The National Art Center, Tokyo
Picasso, through the Eyes of Paul Smith
This exhibition brings together the work of Pablo Picasso, one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, and British designer Paul Smith. Based on masterpieces from the Musée national Picasso-Paris, the exhibition is uniquely curated by Paul Smith, who reinterprets Picasso’s artistic vision through his distinctive use of color, design, and playful creativity. Featuring approximately 80 works, the exhibition invites visitors to experience a dynamic dialogue between fine art and contemporary design, offering fresh perspectives on Picasso’s enduring legacy while celebrating the spirit of imagination and innovation.
Exhibition Dates: June 10 (Wed) – September 21 (Mon, Holiday), 2026
Venue: Special Exhibition Gallery 2E, The National Art Center, Tokyo
Opening Hours: 10:00–18:00 (until 20:00 on Fridays and Saturdays; admission until 30 minutes before closing)
Closed: Tuesdays (except August 11; closed on August 12 instead)
Admission: To be announced
Image Credit: Pablo Picasso, Reading, 1932. Musée national Picasso-Paris. Exhibition view (2023). © Vinciane Lebrun/Voyez-Vous, courtesy of the Musée national Picasso-Paris. © 2025 Succession Pablo Picasso / BCF (JAPAN)
URL: https://tinyurl.com/ztnuajz5

National Museum of Western Art
Rembrandt the Etcher: His Challenges and His Impact
Focusing on Rembrandt’s groundbreaking achievements as a printmaker, this exhibition explores the innovative etching techniques that transformed the history of printmaking. Centered on the collections of the Rembrandt House Museum and the National Museum of Western Art, the exhibition also features related works and rare publications from Japan and abroad. Through these diverse materials, visitors can discover how Rembrandt’s technical experimentation and artistic vision influenced generations of artists, leaving a lasting legacy in the development of graphic art.
Exhibition Dates: July 7 (Tue) – September 23 (Wed, Holiday), 2026
Venue: Special Exhibition Galleries, National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo
Opening Hours: 9:30–17:30 (until 20:00 on Fridays and Saturdays; admission until 30 minutes before closing)
Image Credit: Frédéric Régamey, Poster for Paris à l'Eau-Forte, 1876. Lithograph. Rembrandt House Museum.
URL: https://tinyurl.com/bf5x9bkh

Abeno Harukas Art Museum
Van Gogh and the Impressionists
Drawn from the renowned Wallraf-Richartz-Museum & Fondation Corboud in Cologne, Germany, this exhibition presents outstanding Impressionist and Post-Impressionist masterpieces by 42 celebrated artists. Approximately 70 works by Édouard Manet, Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Vincent van Gogh, Paul Cézanne, Henri Matisse, Maurice Utrillo, and others trace the development of modern painting while highlighting the artistic dialogue between generations. Major highlights include Van Gogh’s The Drawbridge and Manet’s Bunch of Asparagus, offering visitors an exceptional opportunity to experience the evolution of European art.
Exhibition Dates: July 4 (Sat) – September 9 (Wed), 2026
Venue: Abeno Harukas Art Museum, Osaka
Opening Hours: Tue–Fri 10:00–20:00 / Mon, Sat, Sun & Holidays 10:00–18:00 (admission until 30 minutes before closing)
Closed: July 6 (Mon)
Admission: Adults 2,100; University & High School Students 1,700; Elementary & Junior High School Students 500
Image Credit: All works courtesy of Wallraf-Richartz-Museum & Fondation Corboud, Cologne. Photos © RBA, Cologne.
URL: https://www.ktv.jp/event/gogh_hanebashi

Tokyo Photographic Art Museum
Idemitsu Mako: What a Woman Made
This major retrospective celebrates the pioneering career of Mako Idemitsu, one of Japan’s leading experimental filmmakers and video artists. Bringing together films, videos, installations, and newly exhibited works from the museum’s collection, the exhibition traces her artistic practice from the 1960s onward. Addressing themes such as family, gender, media, and society, Idemitsu’s works continue to resonate with contemporary discussions on identity and representation. The exhibition offers a comprehensive overview of her remarkable contribution to the history of moving-image art.
Exhibition Dates: June 18 (Thu) – September 21 (Mon, Holiday), 2026
Venue: Tokyo Photographic Art Museum
Opening Hours: 10:00–18:00 (until 20:00 on Thursdays and Fridays; until 21:00 on Thursdays and Fridays from August 6–28; admission until 30 minutes before closing)
Closed: Mondays (or the following weekday when Monday is a public holiday)
Admission: Adults 700; Students 560; High School Students and Visitors aged 65 and over 350
Image Credit: Still Life, 1993–2000. Mixed media. Collection of Tokyo Photographic Art Museum. © Mako Idemitsu.
URL: https://topmuseum.jp/exhibition/5417/?lang=en

Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum
100th Anniversary of the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum
Edo in Focus: Japanese Treasures from the British Museum
Commemorating the museum’s 100th anniversary, this exhibition presents one of the largest-ever showcases of Japanese paintings from the British Museum’s renowned collection. Masterpieces returning to Japan for the first time include works by Kitagawa Utamaro, Maruyama Ōkyo, and Katsushika Hokusai, alongside outstanding ukiyo-e prints by Sharaku, Hiroshige, Kuniyoshi, and other Edo-period masters. Through these exceptional works, the exhibition explores the international appreciation of Japanese art and the cultural exchanges that have shaped its global legacy.
Exhibition Dates: July 25 (Sat) – October 18 (Sun), 2026
Venue: Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Ueno Park, Tokyo
Opening Hours: 9:30–17:30 (until 20:00 on Fridays; admission until 30 minutes before closing)
Closed: Mondays and October 13 (except August 10, September 21, and October 12)
URL: https://tinyurl.com/362d2nwu

The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo
MOMAT Collection (2026.5.26–9.13)
The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo presents a new rotation of its renowned MOMAT Collection, showcasing masterpieces from its extensive holdings alongside recently acquired works. Highlights include the first public presentation of the "Sugimoto Notes" in conjunction with the special exhibition HIROSHI SUGIMOTO: EXTINCTION, as well as works by On Kawara, Hideko Urushibara, Akiko Maemoto, and Shizuka Yokomizo. A special feature marks the 120th anniversary of Saburo Hasegawa's birth, exploring both his artistic achievements and his work as a curator. Visitors can also enjoy celebrated masterpieces by Léonard Foujita, Paul Cézanne, Pierre Bonnard, Paul Klee, Yoshitomo Nara, and many others.
Exhibition Dates: May 26 (Tue) – September 13 (Sun), 2026
Venue: Gallery of the MOMAT Collection, The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo
Opening Hours: 10:00–17:00 (until 20:00 on Fridays and Saturdays; admission until 30 minutes before closing)
Closed: Mondays (except July 20), and July 21
Image Credit: Yorozu Tetsugorō, Nude Beauty, 1912. Important Cultural Property.
URL: https://www.momat.go.jp/en/exhibitions/r8-1

Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts
Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts 90th Anniversary Special Exhibition: Water Margin
Celebrating the museum's 90th anniversary, this special exhibition explores the enduring influence of the Chinese literary classic Water Margin. Bringing together Chinese art from the Northern Song to the Qing dynasty and Japanese art from the Edo period to the present day, the exhibition examines how the epic tale inspired artists across different cultures and eras. Paintings, prints, sculptures, manuscripts, and historical materials—including dynamic warrior prints by Utagawa Kuniyoshi—reveal the rich visual tradition surrounding the legendary heroes while highlighting the story's continuing impact on literature, film, manga, and popular culture.
Exhibition Dates: July 11 (Sat) – September 6 (Sun), 2026
Venue: Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts
Opening Hours: 9:30–17:00 (last admission 16:30)
Closed: Mondays (except public holidays; open August 10)
Image Credit: Utagawa Kuniyoshi, One of the 108 Heroes of the Popular Water Margin: Shi Jin, c.1827. Private Collection.
URL: https://tinyurl.com/49ckzxpm

Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka
Karl Walser
This exhibition is the first major retrospective in Japan devoted to Swiss artist Karl Walser. Active during the first half of the twentieth century, Walser spent nearly twenty-five years in Berlin, where he encountered Symbolism, Impressionism, and other emerging artistic movements that shaped his distinctive style. Around 150 works—including paintings, drawings, stage designs, book illustrations, and decorative art—trace the breadth of his creative achievements. All exhibited works are being shown in Japan for the first time, providing a rare opportunity to rediscover one of Switzerland's most remarkable yet lesser-known artists.
Exhibition Dates: July 4 (Sat) – September 27 (Sun), 2026
Venue: 4th Floor Galleries, Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka
Opening Hours: 10:00–17:00 (last admission 16:30)
Closed: Mondays (except designated opening days) and July 21
Admission: Adults 1,800; University & High School Students 1,300; Elementary & Junior High School Students 500
URL: https://nakka-art.jp/en/exhibition-post/karlwalser-2026-en/

The Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka
Special Exhibition "MOCO Collection Omnibus — Debut Appearances and Comebacks — PART 2"
This exhibition presents highlights from the museum's outstanding collections, featuring many objects on public view for the first time. Centered on the Shokei Collection of tea utensils, the exhibition also includes rarely displayed export Imari porcelain, masterpieces by potter Hamada Shoji, the Horio Mikio Collection of Kosometsuke wares and Chinese ceramics, and an exceptional collection of Korean ceramic water droppers. Displayed in an omnibus format, the exhibition offers visitors a unique opportunity to appreciate the diversity and beauty of East Asian ceramic art across different periods and traditions.
Exhibition Dates: April 11 (Sat) – August 2 (Sun), 2026
Venue: The Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka
Opening Hours: 9:30–17:00 (last admission 16:30)
Closed: Mondays (except designated opening days), May 7 and July 21
Admission: Adults 1,600; University & High School Students 800
URL: https://www.moco.or.jp/en/exhibition/current/?e=661

Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art
Masters of Swedish Painting from Nationalmuseum, Stockholm
Organized with the full cooperation of Nationalmuseum Stockholm, this exhibition is Japan's first to focus exclusively on Swedish painting. Featuring approximately 80 masterpieces created between the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, it explores the Golden Age of Swedish art through landscapes, portraits, and scenes of everyday life. The exhibition follows artists who studied realism and naturalism in France before returning home to develop a distinctly Swedish artistic identity inspired by Nordic light, nature, and daily life. Together, these remarkable works reveal the poetic beauty and cultural richness of Scandinavian painting.
Exhibition Dates: July 9 (Thu) – October 4 (Sun), 2026
Venue: Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art (Aichi Arts Center, 10F)
Opening Hours: 10:00–17:00 (until 20:00 on Fridays; admission until 30 minutes before closing)
Closed: Mondays (except July 20, August 10 and September 21), July 21 and September 24
Image Credit: Nils Blommér, Fairies in the Meadow, 1850. Nationalmuseum, Stockholm. Photo: Cecilia Heisser / Nationalmuseum.
URL: https://www.swedishpainting2026.jp/

Fukuda Art Museum
Let All Be Well – Prayers in Paint –
Centered on the universal theme of prayer, this exhibition is the first at the Fukuda Art Museum to focus on both Buddhist paintings and auspicious paintings. Since ancient times, people have expressed hopes for happiness, peace, and protection through works of art. The exhibition is organized into three sections, introducing the world of Buddhist paintings, symbolic paintings associated with good fortune, and the serene works of Higashiyama Kaii, who described painting as "a prayer born from the desire to live sincerely." Through these diverse masterpieces, visitors are invited to reflect on the many forms of prayer embodied in Japanese art.
Exhibition Dates: July 18 (Sat) – September 6 (Sun), 2026
Venue: Fukuda Art Museum, Kyoto
Opening Hours: 10:00–17:00 (last admission 16:30)
Closed: August 18 (Tue)
Admission: Adults & University Students 1,500 (1,400); High School Students 900 (800); Elementary & Junior High School Students 500 (400); Visitors with disabilities and one accompanying person 900 (800). Group rates apply to parties of 20 or more. Preschool children admitted free.
URL: https://tinyurl.com/4vuttbry

Contemporary Art Gallery, Art Tower Mito
Kei Takemura: All Things Move
This exhibition marks the largest solo presentation to date by Japanese artist Kei Takemura. Through the act of stitching, Takemura explores memory, loss, time, and transformation, giving new life to objects altered by personal experience or natural disasters. The exhibition features key works from the 2000s, restored pieces, newly commissioned installations inspired by disaster and repair, and participatory workshops held throughout Mito City. Together, these works encourage visitors to reflect on the meaning of restoration and the ways in which memories continue to evolve over time.
Exhibition Dates: July 25 (Sat) – October 12 (Mon, Holiday), 2026
Venue: Contemporary Art Gallery and other locations, Art Tower Mito
Opening Hours: 10:00–18:00 (last admission 17:30)
Closed: Mondays (except September 21 and October 12)
Admission: Adults 900; Groups (20+) 700; Free for high school students and younger, visitors aged 70 and over, and visitors with disabilities plus one companion.
URL: https://tinyurl.com/3vruzbff

