10 Exhibitions To Catch This Summer In Tokyo

Looking to spend the summer soaking in new cultural experiences, immersing yourself in artistic beauty, and staying in-doors in merciful air-conditioning? Here is your essential guide to the best of the city’s exhibitions over the next few months.

Tokyo is home to a great number of wonderful art galleries, museums and places to soak in new artistic and cultural experiences, so it can be difficult to know where to start. With that in mind, we’ve rounded up the ten best and most interesting exhibitions for the summer so that you can spend less time searching for things to see and do in the city and more time experiencing them. Travel back in time to the prehistoric days of the Jomon period or fly forward and step into a futuristic wonderland of immersive digital art; learn the simple, communicative beauty of the bento (lunch box) or explore the power of uplifting, socially positive advertising. Happy museum hopping!     

© Photo by Studio Ghibli

Anime's Most Mouth-Watering Sights

Delicious! Animating Memorable Meals

Studio Ghibli is famous for many things—enthralling stories, enchanting artwork, complex and emotive characters—but one of the things the studio is best known for is its depiction of food. The studio has a talent for making simple animations of food appear magical and absolutely mouth-watering. Extended due to popular demand and curated by Goro Miyazaki, "Animating Memorable Meals" celebrates these edible moments throughout Studio Ghibli’s film history. Just remember to buy tickets in advance because the famous museum can sell out very quickly!

Date

Now through November, 2018

Time

10 a.m.-6 p.m. (Closed Tuesdays)

Location

Ghibli Museum, 1-1-83 Shimorenjaku, Mitaka-shi, Tokyo

Fee

Adults (Over 19): ¥1,000, Teens (13-18): ¥700, Kids (7-12): ¥400, Kids (4-6): ¥100, Kids (under 4): Free

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The Other Side Of Advertising

Good Ideas for Good II

Advertising is something we encounter at a constant, overwhelming rate. Whether is a quirky, silent dance number on the screens of your regular train to work or the constant popups on social media, ads are everywhere, and they invade our everyday lives. Some ads, however, go beyond selling menial products—some ads target and help positively impact culture and society. This is what "Good Ideas for Good II" celebrates: advertisements that aim to solve societal problems and help humanity. From advertisements about breaking down discrimination and inequality, to encouraging the pursuit of one's dreams and happiness, this exhibition is all about GOOD advertising.

Date

Sat, April 14-Sat, July 14, 2018

Time

11 a.m.-6 p.m. (Tue-Sat)

Location

The Ad Museum Tokyo, Caretta Shiodome, Higashi-Shimbashi 1-8-2, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Fee

Free

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© Photo by Henri Rousseau, Jaguar Attacking a Horse, 1910 © The Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow.

Classic Landscapes

Pushkin: Masterpieces of French Landscape Paintings

Running until early July, Pushkin houses 65 exquisite landscape paintings from the 17th-20th centuries from Moscow’s Pushkin Museum. The exhibition celebrates the development of modern French landscape painting, featuring world-renowned painters such as Monet, Lorrain, Boucher, Carot, Renoir, Cezanne, Gauguin and Rosseau. A must-see for lovers of European art.

Date

Sat, April 14-Sun, July 8, 2018

Time

9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. (Tue-Thu, Sat-Sun), 9:30 a.m.-8 p.m. (Fridays). Closed Mondays.

Location

Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, 8-36 Ueno-Park Taito-ku, Tokyo

Fee

Adults: ¥1,600 University Students: ¥1,100, High School Students: ¥800, Kids: Free

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Once Forbidden, Now Renowned

The Glass that Gallé Adored—Glass from the Qing Imperial Collection

Though China has a long history of glass production for both ritual and ornamental use, it was not until the Qing dynasty—when the fourth Qing emperor, Kangxi (1661-1722), established a glass workshop within the Forbidden City—that an artform was born. Qing glass is diverse, ranging in opacities, carved and polished. It was this glass that heavily inspired Emile Gallé, one of the most prominent artists of the Art Nouveau period in France. As such, this exhibition is dedicated to the beautiful glass creations that so heavily inspired an influential member of the Art Nouveau Movement.

Date

Wed, April 25-Sun, July 1, 2018

Time

10 a.m.-6 p.m. (Sun-Thu), 10 a.m.-8 p.m. (Fri & Sat). Closed Tuesdays

Location

Suntory Museum of Art, Tokyo Midtown Galleria 3F 9-7-4 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Fee

Adults: ¥1,300, University and High School Students: ¥1,000, Kids: Free.

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© Photo by Kitagawara Atsushi  KIGUMI INFINITY, Japan Pavilion, Expo Milano 2015 2015  Milan  Photo: Ohno Shigeru

The Evolution Of Japanese Architecture

Japan in Architecture: Genealogies of Its Transformation

Calling all architecture lovers: the Mori Art Museum has the exhibition for you! Japan in Architecture explores the evolution of Japanese architecture over the last 150 years since the Meiji Restoration of 1868 and beyond. Featuring a wide range of architectural materials, models and interactive installations, as well as 100 projects and over 400 different items, the exhibition explores Japan’s proud history of architecture and how this history has been influenced and informed by the Western world.

