The Saka no Ue no Kumo Museum is an architectural triumph and an institution that traces the history of the Meiji period of the late 1800s in the city. Its name means Japanese for “clouds above the hill,” coming from a historical Japanese novel set in Matsuyama. Discover the municipality’s 19th-century past through the range of fascinating exhibits.
Admire the museum’s dark and tasteful façade, full of glass panels and framed by angled slabs of concrete. It was designed by iconic architect Andō Tadao. Venture inside and upstairs to admire the window views of the forested Shiroyama Park.
Learn about the novel by Ryōtarō Shiba that has heavily influenced the building of the museum as well as other parts of the city. Published in parts from 1968 to 1972, the book depicts the lives of three characters during the Sino-Japanese War and the Russo-Japanese War.
Notice how the museum combines the fictional accounts of the novel with genuine artifacts from its historical period. Study the gold coin excavated from the bottom of a well near a Russian prisoner-of-war camp. Engraved on the coin is the name of a Japanese nurse, who became romantically involved with a prisoner.
Inspect the various exhibits on the natural and human history of Matsuyama and the region. Ask for an audio guide in English from the front desk for a better understanding of the displays.
There is a fee to enter the museum, which opens daily from morning until early evening. It is usually closed on Mondays.
Saka no Ue no Kumo Museum is on the southern fringes of Shiroyama Park in the center of Matsuyama. Ride the tram to the Okaido station and find the museum around a minute’s walk to the west. Explore the area for other interesting sites such as the Matsuyama Castle, the Tsutsuimon Gate and the Bansuisō Villa.
