Art and Photography Museums

Located in Tokyo's Sumida City Ward, the birth place of Katsushika Hokusai, the well-done, fully bilingual Sumida Hokusai Museum features a permanent exhibition room with Hokusai's works through his life and interesting information about ukiyo-e in general, as well as exhibition space for rotating, temporary exhibitions related to the great painter.

This museum exhibits various Japanese and East Asian works of art with an emphasis on tea related art pieces and ancient Chinese bronzes. It also includes a spacious garden with a pond surrounded by a small forest and several tea houses.

The Idemitsu Museum of Arts stages exhibitions of Japanese and East Asian art from the collection of the founder of the Idemitsu petroleum company. There is also a traditional tea room and a ceramics gallery.

This small and elegant museum exhibits selected ukiyo-e paintings and prints from the vast collection of the late Ota Seizo, which is comprised of more than 10,000 pieces of art. Exhibits are changed monthly.

The National Museum of Modern Art displays works of modern art (from the Meiji Period on) produced by Japanese artists. The museum hosts permanent as well as temporary exhibitions.

The Yayoi Kusama Museum is the first museum of its kind dedicated to the works of Kusama Yayoi. Two exhibitions are held each year with curated artworks spread over the four gallery floors. Visitors must make advance online reservations to visit the museum.

This museum displays Western art, primarily by European artists. There are rotating exhibitions from the museum's collection as well as temporary special exhibitions. The museum is Japan's only building designed by Le Corbusier and has been designated a World Heritage site alongside a few other buildings designed by the pioneer of modern architecture.

Originally built in 1894 for the Mitsubishi Company as the first Western style office building in the Marunouchi district, the Ichigokan was reconstructed and opened in 2010 as a museum focusing on 19th century Western art.

This unique museum stages exhibitions in the former residence of a prince, built in Art Deco style in the 1930s, and in a modern annex. Exhibitions change periodically and cover various art forms, including paintings, sculptures, tableware and jewelery by mainly European, Russian and Japanese artists. The residence also features a Japanese-style pond garden.

This museum displays all types of art in its six galleries. There is no permanent collection, but multiple, concurrently held temporary exhibitions by various artists. Some exhibitions are paid, others are free.

Previously known as the Bridgestone Museum, the elegant and pleasant Artizon Museum was opened in the lower floors of the Museum Tower Kyobashi skyscraper in 2020. It stages exhibitions from the Ishibashi Foundation Collection which is based on the art collection of the founder of the Bridgestone Corporation, Ishibashi Shojiro (Ishibashi translates to "stone bridge"). The collection is particularly strong on Western-style paintings by international and Japanese artists, but also contains ancient and Asian art.

Located on the top floors of the Mori Tower in Roppongi Hills, this innovative museum hosts changing exhibitions of contemporary art from around the world.

Rather than having an own collection, this large governmental art museum hosts various temporary art exhibitions of high profile. Designed by Kurokawa Kisho, the museum was opened in 2007.

The Suntory Museum of Art is located at Tokyo Midtown inside the Galleria Shopping Mall. The museum shows temporary exhibitions of mixed art styles and periods with the overall theme of showing art in everyday life.

The Tokyo Photographic Art Museum, also known as TOP Museum, is located inside Yebisu Garden Place near the Beer Museum. The exhibits change frequently and include other forms of art besides photography including video and sculpture.