[2026 Edition] Tokyo Museums Chosen for Their Architecture: 12 Venues by Le Corbusier, Kunio Maekawa, Yoshio Taniguchi and More

A museum building is a vessel for works of art and, at the same time, something to look at in its own right. Tokyo has a concentration of museums where you can encounter art inside a World Heritage–listed building by Le Corbusier—the Main Building of the National Museum of Western Art—as well as residences, a station building and office buildings designated national Important Cultural Properties. For this article, we selected 12 museums after confirming their architects, completion dates and cultural property status through each museum’s official information and other sources, and summarized the places to see in each building, exhibitions as of Friday, October 30, 2026, and opening hours. We also suggest routes by area.

The 12 museums: From Meiji-era red brick to buildings of the 2010s

Our selection comprises five museums that make use of buildings from the Meiji to early Showa eras (the Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum, Tokyo Station Gallery, Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum, Seikado@Marunouchi and Tokyo National Museum), three of postwar modernism (the National Museum of Western Art, The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo and Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum), and four from the 1990s onward (The National Art Center, Tokyo, 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT, the Nezu Museum and The Sumida Hokusai Museum). Of these, the Main Building of the National Museum of Western Art, the Honkan of Tokyo National Museum, the Main Building of the former Prince Asaka Residence, the Meiji Seimei Kan and the Marunouchi Building of Tokyo Station are national Important Cultural Properties.

Ueno

National Museum of Western Art: Le Corbusier’s “Museum of Unlimited Growth”

The Main Building, designed by Le Corbusier, was completed in 1959. It was designated an Important Cultural Property in 2007, and in 2016 it was inscribed on the World Heritage List as one of 17 sites in seven countries making up “The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement.” Entering through the pilotis, you find the atrium of the “19th-Century Hall” at the center, where natural light falls from the roof. The galleries wind around it in a square spiral, and the view changes as you walk up the ramps—a configuration based on the principle of the “Museum of Unlimited Growth.” The forecourt was restored as closely as possible to its 1959 appearance in renovations completed in 2022.

The museum is currently hosting the special exhibition “Turner from Tate: Painting the Sublime, in Dialogue with Contemporary Art” (until February 21, 2027; ¥2,400 for adults; our article on the Turner exhibition). The permanent collection costs ¥500 for adults (scheduled to close from January 12 to March 19, 2027). Open 9:30–17:30 (until 20:00 on Fridays and Saturdays); closed on Mondays.

Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum: The museum Kunio Maekawa extended underground

Opened in 1926 as Japan’s first public art museum, it celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2026. The current building, designed by Kunio Maekawa, was completed in 1975. To nearly double the floor area under restrictions on height and building coverage, about 60% of the total area was placed underground. The entrance hall is reached by descending from the esplanade to a plaza on the B1 floor. According to the museum, Maekawa aimed for “neutral and calm” spaces as a backdrop for works of art.

In the special exhibition galleries, “100th Anniversary of the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum — What a Wonderful World: Masterworks from the Musée d’Orsay” opens on Saturday, November 14 (until March 28, 2027; ¥2,400 for adults; our article on the Orsay exhibition). As of October 30 there was no special exhibition, and exhibitions by art associations and others were being held in the public gallery. Open 9:30–17:30 (until 20:00 on Fridays during special exhibitions); closed on the 1st and 3rd Mondays (special exhibitions are closed every Monday).

Tokyo National Museum: Jin Watanabe’s Honkan and Yoshio Taniguchi’s Gallery of Horyuji Treasures

The Honkan, designed by Jin Watanabe, opened in 1938. Regarded as a leading example of the “Imperial Crown Style,” with a tiled roof atop a concrete building, it was designated an Important Cultural Property in 2001. The Gallery of Horyuji Treasures, designed by Yoshio Taniguchi, opened in 1999, its bright exterior with an artificial pond set amid greenery contrasting with its quiet galleries. The museum’s other buildings include Yoshiro Taniguchi’s Toyokan (opened 1968), Tokuma Katayama’s Hyokeikan (opened 1909; Important Cultural Property; open only during special exhibitions and other events) and Shin’ichiro Okada’s Kuroda Memorial Hall (completed 1928).

