Discover the Fascinating World of Natural Forms
Shells
Precise spiraling patterns, from understated to vibrant colors, shimmering mother-of-pearl that changes with the light, sculptures and patterns that appear regularly... We humans have envisioned, named, and classified a wide variety of shells as familiar objects. The Seashell Gallery is filled with the fascinating shapes created by nature.
Kurohara Collection
The shells displayed in The Seashell Gallery were collected by Kazuo Kurohara (1928-2018), a Western-style painter from Tosashimizu City. When he was 23 years old, his work titled "Nostalgia," featuring shells as a motif, won a special award at the prefectural exhibition. From this time on, Kurohara became deeply immersed in shell collecting. He developed a collection route with the help of many people, including fishermen who ventured into Tosa Bay. His home was filled with piles of shells. By the mid-1960s, when The Seashell Gallery opened, his collection had reached tens of thousands of specimens.
At the same time, there was a movement to upgrade the "Ashizuri-Uwakai Quasi-National Park" (designated in 1955) to a National Park, and the momentum for tourism development was building in the Tatsukushi area of Tosashimizu City. Amidst this, with the recommendation of Mr. Tadashige Habe from the Malacological Society of Japan, a facility to display the Kurohara Collection was constructed in Tatsukushi. When The Seashell Gallery opened in 1967, the exhibition boasted approximately 50,000 pieces of 3,000 different species on display, and many tourists were fascinated by the Kurohara Collection.
Kazuo Kurohara walking along the shore with shells and art supplies.
Exhibition of precious shells (Dome Display) and second-floor soffit
Kazuo Kurohara ”Hymn to Shells" (circa 1976)
Main Exhibits
On the first floor, the dome-shaped display cases showcase rare and valuable seashells. Visitors can see Japan’s three most treasured shells—"Nesiocypraea langfordi langfordi Kuroda," "Nesiocypraea hirasei Roberts," and "Nesiocypraea teramachii teramachii"—as well as the "Entemnotrochus rumphii," which once fetched a price of 3.6 million yen.
The Kurohara Memorial Room on the first floor exhibits shells named after Kurohara himself, such as "Lyncina kuroharai" and "Claviscala kuroharai."
Looking up through the atrium from the first to the second floor, visitors can see “Mimachlamys nobilis” (which is commonly eaten in the Ashizuri-Uwakai region) and “Harinagarinbo,” illuminated beautifully by natural light. The display subtly changes with the seasons, weather, and time of day, allowing visitors to fully appreciate the transparent beauty envisioned by architect Masako Hayashi. It is reminiscent of viewing seashells underwater as light streams down from above.
The second floor features a diverse collection of shells in various sizes, shapes, colors, and patterns, highly regarded by experts and seashell enthusiasts alike.
Additionally, The Seashell Gallery displays paintings and collages by Kurohara, inspired by seashell motifs. Be sure to enjoy them alongside the shell collection.
Discover the Fascinating World of Architectural Spatial Design
Architecture
The Seashell Gallery is filled with fascinating spatial and architectural expressions. Cantilevered staircases, granite paving arranged like rippling sand patterns, and wave-like shimmering lighting designed by sculptor Minami Tada.
Natural light and the folded-plate roof create intricate geometric patterns, while the structure itself balances like a yajirobē (a traditional Japanese balancing toy).
Masako Hayashi’s Masterpiece
The Seashell Gallery was designed by Masako Hayashi (1928–2001), one of the pioneering female architects. Although her work primarily focused on residential design, The Seashell Gallery—into which she poured her passion in her mid-30s—became an unconventional, yet defining work in her career.
Even in her later years, it is said that she kept photographs of the gallery by her desk. Perhaps this is because the gallery clearly embodies the "framework of space" that she had long aspired to create throughout her architectural journey. Later, her design methods—articulated through concepts such as "folding," "splitting," "cantilevering," and "omitting"—were masterfully realized in the spatial composition of The Seashell Gallery.
Source of Inspiration
"The fascinating forms and structures of seashells, as well as their bold and dazzling colors, are so exquisite that it’s almost unbelievable they were created by nature."
Masako Hayashi, inspired by Kazuo Kurohara’s appreciation for natural forms, sought to design a space where seashells could be displayed in their most beautiful state. She began her design process by sketching cross-sections, envisioning the beauty of seashells as they appear underwater—gently illuminated from above in the dim ocean depths. This vision ultimately shaped the exhibition space of The Seashell Gallery. Additionally, the continuous skylight running east to west evolved from her own earlier work, Outspreading House (1964). The striking folded-plate roof structure also reflects the influence of her mentor, architect Kiyoshi Seike, particularly his Kyushu Institute of Technology Memorial Auditorium (1960).
Masako Hayashi at the drafting table
Cross-section sketch of The Sea Gallery
Garden Area
A leisurely
pleasant time
relaxing
The garden area extending to the south of the building is another highlight of The Seashell Gallery.
Sitting on the terrace and looking southeast, you can catch a glimpse of the sea beyond the garden. To the southwest, lush green hills gently embrace the space, creating a tranquil and relaxing spot to unwind and enjoy the moment.
How to Enjoy the Garden Area
While pine trees once stood out in the landscape, the garden is now dominated by evergreen trees like oak. A camphor tree planted around the time of the gallery’s opening has grown large enough to be perfect for a treehouse or a swing. In the mornings and evenings, local cats often come to play.
