Art & Culture

Iconic, influential and prolific, Hokusai’s ukiyo-e woodblock prints are some of the most instantly-recognisable pieces of Japanese art around the world – in particular, his ‘Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji’ series and of course, ‘The Great Wave’. These works and almost 500 others are on show in an extraordinary collection at the Mori Museum, including some recently discovered and never-before-shown pieces. Hokusai Updated casts a comprehensive view of the artist’s work, from age 20 until the time he put down his brush at the age of 90. The eccentric artist, born in 1760 and destined to be a mirror-polisher for the shogun, ended up producing around 30,000 works of art, and inadvertently influencing the Western Impressionist Movement and the Japonism movement that swept through Europe in the 19th century. The Hokusai Manga (‘Hokusai Sketches’), which triggered the Japonism movement, are also on display.

Known as the ‘demon of painting’, Kawanabe Kyosai (1831-1889) playfully depicted spirits, animals and otherworldly creatures in his works...

Japanese artist Toshiko Okanoue was exposed to the western surrealist tradition when she met Shuzo Takiguchi, the leader of the surrealist movement in Japan, in 1951. Influenced by the Collage Novel of Max Ernst, Okanoue developed her artistic skills through the use of photo collage...

Based on art historian Nobuo Tsuji’s 1970 book ‘Lineage of Eccentrics’, this exhibition explores the powerfully imaginative world of Edo paintings...

This installation encourages you to interact with it by walking through the space and immersing yourself in both kinetic and optical ways

The National Museum of Western Art is hosting an exhibition dedicated to Charles-Édouard Jeanneret, better known by his pseudonym Le Corbusier (1887-1965), the architect who designed this very building. Jeanneret is widely regarded as one of the three greatest masters of modern architecture...

Tokyo Bay islands could best be termed 'teamLab islands' by now – hot off the heels of the much-hyped teamLab Borderless Museum on Odaiba, this temporary museum right next to Shin-Toyosu Station offers a more intimate interaction with the collective's signature digital art. Back in 2016, teamLab collaborated with e-commerce business DMM.com to create the very popular DMM.Planets exhibition; this museum is in essence an extension of that.  There are a mere seven installations, but they are spread out across a full 10,000sqm, giving them lots and lots of space each. All of them offer a more sensorial and immersive experience compared to the teamLab Borderless Museum nearby. We won't spoil all the secrets, but for starters, no shoes are allowed inside the museum, and you'll be wading through knee-deep water in some places. We'd highly recommend wearing something above the knee (although skirts may not be the best idea due to the amount of floor mirrors); the museum offers a wrap-around if needed. Even better, they are open until 1am, one of the few museums in Tokyo to be open that late.  Our only caveat remains the price tag: ¥3,200 for adults (and a whopping ¥6,000 for priority access), which is the same price as teamLab Borderless, which has 50-odd pieces to ogle at rather than seven. But hey, if you need more Insta likes... Book your tickets through their official website.  Opens July 7, 2018, through autumn 2020

This is an alternative-history MoMA, one consisting mostly of Japanese art from the turn of the 20th century onwards. Noteworthy features of the permanent collection are portraits by early Japanese modernist Ryusei Kishida and wartime paintings. The 1969 building, designed by Yoshiro Taniguchi (father of architect Yoshio Taniguchi) was renovated in 2001. Its location next to the moat and walls of the Imperial Palace makes it a prime stop for viewing springtime cherry blossoms and autumn foliage. Nearby is the Crafts Gallery, an impressive 1910 European-style brick building, once the base for the legions of guards who patrolled the Imperial Palace.

The exhibitions are world-class, focused mainly on contemporary culture, but the secrets of the Mori Art Museum’s success are location (part of the phenomenally popular Roppongi Hills), location (on the 52nd and 53rd floors of the Mori Tower, offering spectacular views) and location (within a two-floor ‘experience’ that includes a bar, cafe, shop and panoramic observation deck). One ticket allows access to all areas, and the late opening hours maximise accessibility. Exhibitions are deliberately varied, with past offerings including Bill Viola’s video art, a survey of the Middle Eastern art world and the periodic Roppongi Crossing group shows for Japanese artists. The vista from Tokyo City View isn’t quite 360°, and it’s expensive compared to the free Tokyo Metropolitan Government building observatory, but the views are arguably better, especially at night with a drink in your hand from Mado Lounge. If you don't mind paying an extra ¥500, you take a short elevator ride to the rooftop Sky Deck, and take in an even better – not to mention rather breezier – vista.

The National Art Center was opened on January 21, 2007, boasting the largest exhibition space of any museum in Japan. Unlike most conventional domestic art galleries, the National Art Center does not have its own permanent collection, instead choosing to hold special exhibitions only. Entry to the Center’s atrium is free, and the space boasts a café, two restaurants and an excellent shop, Souvenir From Tokyo.

Designed by Maekawa Kunio, this brick-faced art museum was largely constructed underground to remain unobtrusive, with limited success. Temporary shows in the main hall feature everything from traditional Japanese art to art nouveau.