On Saturday, September 28th, 2019, at the beginning of the Setouchi Triennale 2019 Autumn Session, the Setouchi "Yoichi Midorikawa" Museum opened in Miyanoura Gallery 6 to investigate and exhibit regarding Yoichi Midorikawa, a photographer who photographed the Setouchi area from the 1930's through to the first part of the 2000's. During the unveiling announcement held that day, a tape cut ceremony attended by Motoyuki Shitamichi, the artist who supervised the project, Shinichi Kobayashi, mayor of Naoshima Town, Mizuko Nishi, Yoichi Midorikawa's oldest daughter, and Saburo Miyahara, vice-chairman of the Miyanoura Resident's Association, was held.

During the unveiling announcement, Mayor Kobayashi said, "Mr. Midorikawa was a photographer who recorded not just the Seto Inland Sea but also the lives of the people he shed light on. This is a truly valuable exhibition and a wonderful place for exploring the history of Setouchi." Mitsuko Nishi added, "Father always loved Naoshima. When I was a child, he often took me here to swim in the ocean. I think he left behind many precious works of Naoshima."

Motoyuki Shitamichi, the director of Setouchi "Yoichi Midorikawa" Museum, talked about the museum concept explaining, "We built the museum with the hope it would be a place where people could come to learn about the history of Setouchi by coming and reading books and in other ways kind of like a local museum, and a library, and a community center."

The Setouchi "Yoichi Midorikawa" Museum will be open during the Autumn Session of Setouchi Triennale 2019, September 28 to November 4 (Closed on Mondays. For details, please check the open days calendar.). Be sure to take this opportunity to drop by the museum to enjoy the beauty of the scenes of the Seto Inland Sea and learn of the strength of the people living in this difficult environment through photographs, art collection and other books, photographic equipment, and other items.