Longer Itineraries
Indoor and outdoor art tour of Tokyo, Chugoku and Shikoku
Once you have had an eyeful of art old and new from the world's greatest in Tokyo, head to Chugoku and Shikoku. Here you will visit islands of the Seto Inland Sea and mountain villages where the focus is on contemporary art. In the second half of the trip, the focus turns to Japanese traditional art and gardens. Immerse yourself in art, outside and in, to your heart's content, from delightful public pieces that blend with the landscape to precious works found in art galleries.
*The times represent the approximate time needed to travel between major spots.
Day 1–3
Please the eye! A tour of Tokyo's art, old and new
Taking in the major art spots of Tokyo, encounter the artworks and structures by global artists of history and today.
Roppongi is a part of Tokyo where foreigners gather, and it is also a place where art galleries have risen up. Alight at Roppongi and you will see public art at every turn.
Enjoying strolling around the public artworks of Roppongi before moving to Ueno. From Ueno Station, the path to the art gallery is also lined with art.
At the National Museum of Western Art, perhaps Japan's most famous art museum, the building itself is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
You should also take in Asakusa, one subway ride form Ueno. Commemorate your trip with a photo of Philippe Starck's eyecatching works or the symbol of Asakusa, Kaminarimon gate.
To cap your tour of Tokyo art, let's visit Toyosu, the latest art hotspot. Here, you can experience the new sensations of digital art from teamLab.
Roppongi is a part of Tokyo where foreigners gather, and it is also a place where art galleries have risen up. Alight at Roppongi and you will see public art at every turn.
Enjoying strolling around the public artworks of Roppongi before moving to Ueno. From Ueno Station, the path to the art gallery is also lined with art.
At the National Museum of Western Art, perhaps Japan's most famous art museum, the building itself is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
You should also take in Asakusa, one subway ride form Ueno. Commemorate your trip with a photo of Philippe Starck's eyecatching works or the symbol of Asakusa, Kaminarimon gate.
To cap your tour of Tokyo art, let's visit Toyosu, the latest art hotspot. Here, you can experience the new sensations of digital art from teamLab.
1
Roppongi Hills
Roppongi, a hub for galleries including the Suntory Museum of Art and the Mori Art Museum, is a key art hotspot in Tokyo. Arriving in Roppongi, you will find yourself face to face with artworks wherever you go. Here and there in the Roppongi Hills, you will find enormous public artworks by global artists and innovatively-designed street furniture. This forms the setting for an imaginative cultural heart of the city. Walking around streets full of color and sculpture is quite exhilirating.
30 minutes by train(non-JR lines)
2
Ueno Park
(Asakura Fumio's Three Phases (intellect, emotion and will) and stained glass)
(Asakura Fumio's Three Phases (intellect, emotion and will) and stained glass)
Ueno Park is an oasis in the city complete with galleries, museums, a zoo and wide open space. The first thing your eye is drawn to upon arriving at Ueno Station is the beautiful stained glass showing the Ueno town of old, just before you reach the gates of the Ginza subway line. Inside the building are works by sculptor Asakura Fumio. The National Museum of Western Art was designed by Le Corbusier, the giant of modernist architecture and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. To walk the path to the art gallery itself is a chance to encounter numerous artworks.
10 minutes by train(non-JR lines)
3
Asakusa
(Asahi Group Headquarters Building)
(Asahi Group Headquarters Building)
Asakusa is known for its landmarks that include the red lantern of Kaminari-mon and Sensoji Temple. The Sumida and Oshiage area, home to the Tokyo Sky Tree, is found on the opposite shore of the Sumida River.
15 minutes by train(non-JR lines)
15 minutes by bus
4
teamLab Planets TOKYO
teamLab Planets is a "museum where you walk through water, and a garden where you become one with the flowers" consisting of four gigantic art spaces and two gardens. Visitors can experience the art with their entire body by going barefoot and stepping into these immense works. The world-renowned Lonely Planet travel guidebooks have selected teamLab Planets as one of "The 7 best museums in Tokyo (that even Tokyoites wait in line to visit)". It has attracted a cumulative total of more than 5 million visitors, with tourists coming from 182 countries and regions around the world. teamLab Planets is also the first place in Japan to be honored with the title of "Asia's Leading Tourist Attraction 2023" by the World Travel Awards, which are considered the Academy Awards of the travel industry.