The Honkan is hosting the special exhibition “Utagawa Hiroshige: Edo’s Best Angles” (until December 20; ¥1,500 for adults; Period 2 from October 27 to November 23), and the Heiseikan the special exhibition marking the 700th anniversary of its founding, “Daitoku-ji: The Unrivaled Zen Temple of Japan” (until December 6; ¥2,300 for adults) (see our articles on the Hiroshige exhibition and the Daitoku-ji exhibition). The Tohaku Collection exhibition costs ¥1,000 for adults. Open 9:30–17:00 (until 20:00 on Fridays and Saturdays); closed on Mondays.

Roppongi and Nogizaka

The National Art Center, Tokyo: Kisho Kurokawa’s undulating glass wall

Designed and supervised by the Kisho Kurokawa and Nihon Sekkei joint venture, the building was completed in 2006 and opened on January 21, 2007. Conceived as “a museum in a forest,” it features a glass curtain wall that undulates like a wave and a conical main entrance, and the 1st-floor lobby is an atrium with a ceiling height of 21.6 m. Its 12 galleries total about 14,000 square meters, which the center describes as among the largest in Japan. It is directly connected to Nogizaka Station.

Currently on view are “The Louvre Museum Exhibition: Renaissance” (until December 13; ¥2,400 for adults; timed-entry from December 7), “Shojo Manga Infinity: Moto Hagio × Ryoko Yamagishi × Waki Yamato” (until February 8, 2027; ¥2,200 for adults) and “The 119th Nitten” (until November 22) (see our articles on the Louvre exhibition, the shojo manga exhibition and Nitten). Open 10:00–18:00 (until 20:00 on Fridays and Saturdays during special exhibitions); closed on Tuesdays (open November 3, closed November 4).

21_21 DESIGN SIGHT: Issey Miyake’s “A Piece of Cloth” and a steel-plate roof

Designed by Tadao Ando (Tadao Ando Architect & Associates + Nikken Sekkei), it opened in March 2007. Inspired by founder Issey Miyake’s approach to clothes-making, “A Piece of Cloth,” it is topped by a 54-meter-long roof that looks like a single folded steel plate. Eighty percent of the floor area is buried underground, fitting the building into one story above ground and one below.

Currently on view is the exhibition “Learning from Hojoki: Small Architecture That Reweaves Living” (director: Yoshiharu Tsukamoto; until January 11, 2027; ¥1,700 for adults; our article on the Learning from Hojoki exhibition). Open 10:00–19:00; closed on Tuesdays (open November 3). Closed November 21–23. On Saturday, October 31, it is open until 22:00 for Roppongi Art Night.

Marunouchi and Takebashi

Tokyo Station Gallery: Surrounded by the station building’s brick walls

The gallery is inside the Marunouchi Building of Tokyo Station (Important Cultural Property), built in 1914 to a design by Kingo Tatsuno. It opened in 1988 and reopened in autumn 2012 after closing during the restoration of the station building. On the 1st and 2nd floors, the original structure is exposed as much as possible, and the brick walls retain “meara-shi” roughening marks made after the war damage of 1945 as well as charred wooden bricks. Stamps of a British manufacturer can be seen on the steel frame. The spiral staircase inside an octagonal tower and the view down onto the dome’s floor from the 2nd-floor gallery are also highlights.

Currently on view is “Water Margin” (until November 8; ¥1,600 for adults), and “Nikolai Astrup: The Creative Garden” begins on Saturday, November 21 (see our articles on the Water Margin exhibition and the Astrup exhibition). Open 10:00–18:00 (until 20:00 on Fridays); closed on Mondays. The entrance is inside the Marunouchi North Exit dome of the station building.

Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum: Red brick reconstructed from Conder’s design

The building is a reconstruction of “Mitsubishi Ichigokan” (designed by Josiah Conder), the first rental office building in Marunouchi, built by Mitsubishi in 1894, and it opened as a museum on April 6, 2010. Its style is Queen Anne, popular in Britain in the late 19th century. The original building was demolished in 1968, but in 2009 it was rebuilt on the same site according to Conder’s original design. According to the museum, some preserved components, such as the stone of the staircase handrails, were reused, and even the manufacturing methods of components and the construction techniques were reproduced.

Currently on view is “Fontanesi: Italian Light, Landscapes of the Heart” (until January 24, 2027; ¥2,300 for adults; our article on the Fontanesi exhibition). Open 10:00–18:00 (until 20:00 on Fridays except national holidays, on the second Wednesday of the month and on weekdays in the final week of the exhibition); closed on Mondays (open on national holidays and on the end-of-month “Talk Free Days,” among others). 5-minute walk from JR Tokyo Station.

Seikado@Marunouchi: The Meiji Seimei Kan, the first Showa-era building designated an Important Cultural Property

The Meiji Seimei Kan, designed by Shin’ichiro Okada, was completed in 1934 and in 1997 became the first Showa-era building to be designated a national Important Cultural Property. Meiji Yasuda Life describes it as “the finest masterpiece of the classical style.” In October 2022, the Seikado Bunko Art Museum moved its exhibition galleries to the 1st floor of this building. Parts of the 1st and 2nd floors are open to the public free of charge, with historical displays, architectural models and videos (9:30–19:00; closed on Mondays). After the war, a 2nd-floor conference room was used as the meeting place of the Allied Council for Japan.

Currently on view is “Mingei SHOCK!!: Kanjiro Kawai at Seikado, 60 Years After His Death” (until November 8; ¥1,500 for adults), and the next exhibition is introduced in our article on the “THE MASKS” exhibition. The museum is open 10:00–17:00 and closed on Mondays. Directly connected to Exit 3 of Nijubashimae Station on the Chiyoda Line; 5-minute walk from the Marunouchi South Exit of JR Tokyo Station.

The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo: Yoshiro Taniguchi’s pilotis and the “Room to Reflect on the Building”

Designed by Yoshiro Taniguchi, the building was completed in June 1969 and donated by businessman Shojiro Ishibashi. The museum says its exterior, lined with thick columns supporting the pilotis, has “a Japanese flavor.” The original atrium was lost in the 2002 extension and renovation, but the large windows of the “Room to Reflect on the Building” on the 3rd floor preserve a trace of the past. Also worth seeing is Isamu Noguchi’s sculpture “Gate,” installed to mark the building’s completion.

Currently on view is “Takehisa Yumeji—An Artist Who Defined His Era” (until January 11, 2027; ¥2,100 for adults, including the collection exhibition; our article on the Takehisa Yumeji exhibition). Open 10:00–17:00 (until 20:00 on Fridays and Saturdays); closed on Mondays. 3-minute walk from Exit 1b of Takebashi Station on the Tozai Line.

Shirokanedai and Minami-Aoyama

Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum: The Art Deco former Prince Asaka Residence

The Main Building was completed in 1933 as the residence of Prince Asaka. It was designed by the Construction Section of the Takumi-ryo of the Imperial Household Ministry, with Yokichi Gondo playing a central role. The main interiors were created by French artists and designers, including Henri Rapin, commissioned by Prince Asaka. According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs’ “Cultural Heritage Online,” while the exterior is restrained in ornament, the interior is decorated with glass reliefs, lighting fixtures, murals and sculptures, unified in the Art Deco style incorporating the latest French art of the time. It opened as a museum in 1983, and the Main Building was designated an Important Cultural Property in 2015.

