Tokyo for
Art Lovers
Japanese art enthralled Westerners when they first saw it in the 19th century, and a craze known as Japonisme swept the globe. The magnetic draw of Japanese art continues to this day, and Tokyo’s galleries are the perfect place to explore one of the world’s most exciting art scenes.
t Admiring the view from Mori Tower, home of the Mori Art Museum
Traditional Scenes
To understand how Japan fuses traditional art with modern design, visit Tokyo’s Nezu Museum. Designed by award-winning architect Kengo Kuma, it showcases over 7,400 works of Japanese and East Asian art, including Irises, an exquisite screen painting by Ogata Korin (c 1701–05). Another site for traditional art in the capital is the Tokyo National Museum. Seek out the museum’s haunting collection of No masks for a fleeting glimpse into one of Japan’s most idiosyncratic traditional art forms.
Modern Masters
Immerse yourself in Tokyo’s vibrant contemporary art scene in the Roppongi district, which is bursting with galleries and museums housed in stylish modern buildings. For your first stop, pick from one of the three points of the Roppongi Art Triangle: Mori Art Museum for ground-breaking works in rotating exhibitions, the National Art Center, Tokyo, for innovative temporary shows, or the Suntory Museum of Art for objets d’art. Alongside these cultural colossi, there are many smaller art spaces, including Zen Foto Gallery (www.zen-foto.jp), Complex665 (www.tohokuandtokyo.org/spot_177), and 21_21 Design Sight, where you can explore Japan’s ultra-modern aesthetic style, and even bring a piece of it home from the gift shop.
Drainspotting
If you glance down at the street under your feet, you may find yourself standing on an unexpected piece of art. Throughout Japan, manhole covers are decorated to reflect something about the area, whether it’s a traditional craft, seasonal flower, or cute local mascot. The ones near major landmarks are easy to understand – such as a sophisticated flower design by the Imperial Palace gardens, or Hello Kitty and Mickey Mouse near their respective theme parks. But you may also stumble on an interesting manhole cover down a small Tokyo side street, and learn some-thing new about the local area. If you want to become a proper drainspotter, just bring along some paper and a pencil to create takuhon (rubbings) of your favorite designs – a truly unique souvenir.
Striking Sculptures
You don’t even have to pay for museum entry to see the most famous sculpture in the artistic Roppongi district. Right in front of the Mori Art Museum is the 30-ft- (9-m-) high Maman by Louise Bourgeois: a giant bronze spider with marble eggs, seeming to intrigue and terrify in equal measure. For a whole collection of sculptures – arguably the best in Japan – head out to the Hakone Open-Air Museum. Set in the mountains near Tokyo, this vast park is full of works by everyone from Henry Moore to Joan Miro and Niki de Sant Phalle.
Insider Tip
Arty Stay
Palace Hotel Tokyo offers bespoke tours of Tokyo for art fans. Led by art historians, the tours take in world-class museums as well as offbeat galleries (www.en.palacehoteltokyo.com).
Did You Know?
The ATRo Saving ticket grants discounted entry to the Roppongi Art Triangle museums.