Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo – “Choreographies of the Everyday”
To mark its 30th anniversary, the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo presents Choreographies of the Everyday, a large-scale exhibition featuring domestic and international artists. This exhibition examines how everyday gestures and urban environments shape our social fabric, offering performances, workshops, and tours to engage visitors. Drawing on research in Tokyo and beyond, it explores the political, cultural, and economic forces embedded in ordinary life, revealing systemic issues while highlighting creativity, humor, and resilience. It thoughtfully prompts viewers to consider how museums can reflect and shape diverse societies and lived experiences.
Period: August 23 – November 24, 2025
Venue: Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo
Opening Hours: 10:00–18:00 (Fridays in August–September open until 21:00)
Admission: Adults 2,100; University students & Seniors (65+) 1,100; High school & Junior high students 500; Elementary and under free
Details: Closed Mondays (open on Sep 15, Oct 13, Nov 3, and 24; closed Sep 16, Oct 14, and Nov 4)
URL: Official Exhibition Page

Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts – “The Art of Fascinating Lacquerware in Red and Black”
The Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts hosts The Art of Fascinating Lacquerware in Red and Black, showcasing the refined beauty of “Negoro” lacquerware, where layers of red over black gradually wear away to reveal the black base beneath. The exhibition covers medieval to more recent examples, revealing the lasting allure of rustic patina and traditional craftsmanship—a testament to design deeply rooted in Japanese aesthetics.
Period: September 20 – November 9, 2025
Venue: Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts
Opening Hours: 9:30–17:00 (last admission 16:30)
Admission: Adults 1,800; University & High school students 1,300; Junior high and under free (including persons with disability + 1 companion)
Details: Closed Mondays (open on Sept 22; closed the following day)
URL: Official Website

The National Art Center, Tokyo – “Prism of Time: Japanese Art Expressions Born Between 1989 and 2010”
This exhibition examines Japanese artistic practices from 1989 to 2010, a period marked by globalization and rapid social change. Co-organized with Hong Kong’s M+, it features over 50 artists exploring themes of the past, relationships between self and others, and the future of communities. By showcasing diverse media, the exhibition provides new perspectives on Japanese contemporary art and its impact on broader cultural discourse.
Period: September 3 – December 8, 2025
Venue: The National Art Center, Tokyo, Special Exhibition Gallery 1E
Hours: 10:00–18:00 (Fridays & Saturdays until 20:00, last admission 30 minutes before closing)
Admission: To be announced on the official website
Closed: Tuesdays (open Sep 23, closed Sep 24)
URL: https://www.nact.jp/english/exhibition_special/2025/JCAW/

Mori Art Museum – “Ron Mueck”
The Mori Art Museum presents a solo exhibition by Ron Mueck, renowned for his hyperrealistic sculptures of the human figure. His works evoke universal emotions—loneliness, anxiety, and the fear of aging—through dramatically varied scales, from miniature to monumental. The exhibition includes large-scale installations, inviting viewers to confront questions about humanity and the human body. This is a rare opportunity to encounter one of the most acclaimed contemporary sculptors of our time.
Period: April 29 – September 23, 2026
Venue: Mori Art Museum
Hours: Not specified
Admission: Not specified
Details: Organized by Mori Art Museum and Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain
URL: https://www.mori.art.museum/en/exhibitions/ronmueck/index.html

Plaza Gallery – “Young Bronze Sculptors”
Plaza Gallery showcases a group exhibition by six young sculptors from Musashino Art University, Tokyo Zokei University, and Tama Art University. Each artist experiments with bronze, a historically rich medium, to carve out new possibilities for contemporary expression. Their works demonstrate fresh perspectives on permanence and transformation, offering a glimpse into the future of Japanese sculpture.
Period: September 6 – September 28, 2025
Venue: Plaza Gallery (Chofu, Tokyo)
Hours: 11:00–18:00
Admission: Free
Closed: Monday–Wednesday
URL: http://www.plaza-gallery.com/

Pola Museum of Art – “Ryan Gander: You Complete Me”
The Pola Museum of Art presents the latest works of UK-based artist Ryan Gander. Known for his multifaceted practice spanning painting, sculpture, video, text, and VR installations, Gander continually questions the frameworks and meanings of art. This exhibition features 18 works, most of which are shown in Japan for the first time, including several created specifically for this occasion. The show highlights Gander’s unique approach and his critical yet playful reexamination of contemporary art.
Period: May 31 – November 30, 2025
Venue: Pola Museum of Art (Atrium Gallery, Gallery 4, Lobby)
Hours: 9:00–17:00 (last entry 16:30)
Admission: Adults 2,200 / University & High school students 1,700 / Junior high and under free / Persons with disability + 1 companion 1,100
URL: https://www.polamuseum.or.jp/en/news/topics/2025080801/

