Art & Design
The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo 東京国立近代美術館
Museum near the Imperial Palace where you can explore the development of Japanese art since the late 19th century
Situated near the Imperial Palace, the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo (abbreviation: MOMAT) is Japan's first ever national art museum. The museum's distinguished collection, the most extensive of its kind in Japan, enables visitors to explore the development of modern and contemporary Japanese art since the late 19th century. Every term, around 200 items are selected for display from one of Japan's largest collections, ranging from historical masterpieces to contemporary artworks.
Don't Miss
- The collection includes National Important Cultural Properties by modern masters such as Yokoyama Taikan and Kishida Ryusei, as well as contemporary artworks by world-renowned creators such as Kusama Yayoi, Nara Yoshitomo, and Kawara On
- The English guided museum tour “Let's Talk Art!” is held two to four times a month
- Fantastic view of the Imperial Palace and the Tokyo Station complex from the top-floor lounge “A Room With A View”
- The Museum Shop, the perfect place to pick up a souvenir
How to Get There
Located in central Tokyo, the MOMAT is ideally situated for combining a visit to the Imperial Palace.
It is walking distance from Kudanshita, Jimbocho, Otemachi and Tokyo Stations, but the closest station is Takebashi Station on the Tokyo Metro Tozai Line. It is located in Kitanomaru Park 
, which is just a 3-minute walk from Takebashi Station.
The museum is surrounded by the rich greenery of Kitanomaru Park , adjacent to the Imperial Palace. The museum's modern-style building forms a fascinating contrast with Edo Castle's moat.
The collections at the MOMAT
Each term, the MOMAT Collection Exhibition features around 200 items selected from one of Japan's largest collections, comprising over 13,000 items collected by the museum since its opening in 1952. The works are displayed in 12 rooms on the 2nd to 4th floors, enabling visitors to follow the development of modern and contemporary Japanese art as they descend to the lower floors. Each room is dedicated to a specific theme, and the collection's masterpieces are exhibited in Room 1, Highlights, on the 4th floor.
The collection features famous works by artists such as Yokoyama Taikan and Fujita Tsuguharu (Léonard Foujita). In addition, in the annual Spring Festival in the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, visitors can enjoy an impressive collection of Nihon-ga (Japanese-style) paintings themed around Japan's seasonal features and landscapes, such as Kawai Gyokudo's Parting Spring, an National Important Cultural Property that portrays cherry blossoms.
Photo by Kanagawa Shingo
While centered around modern and contemporary Japanese works, the museum also houses foreign works of modern and contemporary art by artists such as Paul Cézanne, Pablo Picasso, and Paul Klee.
Closed on Mondays (open on holiday Mondays and closed on the following days), during installation periods, and New Year holidays.
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