Tokyo, the capital of Japan, is a vibrant and ultramodern metropolis with a population of over 14 million people. The city is a major economic and cultural hub, renowned for its cuisine, fashion, and nightlife, making it one of the most dynamic and fascinating destinations in the world. Join us as we explore some of the great museums that define this incredible city!
Okura Museum of Art
The Okura Museum of Art, located in Tokyo, was founded in 1917 to house the collection of premodern Japanese and East Asian art amassed by industrialist Ackura Kihachira. The collection includes approximately 2,500 works, including three National Treasures and twelve Important Cultural Properties. The museum, situated within the Hotel Okura Tokyo park, was closed for renovations in 2014 and reopened along with the rebuilt hotel in 2019.
Suntory Museum of Art
The Suntory Museum of Art, located in Tokyo Midtown in Roppongi, Tokyo, is an art museum owned by Suntory. Founded in 1961 by President Keizo Saji with the theme “Art in Life,” the museum primarily features Japanese antiques. Originally located in the Marunouchi Palace in Chiyoda, the museum was relocated in 1975 to the Suntory Building in Akasaka, Minato. After a temporary relocation of Suntory’s Tokyo branch to Odaiba in 2005, the museum reopened on March 30, 2007, in its new Tokyo Midtown location.
Tokyo National Center of Arts
The Tokyo National Center of Arts is a modern art museum that opened on January 21, 2007, in Tokyo, on the site of a former research center of the University of Tokyo. Designed by architect Kisho Kurokawa, the museum spans approximately 50,000 square meters across four levels. The collection includes around 600 works, with a particular focus on 20th-century paintings and modern art.
Nezu Museum – Nezu Institute of Fine Arts
The Nezu Museum, located in the Minato district of Tokyo, is an art museum that houses the private collection of Nezu Kaichira, focusing on premodern Japanese and East Asian art. Founded in 1940, a year after Nezu’s death, the museum opened to the public in 1941. During World War II, the collection was safely stored away from central Tokyo, avoiding destruction during the 1945 bombings. Exhibitions resumed in 1946, solidifying the museum as an important cultural institution in the city.
Idemitsu Museum of Arts
The Idemitsu Museum of Arts, located in the Marunouchi area of Chiyoda, Tokyo, was founded in 1966 and is administered by the incorporated foundation of Idemitsu Kōsan Co., Ltd. The museum houses an extensive collection of Japanese and East Asian art. In 2000, a branch of the museum, called the Idemitsu Moji Art Museum, opened in Mojikō Retro Town in the Moji district of Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka Prefecture. This branch expands access to the collection and strengthens the institution’s cultural presence in other regions of Japan.
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