Feel free to run around the garden with your children or take your time relaxing with takeout from the nearby roadside station or coffee shop. Outside food and drinks are welcome on the terrace and in the garden. The space is open for personal use, as well as for music events, school outings, and other gatherings.
※ For groups or commercial use, please refer to the "Usage Guide."
Life Stories
History
Woven
The nearly 60-year history of The Seashell Gallery is a tapestry woven from countless activities and the overlapping life stories of many individuals. In this moment, as you read this text, you too become a part of The Seashell Gallery's history, adding your own life story to its legacy.
Kazuo Kurohara and Shoji & Masako Hayashi
Around the time the construction of The Seashell Gallery was planned, Kazuo Kurohara came across a building in Ginza that resembled a spiral shell. It was the "San-ai Dream Center," designed by architect Shoji Hayashi.
Intrigued by the architect behind this “spiral shell” structure, Kurohara was introduced to Shoji Hayashi through Masao Ohki of "BIJUTSU SHUPPAN-SHA CO., LTD" (Art Publishing Co.). However, Shoji Hayashi primarily designed office buildings and commercial facilities, so the responsibility for designing The Seashell Gallery was given to his wife, Masako Hayashi.
Shoji also frequently accompanied Masako to the construction site. For both of them, this project became deeply significant. The gallery was completed in 1966.
Hayashi couple at the dining table
The gallery filled with tourists
Kazuo Kurohara guiding Emperor Showa Hirohito
Tourism Boom
The Seashell Gallery opened in February 1967. The opening was widely covered in newspapers, and the number of visitors to the Tatsukushi area, which had previously been around 4,000 per year, surged dramatically. With the area’s designation as a national park in 1972 and the opening of several nearby tourist facilities, more than 30,000 people visited The Seashell Gallery annually by the 1970s.
At the time, tour buses carrying large groups of visitors arrived one after another. Specimen shells collected on the beach and lamps crafted from sea urchin shells were particularly popular souvenirs. In 1976, the Crown Prince and Princess (now Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko) visited the gallery followed by Emperor Showa Hirohito two years later. During these royal visits, Kazuo Kurohara personally guided the guests, engaging in in-depth discussions with Emperor Showa, who shared an academic interest in marine life. Photographs from that time, along with a collection of Sagami Bay Shells personally presented by Emperor Showa, are on display inside the gallery.
Preservation and Revival
Although the Tatsukushi area once flourished as a major tourist destination, visitor numbers gradually declined throughout the 1980s. At the same time, The Seashell Gallery began to show signs of aging. By 1993, persistent leaks in the skylight had led to the installation of a waterproof sheet, and reinforcing bars had become exposed at the eaves. In 2000, scheduled sightseeing bus services were discontinued, and the gallery's annual visitors dropped to around 2,500.
Rumors of the gallery’s closure began to spread. In 2001, Masako Hayashi passed away. Her husband, Shoji Hayashi, visited the site with architects from inside and outside Kochi Prefecture seeking a way to preserve the gallery. Their efforts soon attracted other architects who admired Masako as a pioneering female architect, as well as Kazuo Kurohara and local supporters. This led to the formation of the “Society for Revitalizing The Seashell Gallery”.
They raised awareness of the gallery’s plight through traveling exhibitions about Masako Hayashi. These were held across Japan and also brought to Tosashimizu. Fundraising efforts and financial negotiations followed. The cause was further supported when the gallery was selected as one of “The 100 Most Important Modern Movement Buildings in Japan” (DOCOMOMO Japan, 2003). Finally, in May 2004, The Seashell Gallery reopened after a full renovation.
The skylight covered with a waterproof sheet (during DOCOMOMO Japan inspection)
DOCOMOMO Japan Designated Architecture plaque and National Registered Tangible Cultural Property plaque
Beloved and Cherished: The Seashell Gallery
In 2019, The Seashell Gallery entered its 52nd year, and it was officially registered as a National Tangible Cultural Property. Although Kazuo Kurohara passed away the year before without hearing the news of the designation, he continued to visit and cherish the gallery until his final days. The passion of the Hayashi couple has also been passed down to those who have dedicated themselves to its preservation and restoration, ensuring the gallery's continued existence today. And above all, The Seashell Gallery is supported by every visitor who steps inside and by every person who holds it dear in their heart.
Timeline
- 1965 – Tadashige Habe of the Malacological Society of Japan proposes the exhibition of the Kurohara Collection
in the “Tatsukushi Underwater Park Survey Report.”
- 1966 – The building, designed by architect Masako Hayashi, is completed.
- 1967 – Opens in February as Tosashimizu City Tatsukushi Shellfish Museum “The Seashell Gallery.”
Over 100,000 visitors in its first year.
- 1976 – Crown Prince and Princess (later Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko) visit.
Annual visitors reach 36,673.
- 1978 – Emperor Showa Hirohito visits, guided by Kazuo Kurohara.
- 1993 – Skylight sealed due to persistent leaks.
- 2000 – Scheduled sightseeing bus service discontinued. Visitor numbers drop to 1,313 the following year.
- 2002 – Efforts to preserve and restore the gallery intensify.
- 2003 – Selected as one of "The 100 Most Important Modern Movement Buildings in Japan" by DOCOMOMO Japan.
- 2005 – Tosashimizu City council approves the gallery’s preservation and renovation. Reopens in May.
- 2019 – Officially registered as a "National Tangible Cultural Property."