Currently on view in the Main Building and the Annex is “Marimekko: The Power of Pattern” (until December 20; ¥1,400 for adults; date-and-time reservations required; our article on the Marimekko exhibition). Open 10:00–18:00 (until 20:00 on Fridays and some Saturdays from November 6 to December 5); closed on Mondays (open November 23, closed the 24th). Garden-only admission is ¥200 for adults.

Nezu Museum: Kengo Kuma’s great roof and bamboo-lined approach

The main building, designed by Kengo Kuma, was completed in 2009, and the museum reopened in October of that year. It has a great roof reminiscent of a traditional Japanese house, and visitors reach the entrance hall along a quiet approach lined with bamboo. It has six galleries on two floors above ground and one below, and outside spreads a garden of about 17,000 square meters dotted with tea houses and a café.

Currently on view is the special exhibition “Bugaku Costumes: The Inherited Beauty of Dyeing and Weaving” (until November 23; ¥1,600 for adults with online timed-entry reservations, ¥200 more for same-day tickets; our article on the Bugaku Costumes exhibition). Open 10:00–17:00; closed on Mondays (open November 23). 8-minute walk from Exit A5 of Omotesando Station.

Ryogoku

The Sumida Hokusai Museum: Kazuyo Sejima’s aluminum panels and slits

Designed by Kazuyo Sejima, the museum opened on November 22, 2016. Its exterior walls are clad in pale, mirror-finish aluminum panels that reflect the surrounding shitamachi townscape. The building is divided by slits, which on the 1st floor serve as approaches connecting to outdoor passageways. The museum explains that it aimed to be “a museum integrated with the park and the community.”

Currently on view is the 10th-anniversary special exhibition “The Best of The Sumida Hokusai Museum: The Scroll of Views Along Both Banks of the Sumida River and Other Masterpieces” (until November 23; second period from October 21; ¥1,500 for adults). Open 9:30–17:30; closed on Mondays (open November 23). 5-minute walk from Exit A3 of Ryogoku Station on the Toei Oedo Line; 9-minute walk from the east exit of JR Ryogoku Station.

Getting around: Combinations by area

Ueno: Three museums in a day

From the Park Exit of JR Ueno Station, the National Museum of Western Art is a 1-minute walk, Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum 7 minutes and Tokyo National Museum 10 minutes. All three are basically closed on Mondays. The National Museum of Western Art and Tokyo National Museum are open until 20:00 on Fridays and Saturdays, so you could see Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum during the day and visit the other two in the evening. Each museum is also introduced in our guide to museums in Ueno.

Roppongi and Nogizaka: Two museums open on Mondays

The National Art Center, Tokyo and 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT are both closed on Tuesdays, so they are open on Mondays, when many museums are closed. The National Art Center, Tokyo is directly connected to Nogizaka Station, and 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT is about a 5-minute walk from Roppongi and Nogizaka stations. Note, however, that 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT is closed November 21–23. Nearby museums are also summarized in our Roppongi Art Triangle guide.

Marunouchi and Takebashi: From a station building to modern office buildings

You can trace modern architecture from the Tokyo Station Gallery inside Tokyo Station to the Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum, a 5-minute walk away, and the Meiji Seimei Kan (Seikado@Marunouchi), directly connected to Nijubashimae Station. Seikado@Marunouchi closes at 17:00, so visit it first. On Fridays, the Tokyo Station Gallery, the Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum (except national holidays) and The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo in Takebashi are open until 20:00, so you can also start in the late afternoon.

Shirokanedai and Minami-Aoyama: Allow time to walk the gardens

The Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum and the Nezu Museum both have large gardens in central Tokyo. Allow time to walk the gardens, and if you visit both in one day, decide your timed-entry reservation times first. Both are closed on Mondays.

Ryogoku: Take a good look at the exterior too

The exterior walls of The Sumida Hokusai Museum reflect the surrounding scenery, so try walking around the building before going in. November 22 marks exactly ten years since it opened.