30 minutes by train(non-JR lines)
ANA
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45 minutes by bus
30 minutes by high-speed boat
Day 4–6
Visit art spaces on small islands and towns
After the thrill of the Toyosu digital art experience, we depart for the islands of the Seto Inland Sea, where the focus is contemporary art.
Immersed in nature amid sea and mountains, take in architecture built in harmony with the bucolic landscapes and numerous public artworks.
On the Seto Inland Sea islands of Naoshima and Inujima, even if you are visiting in a year when the Setouchi Triennale is not being held, there are still plenty of stunning regular exhibits.
The small mountain town of Kamiyama, Tokushima Prefecture, is famus for Kamiyama Artist in Residence, a long-stay program for artists to reside in the town. Artworks can be found in all parts of the community.
Immersed in nature amid sea and mountains, take in architecture built in harmony with the bucolic landscapes and numerous public artworks.
On the Seto Inland Sea islands of Naoshima and Inujima, even if you are visiting in a year when the Setouchi Triennale is not being held, there are still plenty of stunning regular exhibits.
The small mountain town of Kamiyama, Tokushima Prefecture, is famus for Kamiyama Artist in Residence, a long-stay program for artists to reside in the town. Artworks can be found in all parts of the community.
5
Naoshima's galleries and outdoor art
Naoshima is a beautiful island in the Seto Inland Sea with a blending of nature, art, and architecture. Visitors can see the beauty of the Setouchi island archipelago blended with art attractions such as the Benesse House Museum, the Chichu Art Museum, and the Art House Project. This island is full of unique charm that can only be experienced here.
Set against the backdrop of the beautiful islands of Seto Inland Sea, the Setouchi Triennale international contemporary art festival is held once every three years.
Set against the backdrop of the beautiful islands of Seto Inland Sea, the Setouchi Triennale international contemporary art festival is held once every three years.
55 minutes by high-speed boat
6
Inujima
Inujima is a small island just 4km round which has become known for its art. Its icon is the Inujima Seirensho Art Museum, which has breathed new life into the ruins of an old copper refinery. This is an art museum with a unique perspective in its blend of ruins, architecture and artworks that gives rise to thoughts about the world today. Inujima hosts five small galleries and it is also a part of its Inujima "Art House Project" which displays works. Immerse yourself in a variety of artworks as you take in the wide natural panoramas of the island. (Not open in winter)
85 minutes by higt-speed boat
65 minutes by train(JR)
55 minutes by bus
7
Kamiyama Artist in Residence
Kamiyama is a small town nestled in the mountains. It has gained prominence as an art town thanks to the success of Artist in Residence, an initiative that started in 1999 inviting artists from around Japan and abroad to create and display their art. Mt. Oawa, in the middle of the town, is a place to enjoy the wide range of exciting works created so far by the artists. Soak up more art every autumn, when works are on display all around Kamiyama. Arts tours by staff can also be arranged in other seasons (fee payable/advance booking required). Please inquire to the KAIR office. After a hike, you can relax at Kamiyama Onsen, the hot spring at the foot of Mt. Oawa. Nearby is Kamiyama BEER, a craft brewery. They open a taproom on weekends so you can raise a glass in the middle of nature.
55 minutes by bus
140 minutes by train(JR)
Day 7–10
Traditional performing arts and gardens: lose yourself in Japanese beauty
Once you have fully tasted the modern art of Shikoku, cross the bridge back to Honshu. It is time to immerse in the ancient arts of Japan.
First up, visit the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter, where preserved streetscapes make the whole town a work of art. The Ohara Museum of Art is found here and displays a lot of modern and contemporary art from Japan and the West.
