Asahi Group Oyamazaki Villa Museum of Art opened to the public in April 1996, following the full restoration of the villa built during the Taisho and early Showa eras by Shotaro Kaga, a wealthy businessman from Kansai region, along with a new additions such as the Underground Jewelry Box annex designed by Tadao Ando.

Relinquished by the Kaga family after Shotaro Kaga's death, the villa began to deteriorate, to the extent that by the early Heisei era it was on the verge of total ruin. Many locals wanted to preserve the valuable villa and its surrounding scenery, as neighboring areas at that time were also experiencing a wave of redevelopment.
Shotaro Kaga had helped to found Nikka Whisky Distilling and was part of the same finance world as his close friend, Tamesaburo Yamamoto, the first president of Asahi Breweries Accepting a request from Kyoto Prefecture and Oyamazaki government, Asahi Breweries decided in partnership with government bodies to preserve the villa back to its original condition and regenerate it as an art museum.

Asahi Group Oyamazaki Villa Museum of Art aims to safeguard the invaluable architecture and exquisite garden for future generations, as well as organizes exhibitions utilizing the Museum's distinctive character in order to communicate the Museum's unique cultural features to the outside world. We hope that the work of the Museum both enriches and delights visitors.