Tokyo

Tokyo has established itself on the global art scene with a vibrant network of artists, galleries, and institutions that reflect its distinct position between centuries-old tradition and future-oriented technology. Whether you're looking to see traditional paintings or avant-garde installations, emerging talent or established artists, our Tokyo Art Guide filters through the noise to bring you the best of the city.

Autumn and spring are the best times to visit, and not only for the weather—Tokyo Art Week launches in early November, while Art Fair Tokyo graces the city in March. Essential stops for any art lover include the Roppongi and Shibuya districts where major galleries congregate, and the lively Harajuku district, among other places.

Galleries in Roppongi and Beyond

Reputed for its booming nightlife, skyscrapers, and cultural scene, Roppongi district is home to many of Tokyo's independent and commercial galleries.

Established blue chip gallery Perrotin, who represents internationally recognised artists including Takashi Murakami and Park Seo-Bo, is located in the Piramide mall alongside Ota Fine Arts, Yutaka Kikutake Gallery, Wako Works of Art, and SCAI Piramide.

Since 1994, Ota Fine Arts has introduced exceptional talent to Japan's contemporary art scene, and represents many renowned artists including Yayoi Kusama. In recent years the gallery has opened additional spaces in Shanghai and Singapore, expanding its roster to include artists from wider Asia such as Guo-Liang Tan and Chen Wei.

Tucked in the back streets of Roppongi Hills is Complex665 (Roppongi Art Complex), opened in 2016. The space houses a trio of modern galleries that bring fresh perspectives to contemporary art: Tomio Koyama Gallery, ShugoArts, and Taka Ishii Gallery.

Since opening in 1996, Tomio Koyama Gallery has represented local and international talent such as Kishio Suga, Mika Ninagawa, and Richard Tuttle. Launched in 2000, Shugo Arts, launched in 2000, supports both young and established artists, among them Ritsue Mishima, Leiko Ikemura, Yasumasa Morimura, and Lee Kit.

Across its three Tokyo spaces, Taka Ishii Gallery highlights contemporary art and photography, with represented artists including Jadé Fadojutimi, Takashi Ishida, and Luke Fowler.

First opening its doors in the now demolished Shokuryo Building in 1998, Taro Nasu relocated to Roppongi in 2003 then to Bakuro-cho Tokyo in 2008. The gallery returned to Roppongi in 2019, opening a new space designed by Mount Fuji Architects, and has presented works from both Japanese and international artists, with its current roster including Omer Fast, Lawrence Weiner, and Ryoji Ikeda.

Nearby in Higashiazabu, Take Ninagawa has promoted cross-generational Japanese and international contemporary art since 2008. The gallery pushes against aesthetic and ideological boundaries, as noted in their exhibitions by Shinro Ohtake, Danh Vo, and Wang Bing.

In the fashionable district of Kagurazaka is √K Contemporary (Root K Contemporary), a contemporary gallery with an offering that spans traditional, post-war, and contemporary art. Established in 2020, √K Contemporary has already drawn significant attention with exhibitions by Hiroshi Fujimatsu and Tadashi Sugimata.

Founded by Takashi Murakami, Kaikai Kiki Gallery seeks to bring new perspectives to Japan's contemporary art scene. The gallery exhibits artists such as Virgil Abloh, Chiho Aoshima, Shin Murata, and Aya Takano.

Galleries in Shibuya and Beyond

Tokyo's financial hub Shibuya sites some of the city's most innovative galleries. Breaking away from traditional aesthetic parameters is NANZUKA, formerly known as Nanzuka Underground. The gallery represents a wide range of international artists, from Wahab Saheed to Toshio Saeki.

MAKI Gallery represents a host of new and established Japanese artists, often with a focus on distinct treatment of a topic or medium.

Blum & Poe, now BLUM, opened their Harajuku gallery in 2014. Including a publishing division and broadcasting network, BLUM Tokyo represents cult names including Lynda Benglis, Yoshitomo Nara, and Kenjirō Okazaki.

In the neighbouring wards of Shibuya, Yumiko Chiba Associates (YCA) in Shinjuku is a contemporary gallery born out of an artist management office in 1998. YCA provides a space for both established emerging artists, hosting a variety of exhibitions by artists including Jiro Takamatsu and Masafumi Maita.

