#Contemporary Art

[Autumn/Winter 2026] Shinjuku, Hatsudai and Waseda Art Guide: Tokyo Opera City, ICC, SOMPO Museum of Art, Yayoi Kusama Museum and More

A roundup, as of October 31, of exhibitions at eight museums in Hatsudai/Nishi-Shinjuku and Waseda/Bentencho. ICC Annual 2026 runs until November 8 and the Albert Marquet exhibition at the SOMPO Museum of Art until December 13. Waseda University’s three museums are free, and the Yayoi Kusama Museum is by advance reservation only.

[Autumn/Winter 2026] Omotesando, Aoyama and Harajuku Art Guide: Nezu Museum, Ota Memorial Museum of Art, Taro Okamoto Memorial Museum and More

A roundup, as of October 31, of exhibitions at five museums and galleries in the Omotesando, Aoyama and Harajuku area. The Nezu Museum’s “Bugaku Costumes” runs until November 23, and the Katsushika Oi exhibition at the Ota Memorial Museum of Art until December 6. We also sort out the different closing days and how to get around from the stations.

[Autumn/Winter 2026] Ryogoku and Kiyosumi-Shirakawa Art Guide: The Sumida Hokusai Museum, Edo-Tokyo Museum and Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo

Ryogoku and Kiyosumi-Shirakawa, two stops apart on the Oedo Line, are home to museums devoted to Hokusai, Edo history, Japanese swords and contemporary art. The Maruyama Okyo exhibition opens at the Edo-Tokyo Museum on November 28, and the two special exhibitions at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo run until December 6 and 13. We summarize exhibitions, admission and how to get around.

[Autumn/Winter 2026] Ginza Gallery Guide: 10 Venues Including Shiseido Gallery, ggg and Maison Hermès

Ginza is home to free galleries run by cosmetics, fashion and camera companies, among others. We summarize exhibitions, opening information and routes for 10 venues, including Shiseido Gallery, Ginza Graphic Gallery and Maison Hermès, as of October 30.

[Autumn/Winter 2026] Tennoz Art Guide: WHAT MUSEUM, Warehouse TERRADA’s Galleries and Canal-Side Murals

Tennoz, home base of Warehouse TERRADA, has a concentration of museum and gallery complexes and large murals along its canals. Until December 20 it is also a venue for the international art exhibition “TOKYO ATLAS,” with many free exhibitions. We summarize exhibitions, opening information and routes as of October 30.

“Seeds and Roots: Cultivating the City” at Tokyo Opera City Until December 20: Ten Artists from Art, Architecture and Fashion

Taking the new ecosystems that arise in the gaps of the city as a clue, this exhibition explores ways to restore our connection with nature. Ten artists from contemporary art, architecture and fashion reconsider the city through everyday activities such as living, wearing and eating. Until Sunday, December 20; ¥1,800 for adults.

Frieze London and Art Basel Paris 2026: Paris Draws Over 200 Exhibitors from 41 Countries and Regions, Including Three Tokyo Galleries

In October 2026, Frieze London and Frieze Masters were held in London and Art Basel Paris in Paris. Paris brought together more than 200 exhibitors from 41 countries and regions, including three Tokyo galleries.

Guggenheim Abu Dhabi Opens December 11: 28 Galleries Designed by the Late Frank Gehry, Tickets Now on Sale

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi has announced that Guggenheim Abu Dhabi on Saadiyat Island will open on December 11, 2026. The building, designed by the late Frank Gehry, has 28 galleries, and an exhibition on Gehry will be held to mark the opening.

The 16th Gwangju Biennale Runs Through November 15: Artistic Director Ho Tzu Nyen Gathers 43 Participants in a Single Building

The 16th Gwangju Biennale, with Singaporean artist Ho Tzu Nyen as artistic director, is on view in Gwangju, South Korea, through Sunday, November 15. It brings 43 artists and groups together in a single building, including 60 paintings by Tokyo-based Sasaki Ken.

Lumen Prize 2026 Winners to Be Announced in November: 89 Finalists Across Three Categories Include Works Shown in Japan

In 2026, the Lumen Prize, an international award for art and technology, selected 89 finalists from entries from 82 countries. Winners will be announced in November, and the top prize, the Gold Award, carries $15,000.

Hong Kong’s M+ Marks Its Fifth Anniversary in 2026: A 400-Work “Myths and Monsters” Exhibition and Over 10.4 Million Visitors to Date

M+ in West Kowloon, Hong Kong, marks its fifth anniversary in November, and in October it opened a special exhibition tracing fantasy in Asian art through more than 400 works. According to its 2025 annual report, it has welcomed more than 10.4 million visitors since opening.

[2026–2027] Guide to Exhibitions at Museums Abroad: 15 Shows in London, Paris and New York, from Van Eyck to Mika Ninagawa

We have selected 15 exhibitions on view or opening between October 2026 and February 2027 at major museums in London, Paris and New York. Based on each museum’s official announcements, we list dates, scale, prices and related exhibitions held in Japan during the same period.

Turner Prize 2026 Shortlist Exhibition Now On in Middlesbrough, UK: Winner Announced December 10, Prize of £25,000

MIMA in Middlesbrough, UK, is holding a free exhibition of the four artists shortlisted for the 2026 Turner Prize, Britain’s contemporary art award. The winner will be announced at a ceremony at MIMA on December 10 and receives £25,000.

The 61st Venice Biennale Runs Through November 22: Awards Decided by Visitor Vote After Jury Resigns; Ei Arakawa-Nash at the Japan Pavilion

The 61st International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale, conceived by the late Koyo Kouoh, runs through Sunday, November 22. After the jury resigned, the awards are being decided by visitor vote, and Ei Arakawa-Nash’s Japan Pavilion exhibition travels to Tokyo in 2027.

Yayoi Kusama Retrospective at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam Through January 17, 2027: The Third Venue After Basel and Cologne Becomes a Memorial Exhibition

A retrospective of Yayoi Kusama, who died on August 14 at the age of 97, is on view at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam until January 17, 2027. It is the third stop on a tour that began in Switzerland and Germany, and the museum says the retrospective has become a memorial exhibition.

Tokyo Jazz Club Ran in Kanda Nishikicho Until November 8: Art and Live Music on All Eight Floors of a Former Capsule Hotel

For eight days, a former capsule hotel near Jimbocho became a space for contemporary art, live performance and social exchange. The first edition, held in partnership with Art Week Tokyo, also scheduled a joint talk by Theaster Gates and Arthur Jafa.

Hakodate International Art Festival to Hold Preview Edition in October 2027, Produced by GLAY’s TERU

A new art festival in Hakodate will make use of historic buildings to bring together art, music and food. After a three-day run at a single venue in 2027, the main edition in 2028 will last about a month and aims to draw around 150,000 visitors.

AI Artist Emi Kusano’s Solo Exhibition “End of Nostalgia” Opens November 14 in Hanno, Saitama

The exhibition presents new works such as “Memory Metabolism,” made of stacked TV monitors, along with about 25 prints from the “Ornament Survival” series. Advance tickets go on sale October 23.

TOKYO MIDTOWN AWARD 2026 Results Announced: Misuzu Akimoto and Doshu Tokumoto Win the Grand Prix

“Soft Building Blocks” won the Grand Prix in the design competition and “Wave Goodbye, Waves” in the art competition, from a total of 1,579 entries. The 16 award-winning and selected works were on display until November 8.