Date

Wed, April 25-Mon, Sept 17, 2018

Time

10 a.m.-10 p.m. (Wed-Sun), 10 a.m.-5 p.m. (Tuesdays)

Location

Mori Art Museum, 52F/53F, Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, 6-10-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Fee

Adults: ¥1,800, University and High School Students: ¥1,200, Kids: ¥600

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© Photo by Illustrated by Fred Banbery © Estate of Fred Banbery/HarperCollins 2018

Bearly Famous

Paddington Bear

Paddington, the adorable and beloved British bear, is loved all over the world. The Paddington series—a story about a polite little bear from Peru who is adopted by an English family—has been translated into 40 different languages since its publication in 1958. This exhibition marks the 60th anniversary of the series' publication and pays tribute to the author, Michael Bond, who sadly passed away at the age of 91 in June 2017. A must-see for art and illustration lovers, the exhibition presents a glimpse into Bond’s process of creating the Paddington series, including interviews and insight into the tools he used.

Date

Sat, April 28-Mon, June 25, 2018. Closed June 5

Time

10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Location

Bunkamura The Museum, 2-24-1 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Fee

Adults: ¥1,400, University and High School Students: ¥900, Kids: ¥600.

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A Futuristic Wonderland

TeamLab Borderless

Opening in June of this year, TeamLab Borderless can be described as less of an exhibition and more of a digital amusement park. This enormous complex, spanning over 10,000 square meters is powered by 520 computers and 470 projectors, creating a futuristic wonderland devoted to exploring the concept of borderless art. The digital pieces even freely move in and out of the rooms. The museum is on the pricey side, but for those of you who want to immerse yourself in the future, we definitely recommend it!

Date

From Thu, June 21, 2018

Time

11 a.m.-7 p.m. (Mon-Thu), 11 a.m.-9 p.m. (Fridays), 10 a.m.-9 p.m. (Saturdays), 10 a.m.-7 p.m. (Sundays)

Location

Mori Building Digital Art Museum, Odaiba Palette Town, 1-3-8 Aomi, Koto-ku, Tokyo

Fee

Adults: ¥3,200, Kids: ¥1,000

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Traces of Japan's Roots

Jomon: 10,000 Years of Prehistoric Art in Japan

Approximately 13,000 years ago the Jomon period is said to have begun. Those who lived during this prehistoric time survived by hunting, gathering and fishing, yet they still created a plethora of beautiful and intriguing tools and objects. This exhibition explores this early group of people and the art they created throughout the diverse regions of the Japanese archipelago from the beginning to the end of the Jomon period. A must-see for history lovers!

Date

Tue, July 3-Sun, Sept 2, 2018

Time

9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. (Wed-Thu), 9:30 a.m.-9 p.m. (Fri-Sat), 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. (Sundays), Closed Mondays and Tuesdays

Location

Tokyo National Museum, 13-9 Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo

Fee

Adults: ¥1,600, University Students: ¥1,200, High School Students: ¥900, Kids: Free

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Island Treasures

The Ryukyu Kingdom: A Treasure Chest of Beauty

This collection of textiles, paintings and lacquer pieces celebrate the history of the Ryukyu Kingdom: a group of several islands known as the Ryukyu Islands (or Nansei Islands), stretching south-west from Kyushu to Taiwan. This region includes Okinawa, Osumi, Tokara, Amami and Sakishima, and has a culture influenced by both China and Japan. A Treasure Chest of Beauty offers a unique opportunity to view treasures from the Okinawa region, including pieces from the Kingdom’s Sho Dynasty.

Date

Wed, July 18-Sun, Sept 2, 2018

Time

10 a.m.-6 p.m. (Sun-Thu), 10 a.m.-8 p.m. (Fri & Sat). Closed Tuesdays

Location

Suntory Museum of Art, Tokyo Midtown Galleria 3F 9-7-4 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Fee

Adults: ¥1,300, University and High School Students: ¥1000, Kids: Free.

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Beyond Food, Obento Is A Form Of Love

Bento—Design for Eating, Gathering and Communicating

The bento (lunch box) is a simple, but a significant institution. For traditional bento, there are plenty of rules regarding the cooking and display of food, from the colors to the types of food to the diversity of cooking methods used. However, whether it’s a traditional lunchbox or something more modern and cute, an everyday occurrence or something to be shared with loved ones for a special occasion, bento is intrinsic and unique to Japanese culture. This exhibition celebrates the culture of bento from the perspective of communication design. The exhibition is interactive, informative, and is perfect for families and adults alike.

Date

Sat, July 21-Mon, Oct 8, 2018

Time

9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. (Tue-Thu, Sat-Sun), 9:30 a.m.-8 p.m. (Fridays), Closed Mondays

Location

Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, 8-36 Ueno-Park Taito-ku, Tokyo

Fee

Adults: ¥800, University Students: ¥400

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