The entire gallery is now a bonded warehouse. The only department store gallery in Japan where you can buy art, duty-free and no custom duty, is open～Daimaru Kobe "Gallery TOART''"

▲Source Daimaru Kobe Store

The exotic Motomachi district of Kobe. A gallery space and studio where visitors can view artworks remotely has opened in the Daimaru Kobe shop in this corner of the city.The spacious 290 m2 shop is organised around three themes: contemporary art, paintings and crafts, and works from overseas galleries, each of which changes on a weekly basis, so there is always something new to see. There are always new encounters with new artworks.

Let's take a look at the composition of the gallery and the works on display.

■Gallery 1 featuring mainly contemporary art
We are exhibiting the works of artists who are active in Japan and abroad, focusing on the current trend of street art. You can come across many works by young artists that give you a sense of new trends in painting. If you are lucky, you may be able to talk directly with the artists themselves who are visiting the gallery.

▲ Momoko Mayuyama "The Departure of the Stars"
The work pictured is very interesting, in which the artist has stylishly painted a picture on a violin, which they themselves also play.

▲ DOLK "Pigmask red Toy spraypaint" silkscreen and spray paint, 2021
An artist from Norway. In 2010, he was commissioned by the Norwegian government to create murals in Halden Prison.

▲Nick Walker "Departure" silkscreen, 2021
An English artist, known for influencing Banksy.

■Gallery 2 where works are mainly paintings and crafts
You can see the traditional techniques of artists who are said to be masters of Japanese painting, as well as the new styles and techniques of young artists. Works include Japanese paintings, Wajima-nuri lacquerware, and glass crafts.

▲Masafumi Onishi “Red Tanba Flower Vase”

■ Remote Studio that allows you to view works remotely and reception space

It is a studio where you can connect the works of overseas galleries with a network and see the works that interest you. In the future, it will be possible to see and purchase the works from overseas. There is a reception area next to it.
In addition, the entire gallery is a section of a bonded storage area, and it is possible to bring famous works from overseas to this place without paying customs duty. It is the only department store in Japan that can handle this.

▲Right side: Remote Studio　Left side: Customer service space, usually partitioned so that customers cannot be seen.

■ Message from Gallery TOART to guests visiting Japan
In a relaxed space like a museum, we want visitors to enjoy seeing what kind of artwork is supported in Japan, even if they do not buy the artwork. Most of the paintings and ceramic works are one-off pieces, and we want visitors to see the techniques and traditional culture of these works up close, hold them in their hands and feel their splendour.
There are two areas in the gallery where visitors can relax while looking at the artwork. The works can be shipped to your home country and are eligible for duty-free delivery, so please stop by.

■Location of Gallery TOART Daimaru Kobe
　　　Address: 40 Akashi-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe-shi Daimaru Kobe store 8th floor
　　　Contact: 078-331-8121
Nearest station: JR Motomachi Station, Hanshin Motomachi Station 3 minute walk
　　　　　Subway Kaigan Line Kyukyoryuchi/Daimaru-mae Station 1 minute walk
　 　Business hours: 10:00-19:00
HP: https://www.daimaru.co.jp/kobe...