A landmark in the affluent Ginza district, Whitestone Gallery has represented generations of post-war modernists since 1967, including Gutai group founder Jirō Yoshihara, and abstract painter Kazuo Shiraga.

Located inside the Treeness House in Toshima is Misako & Rosen, a gallery with a collaborative approach that seeks alternatives to existing commercial practices. Its local and international representations include Hisachika Takahashi, Vincent Fecteau, and Margaret Lee. SCAI The Bathhouse, housed in a former 200-year-old bath house, presents an eclectic roster that includes Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Anish Kapoor, and Jenny Holzer.

Near the Tennozu Isle Station the Terrada Art Complex houses numerous leading galleries, including KOSAKU KANECHIKA, ANOMALY, and Yukiko Mizutani.

Founded in 2017, KOSAKU KANECHIKA celebrates Japanese contemporary artists whose practices combine tradition with modernity. Notable represented artists include Junko Oki, Yutaka Aoki, and Takuro Kuawata.

Also situated within the Terrada Art Complex are secondary gallery spaces such as SCAI Park, Tomio Koyama Gallery Tennoz, and ShugoArts Studio, as well as artist studios, a garden, and a café.

Offering up a multitude of notable institutions, Tokyo's bustling metropolitan area is home to the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, the Yayoi Kusama Museum, and Yumiko Chiba Associates.

Located in the heart of Kiba Park, the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo boasts a collection of around 5,500 works of art. It also houses the Art Library, with a collection of 270,000 books and publications.

In Shinjuku, the Yayoi Kusama Museum brings together works by the eponymous Japanese artist, with the aim of developing contemporary art and fostering art engagement of people from creative communities around the world.

One of Tokyo's largest museums, the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo (MOMAT) opened in 1952 to encourage public interest in modern art. MOMAT is home to a rich collection of 20^th-century and post-war Japanese art, and also houses the Kōgeikan Crafts Gallery.

In the heart of Roppongi is the National Art Center, Tokyo (NACT) which offers a broad programme of exhibitions, workshops, and talks. The building's futuristic rippled glass facade is an iconic part of Tokyo's impressive skyline, designed by Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa.

While NACT does not maintain a permanent collection, it has held major exhibitions featuring works by Lee Ufan, Yayoi Kusama, and Man Ray.

Other highlights include the Mori Art Museum, a space dedicated to showcasing the best of international contemporary art, as well as Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum and 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT.

Since it was launched in 2010, Ocula Magazine has interviewed some of Japan's most significant artists, including Yoshitomo Nara, Chiharu Shiota, Mariko Mori, Tatsuo Miyajima, Hiroshi Sugimoto, and Koki Tanaka.

Sign up to My Ocula to follow artists and galleries, save artworks to your favourites, and be informed when new exhibitions and features are published.

Tokyo has propelled the careers of Japanese and international artists, with its renowned galleries and museums providing a global stage for seminal exhibitions. Artists who have recently held major exhibitions in the city include Lee Ufan, Rika Noguchi, Kenjiro Okazaki, and Yayoi Kusama.

Sign up to My Ocula to follow artists and galleries, save artworks to your favourites, and be informed when new artworks become available.

Placing a spotlight on the vibrancy of the Japanese contemporary art scene, Tokyo Art Week brings together over 50 established museums and galleries across different locations in the city. Established in 2021, the citywide initiative offers an exciting programme of exhibitions, performances, and talks for art lovers, occurring once a year in the autumn.

Art Fair Tokyo is Japan's biggest art fair and delivers a platform for contemporary artists to sell their work directly to the public. The fair showcases a variety of art from antiques, impressionist paintings, and ancient earthenware to modern and contemporary art.To accompany the fair's vast gallery displays, Art Fair Tokyo presents a section of projects dedicated to the display of the future of Japan's art scene.

Other major events that attract visitors to the city include the Tokyo International Art Fair. Established in 2015, which has introduced local and international talent to the global art scene, and Tokyo Gendai, launched in 2023, which showcases leading galleries fromAsia and the broader Asia-Pacific region, as well as around the world.