The art collection of the countries of the East - Mongolia, India, Vietnam, Japan, China and Korea includes about 800 works. These were received after the museum's was founded in 1983. The works were donated from private collections of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Moscow and St.Petersbuig. Some of the collection consists of gifts of both private collectors and public organizations. The collection represents "Art of the Far East Countries" from the second half of the 19th century through the middle of the 20th century. It also includes works of the 1980's, 1990's which were periods of active communication with Japan and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
The Chinese Art collection is in the process of being completed. This collection consists of about 100 works including paintings, calligraphy, small plastic works, and various types of arts and crafts.
The result of the creative cooperation between the Department of Culture and Tourism of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and the Trade Community "Koryo" of the Art Association "Mansude" of Pyongyang (DPRK) was the exhibition of modem art in 1990. Key works acquired from that exhibition became the basis of the "Art Of Korea" section of the museum. These works represent traditional styles of decorative arts and crafts and the modem Korean painting "chosonhva", related to the Chinese one "gohua".
The ancient national trade – nacre encrustation on black varnish – is represented by a decorative panel and furniture: a table on short legs and folding-screen “Ancient Pyongyang". Using the ancient technology “nadgon”, the authors of the folding-screen Pak Tchkhan Mo and Li Tchkhol Khva, unlike the masters of the past, used toned nacre on multi-layer glassy varnish base that adds expres-siveness.
Ornamental design of vessels of black nephrite is rich in variety of forms and sculpture folklore and religious motives.
The beginning of the Japanese art collection started with the donation of 170 woiks from the Kholmsk inhabitant E.A. Khomyakov. These woiks were from the 19th centrury through the 20th century. Today the collection is one of the most numerous containing over 600 works, mainly from the period of Japanese prefecture Karamto (1905-1945) in the South of the Island.
The collection of Buddhist cult items takes a deserving place in the collection of arts and crafts. The home altar of Buddha Amida, received in 1986, was created according to the amidaism canons at the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th centuries. The composition of various types of fine art presupposes creation of convincing and eloquent picture of the Western paradise, where Amida lived. The altar of Buddha Amida is the material embodiment of teaching about moral-philosophical essence of natural life.