Shimane Arts Center “Grand Toit”

Shimane Arts Center, nicknamed “Grand Toit,” is the facility that houses both the “Shimane Iwami Art Museum” and the “Shimane Iwami Art Theater”. At the center of art and culture in the Iwami region, this facility provides its visitors with the opportunities to appreciate the diverse fine arts and culture through mutual collaboration of art, music, theater, and other genres. While cherishing the culture of the Iwami region, they also aim to foster the creation of new art and culture within the local community.

The Shimane Arts Center’s nickname comes from the French word “grand toit” which means large roof. The roof and the walls of the building are decorated with “sekishu-gawara” roof tiles, which are traditionally used and produced in the Iwami region. Their characteristic maroon hue shimmer in the sunlight reflecting the light off of their surface. In the middle of the complex is a 25sq m basin located in a 45sq m courtyard that is surrounded by glass corridors and is a place for visitors to relax at. There is also a restaurant, cafe, library and museum shop that visitors can explore.

Iwami Art Museum
Regardless of region, theme, and age, the Iwami Art Museum collects art from all over the world. They hold lectures and workshops to deepen people’s understandings of art. They hold many special event exhibitions throughout the year, in addition to their permanent exhibition.

Iwami Arts Theater
Is a facility that provides artists with a space for their artistic expressions through theater. The auditoriums include one of the largest stages in Shimane, and are equipped with state-of-the-art acoustics suitable for musicals, concerts, and other performing arts.