buffet-museum/news/1833/

Cafe & Shop TREEHOUSE

Cafe and shop "TREEHOUSE" attached to the Bernard Buffet Museum. It was named after the 50-year-old camphor tree, the symbolic tree of the museum that stands in front of you.

The interior of the restaurant, which was built using wood as the base, is a place where you can spend a relaxing time, and you can look out over the trees from the wide windows. The work at the entrance is "Otokibayashi" by Akihiro Sugiyama, a writer living in Kannami Town. You can actually touch it with your hands and make sounds.

Spending time feeling the changes of the four seasons is a special feeling. Popular menu items include “French toast” and cute “cat curry” with cat-shaped rice and paw-shaped toppings, but you can’t miss the homemade seasonal sweets.

French toast

In the museum shop, in addition to art-related books such as Buffets, books, picture books, toys, etc. for children and women are also available. You don't have to enter the museum to enter the cafe and shop.

In addition, original goods such as postcards and posters of Bernard Buffet's works, writing paper, clear files, and bags are also available.

Among them, T-shirts and calendars featuring Buffet's work seem to be popular.

Nagaizumi-cho Inoue Yasushi Literature Museum

Born in the Meiji period, Yasushi Inoue is a literary master who produced many masterpieces such as "Furinkazan", "Hyoheki", and "Asunaro Monogatari". He spent his childhood and youth in Shizuoka Prefecture, and from the age of 15, he spent five years in Mishima and Numazu.

Yasushi Inoue Museum of Literature opened on November 25, 1973 (Showa 48). The Literature Museum was built on this site in connection with the song "Kangetsu Ga Kakarebaki Kimiwo Shinobukana Ashitakayama No Fumotoni Sumau."

At the time, it was rare for a private literature museum to be established during the author's lifetime, and it became a hot topic. After the museum opened, Yasushi Inoue is said to have visited many times and interacted with readers.

The Literature Museum has two floors, and on the first floor, rare books such as first editions and limited editions, manuscripts, fountain pens and other favorite items are displayed.

In the "Museum Library" on the second floor, there is also a space where you can read books freely. The bookshelves are lined with a variety of books, from picture books for children to works by Yasushi Inoue and works by writers associated with Nagaizumi Town.

A desk with a bookstand is also available, so it is recommended for those who want to immerse themselves in reading in a quiet space.

You can also try the "Yasushi Inoue Test" to learn about Yasushi Inoue in a fun way. There are three levels: beginner, intermediate, and advanced, each in the form of a four-question quiz. The answers to the beginner and intermediate level questions are found in the exhibits of the museum, and many of the questions are related to Yasushi Inoue's personality and personal life, so you will feel more familiar with him.

Surugadaira Natural Park

Right next to theBuffet area is the spacious Surugadaira Natural Park, with a total area of approximately 43,000 square meters.

Taking advantage of the natural topography, there are lawn plazas, observatories, and ponds that use natural spring water. The 130-meter-long suspension bridge (Yuyubashi) that crosses the park is also popular.

It is also a famous cherry blossom spot in the local area, and is crowded with many cherry blossom viewers in the spring. It's perfect for walking and trekking courses as you can enjoy the beauty of nature in every season.

Traveling from the Buffet area to the Clematis area can be reached in about 15 minutes through this park.