The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo – “MOMAT Collection”
The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, presents its rotating collection exhibition “MOMAT Collection.” Nearly all works change each term for conservation purposes. Highlights include a special display marking the 100th anniversary of Robert Rauschenberg’s birth, alongside works commemorating 60 years of Japan–Korea normalization. Visitors can discover masterpieces and new acquisitions, offering fresh perspectives on modern and contemporary art each visit.
Period: July 15 – October 26, 2025
Venue: The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo (Collection Gallery, 2F–4F)
Hours: 10:00–17:00 (Fridays & Saturdays until 20:00, last entry 30 minutes before closing)
Admission: Adults 500 / University students 250 / Free for High school and younger, under 18, and 65+
Closed: Mondays (except Jul 21, Aug 11, Sep 15, Oct 13; closed following day)
Image Credit: Robert Rauschenberg, Potato Buds, 1971
URL: https://www.momat.go.jp/en/exhibitions/r7-1

21_21 DESIGN SIGHT – “What If?–Unveiling the Future of Disaster Preparedness”
21_21 DESIGN SIGHT hosts an exhibition on disaster preparedness, directed by visual design studio WOW. It examines what disasters mean by presenting data visualizations, products, and projects born out of catastrophe. By confronting real situations and scattering thought-provoking “questions” throughout the venue, the exhibition encourages visitors to reconsider resilience and the future of disaster response.
Period: July 4 – November 3, 2025
Venue: 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT, Gallery 1 & 2
Closed: Tuesdays (open Sep 23)
URL: https://www.2121designsight.jp/en/program/bosai/

Ginza Graphic Gallery – “MINA TABEI: Light, Figures, and Beyond”
Ginza Graphic Gallery presents a solo exhibition by Mina Tabei, who has developed her career under designer Katsunari Hattori before establishing her own style. By translating light and shadow—phenomena beyond human control—into two-dimensional expression, she explores the potential of photographic approaches in graphic design. The show highlights her pursuit of unique visual expression, combining chance with deliberate design.
Period: September 5 – October 22, 2025
Venue: Ginza Graphic Gallery
Hours: 11:00–19:00
URL: https://www.dnpfcp.jp/gallery/ggg_e/

The 5th Floor – “Phenomenon and Record: Re-creating the Same Record in Three Rooms”
The 5th Floor in Nezu presents an exhibition by Shihoko Anzai, Daisuke Sakuma, Seaketa, Hina Shibata, and Takeryu Yokosawa. Using three nearly identical rooms, the exhibition places video, photography, posters, and reviews in each, though only one room is accessible. The project explores the relationship between media and record, questioning how performance documentation and systematization can be manipulated while maintaining strictness.
Period: August 29 – October 12, 2025
Venue: The 5th Floor
Hours: 13:00–20:00
URL: https://the5thfloor.org/

HENKYO – “Corridor of Blank Wings”
HENKYO presents a two-person exhibition by Noritsuna Komori and Kohei Yamada. Centered on new works, the show examines the spatial relationship between artwork and architecture. On opening day, a talk by sculptor Kohei Nawa is scheduled, adding further dialogue to the experience. The exhibition offers an experimental exploration of contemporary art practices in Japan.
Period: September 6 – September 27, 2025
Venue: HENKYO
Hours: 12:00–19:00
URL: https://henkyo.jp/

Fuji Gallery Shinjuku – “Ayumi Aoki: Ephemeral Landscapes”
Fuji Gallery Shinjuku presents Ayumi Aoki’s solo exhibition “Ephemeral Landscapes.” Her works layer collage materials with fluid brushstrokes to capture fleeting seasonal moments in poetic imagery. With a transparent quality and sensitivity to time’s passage, her paintings invite viewers to reflect on transient beauty often overlooked in daily life. This exhibition showcases Aoki’s latest creations, bringing quiet lyricism to the heart of Shinjuku.
Period: September 12 – October 19, 2025
Venue: Fuji Gallery Shinjuku (Hilton Tokyo B1F, Nishi-Shinjuku)
Hours: 10:00–18:00
URL: https://www.fuji-gs.jp/

NANZUKA UNDERGROUND – “Haroshi: ABACO”
NANZUKA UNDERGROUND presents Haroshi’s solo exhibition “ABACO.” Known for transforming discarded skateboard decks into colorful sculptures, Haroshi returns for his third solo show at the gallery following “GUZO” (2017) and “I versus I” (2021). His works reflect sustainability, creativity, and playful energy, reimagining waste as vibrant contemporary art.
Period: September 12 – November 9, 2025
Venue: NANZUKA UNDERGROUND
Hours: 11:00–19:00
URL: https://nanzuka.com/en/exhibitions/haroshi-abaco