At the Adachi Museum of Art in Shimane, enjoy modern to contemporary Japanese painting and ceramics, as well as a beautiful Japanese garden.
Your eyes opened to the wonders of Japanese art, the last stop is the Kashiwabara Art Museum in Yamaguchi, for its displays of weapons and art, including feudal armor, swords and tea utensils.
This finishes off a journey that fully satiates your appetite for Japanese and Western art of the past and present.
First up, visit the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter, where preserved streetscapes make the whole town a work of art. The Ohara Museum of Art is found here and displays a lot of modern and contemporary art from Japan and the West.
At the Adachi Museum of Art in Shimane, enjoy modern to contemporary Japanese painting and ceramics, as well as a beautiful Japanese garden.
Your eyes opened to the wonders of Japanese art, the last stop is the Kashiwabara Art Museum in Yamaguchi, for its displays of weapons and art, including feudal armor, swords and tea utensils.
This finishes off a journey that fully satiates your appetite for Japanese and Western art of the past and present.
8
Ohara Museum of Art
The first modern museum of western art in Japan with a collection of world-famous paintings
Ohara Museum of Art was established in 1930 by Magosaburo Ohara, a Kurashiki-based entrepreneur who engaged in a wide range of business activities, in commemoration of artist Torajiro Kojima who had passed the year before. This is the first privately owned art museum in Japan that houses Western works. The museum has a total of three buildings: the Main Gallery, Annex Gallery, and Handicrafts/Eastern Gallery. The Main Gallery was designed after a Greek temple and its appearance has been maintained since its establishment in 1930. The museum houses an extensive collection of mainly Western modern and contemporary art. This is one of the must-see tourist spots when visiting the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter.
Ohara Museum of Art was established in 1930 by Magosaburo Ohara, a Kurashiki-based entrepreneur who engaged in a wide range of business activities, in commemoration of artist Torajiro Kojima who had passed the year before. This is the first privately owned art museum in Japan that houses Western works. The museum has a total of three buildings: the Main Gallery, Annex Gallery, and Handicrafts/Eastern Gallery. The Main Gallery was designed after a Greek temple and its appearance has been maintained since its establishment in 1930. The museum houses an extensive collection of mainly Western modern and contemporary art. This is one of the must-see tourist spots when visiting the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter.
200 minutes by train(JR)
20 minutes by bus
9
Adachi Museum of Art
This 165,000-square-meter garden has been selected by "The Journal of Japanese Gardening" as Japan's best garden since 2003. It was also rated three stars by "Michelin Green Guide Japan", a travel guidebook published in France.
The collection of Japanese paintings is popular, with a true highlight being the Yokoyama Taikan collection.
The collection of Japanese paintings is popular, with a true highlight being the Yokoyama Taikan collection.
20 minutes by bus
135 minutes by train(JR)
JR Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen
15 minutes by bus
10
Kashiwabara Art Museum
Kintai Bridge
Kintai Bridge
The museum has armor, swords, weapons, ancient documents, calligraphic works and paintings, and old mirrors on display.
Here, we have presented a tour of various indoor and outdoor art forms, from art museums to public art and digital art, in Tokyo, Chugoku and Shikoku.
Means of transportation are provided for your reference, but it is always a good idea to take a stroll at your leisure around the locations mentioned.
*The information provided here is as of March 2022.
*Transportation information does not include the number of transfers or transfer time.
*Admission fees may be charged depending on the spot/facility. For the latest information on business hours, days when spots/facilities are regularly closed, prices, etc., please check the official website for each spot/facility or check directly with the spot/facility.
Means of transportation are provided for your reference, but it is always a good idea to take a stroll at your leisure around the locations mentioned.
*The information provided here is as of March 2022.
*Transportation information does not include the number of transfers or transfer time.
*Admission fees may be charged depending on the spot/facility. For the latest information on business hours, days when spots/facilities are regularly closed, prices, etc., please check the official website for each spot/facility or check directly with the spot/facility.