Editor’s perspective

The 12 museums fall broadly into buildings designed from scratch as museums and museums that make use of buildings constructed for other purposes. In the former, the shape of the building itself expresses ideas about “how to show”: the Main Building of the National Museum of Western Art arranges its galleries in a square spiral based on the principle of the “Museum of Unlimited Growth,” and Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum adopts a layout that extends underground. In the latter, such as the Tokyo Station Gallery and the Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum, brick walls bearing traces of war damage and Art Deco interiors become the backdrop for the works, and exhibitions are created in accommodation with the buildings as cultural properties.

Each museum’s thinking is also visible in its relationship with light and its surroundings. Natural light enters the National Museum of Western Art’s 19th-Century Hall from the roof, The National Art Center, Tokyo’s exterior is defined by its undulating glass wall, and the exterior walls of The Sumida Hokusai Museum reflect the townscape. Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum places about 60% of its total area underground and 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT 80% of its floor area, so the gap between what you see from the ground and the spaces inside becomes part of the experience.

You can also trace connections between architects. Junzo Sakakura, Kunio Maekawa and Takamasa Yoshizaka were involved in supervising the construction of the National Museum of Western Art’s Main Building; Maekawa later designed Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, and Kunio Maekawa Associates also designed the National Museum of Western Art’s New Wing (1979). Yoshiro Taniguchi’s Toyokan and The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, and Yoshio Taniguchi’s Gallery of Horyuji Treasures, can be compared in Ueno and Takebashi.

Frequently asked questions

Can I visit just the buildings?

At some museums, yes. Admission to Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum is free, and you can use the restaurants and museum shop without seeing an exhibition. There are also architecture tours guided by Tobira (art communicators). The Meiji Seimei Kan opens parts of its 1st and 2nd floors free of charge, and admission to Tokyo National Museum’s Kuroda Memorial Hall is also free. The Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum has a garden-only ticket (¥200 for adults), and the interiors of the former Prince Asaka Residence can be seen with an exhibition ticket.

Can I take photos?

It depends on the museum and exhibition. Tokyo National Museum does not allow photography of works marked with a no-photography sign, and flash, tripods and selfie sticks are not permitted. 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT allows photography only in designated areas. The Nezu Museum asks visitors to refrain from photographing works in the galleries, and the Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum also generally does not allow photography or video recording in the galleries. At the Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum, photography is not permitted in the “Marimekko” exhibition except for some works.

Are there free days?

On Tuesday, November 3 (national holiday), the National Museum of Western Art’s permanent collection and Tokyo National Museum’s Tohaku Collection exhibition are free. The National Museum of Western Art’s permanent collection is also generally free on the second Sunday of each month. Note that admission to collection exhibitions will be revised from ¥500 to ¥1,000 for adults at The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo from February 9, 2027, and at the National Museum of Western Art from March 20 (our article on the admission price revision).

Which museums can I visit in the evening?

Open until 20:00 on Fridays and Saturdays are the National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo National Museum, The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo and The National Art Center, Tokyo (during special exhibitions). On Fridays, the Tokyo Station Gallery, the Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum (except national holidays) and Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum (during special exhibitions) are also open until 20:00. For details, see our guide to evening openings.

*Information as of October 30, 2026. Please check each museum’s official website for the latest information.

*Top image: The Main Building of the National Museum of Western Art, designed by Le Corbusier (Photo: Jean-Pierre Dalbéra, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

*This article was compiled by the TOKYO ART SPHERE editorial team based on each museum’s official website, a press release (November 11, 2025) and the official website of Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Company, an announcement by the Independent Administrative Institution National Museum of Art (September 2026), the Agency for Cultural Affairs’ “Cultural Heritage Online” and The National Art Center, Tokyo’s “Art Commons.”

Text: TOKYO ART SPHERE Editorial Team