21_21 DESIGN SIGHT　
Soup as Life
This exhibition reconsiders the essential relationship between food, clothing, shelter, and everyday life through the simple yet universal idea of soup. While clothing and housing protect the body from the outside, food nourishes it from within. Using soup as a starting point, the exhibition explores the foundations of human life through design, encouraging visitors to engage their senses and rediscover the importance of daily nourishment. Interactive displays and thought-provoking installations offer new perspectives on one of humanity's most fundamental needs.
Exhibition Dates: March 27 (Fri) – August 9 (Sun), 2026
Venue: Gallery 1 & 2, 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT, Tokyo
Opening Hours: 10:00–19:00 (last admission 18:30)
Closed: Tuesdays (except May 5)
Admission: Adults 1,600; University Students 800; High School Students 500; Free for junior high school students and younger.
URL: https://tinyurl.com/s3aemjdj

POLA Institute of Beauty & Culture
"Yosou Watashi" (The Self Through Adornment)
Part I: Looking into the Mirror
Presented as part of the POLA Institute of Beauty & Culture's 50th anniversary celebrations, this exhibition explores the cultural history of mirrors and the ways people have shaped their identities through appearance. Featuring objects from different periods and regions—including an Etruscan bronze mirror, an elegant Art Nouveau standing mirror, and finely crafted Japanese lacquer mirror cases—the exhibition traces changing ideas of beauty, self-image, and personal adornment. Through these remarkable artifacts, visitors can discover how mirrors have reflected both individual identity and cultural values across the centuries.
Exhibition Dates: April 10 (Fri) – September 25 (Fri), 2026
Venue: Cosmetic Culture Gallery, POLA Aoyama Building, Tokyo
Opening Hours: Thursdays & Fridays, 11:00–17:00 (last admission 16:30). Partial reservations required on Thursdays; extended opening hours on July 23 for a gallery talk.
Closed: August 13–14
Image Credit: Standing Mirror with Female Figure, c.1900.
URL: https://tinyurl.com/5n846h84

NTT InterCommunication Center [ICC]
ICC Annual 2026: What Is Left, What Remains, and What We Take on
The annual exhibition at NTT InterCommunication Center (ICC) explores contemporary artistic practices inspired by today's media environment. This year's edition examines how history, technology, and media shape memory and preservation, questioning what is recorded, what disappears, and how future generations inherit the past. Through media art, immersive installations, and digital works, the exhibition considers the structures behind archives, image circulation, and collective memory. It offers visitors an opportunity to rethink the meaning of preserving history in an increasingly digital world.
Exhibition Dates: June 20 (Sat) – November 8 (Sun), 2026
Venue: Gallery B, NTT InterCommunication Center [ICC], Tokyo Opera City Tower 4F, Tokyo
Opening Hours: 11:00–18:00 (admission until 30 minutes before closing)
Closed: Mondays (or the following day when Monday is a public holiday), except September 22; Maintenance Day: August 2
Admission: Adults 800 (700); University Students 600 (500); Anechoic Chamber Experience 200; Annual Pass 2,000. Free for visitors with disabilities and one companion, visitors aged 65 and over, and high school students and younger.
Image Credit: Exhibition graphic design by Keiji Terai.
URL: https://tinyurl.com/3vbwtrtw

WALL_alternative
Between Us
Curated by Thailand-born, Tokyo-based artist and curator Sarena Sattapon, Between Us expands upon the curatorial project Thailand, What's Going On, originally presented at MEET YOUR ART FESTIVAL 2025. Bringing together twelve artists from Thailand and Japan, the exhibition explores the relationships that emerge "between us" through themes including culture, the body, politics, memory, and identity. Featuring more than fifteen works ranging from painting and photography to video and installation, the exhibition offers diverse perspectives on contemporary society and cross-cultural dialogue. Visitors can also enjoy a plant display and shop presented by PERK SHOP, along with a special pop-up store created in collaboration with Studio 2525.
Exhibition Dates: June 27 (Sat) – July 26 (Sun), 2026
Venue: WALL_alternative, Tokyo
Opening Hours: 18:00–24:00
Closed: Mondays
Admission: Free
Image Credit: Photo by Keizo Kioku
URL: https://avex.jp/wall/exhibition/566/