A look at upcoming exhibitions and art shows across Tokyo for the month of December. Whether you want to see some traditional Japanese art or a modern exhibit, here’s everything worth checking out.
Tokyo Art Shows in December
Tokyo Comic Con 2025
Tokyo Comic Con will be held in Makuhari Messe with celebrities including Johnny Depp, Sebastian Stan, Norman Reedus and Christopher Llyod.
| Date & Time | Dec 05-07・11:00-19:00・event hours vary each day |
| Price | ¥5500 for adults (¥5900 day of), ¥1000 for guests under 18, ¥500 for guests under 15 |
| Location | Makuhari Messe |
Duncan Swann 'Infinite City' Art Exhibition
UltraSuperNew Kura art gallery will host Duncan Swann's "Infinite City" exhibition exploring city life in Tokyo through oil paintings.
| Date & Time | Dec 06-19・by appointment only, closed on Sunday and Monday |
| Price | Free |
| Location | UltraSuperNew Kura |
Kusama Yayoi, "Macaroni Coat" (1963). Mixed media, 118.5×80.3×12.0 cm. Itabashi Art Museum ©YAYOI KUSAMA
Anti-Action: Artist-Women’s Challenges and Responses in Postwar Japan
During the 1950s and 60s in Japan, female artists initially gained prominence in the avant-garde scene, supported by movements like art informel. However, the subsequent introduction of “action painting” — a style closely associated with masculine ideals of boldness and strength — led to the marginalization of women painters from critical discussion. This exhibition seeks to reinterpret modern and contemporary Japanese art history by adopting the “anti-action” perspective, presenting artists such as Yayoi Kusama, Atsuko Tanaka and Hideko Fukushima, and many others who have been traditionally overlooked in art history.
| Date & Time | Dec 16, 2025-Feb 8, 2026・10:00-17:00・Fri and Sat until 20:00 |
| Price | Adults ¥2,000 / College ¥1,200 |
| Location | The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo |
| More Info | includes admission fee for MOMAT Collection |
"Blue Circle," 2025, Oil on canvas, φ1000mm ©YEYE
YEYE: Telepathy
If you’re on the right side of Instagram, you’ve definitely seen Korean artist YEYE’s adorable paintings of her fluffy white dog. Named Moonge, the dog — known for its many charming expressions — spent 15 years by the artist’s side. YEYE’s humorous, heartwarming works have touched the hearts of fans around the world.
| Date & Time | Nov 05-Dec 06・11:00-19:00・Closed Sun & Mon, Except Nov 9 |
| Price | Free |
| Location | Kaikai Kiki Gallery |
Tokihiro Sato, "Photo-Respiration: City Scape #22", 1988. Archival pigment print, 130.7 x 103.5 cm. © Tokihiro Sato, courtesy Poetic Scape.
Tokihiro Sato: Photo-Respiration – City Scape
Photographer Tokihiro Sato uses specialized techniques like pinhole cameras, the camera obscura and long exposure to explore themes of light, time, space and the body, pushing the boundaries of photographic expression.This exhibition showcases works from his signature Photo-Respiration series, focusing on the “City Scape” images created within urban and architectural environments. By tracing trails with a penlight in the dark, or reflecting sunlight with mirrors, Sato crafts tangible traces of time.
| Date & Time | Oct 27-Dec 07・13:00-18:00・Nov 7-9 Open from 10:00, Closed Mon, Tue and Nov 29 |
| Price | Free |
| Location | Poetic Scape |
Marc Chagall, “Amoureux au bouquet de fleurs ou Les Amoureux aux fleurs”. courtesy of galerie taménaga
Marc Chagall: 40 Years in Remembrance
Marking the 40th anniversary of Marc Chagall’s passing, the exhibition displays the Russian-French painter’s enchanting, dreamlike works. Chagall’s oeuvre — celebrated for its spiritual optimism and poetic beauty — often drew from Jewish folklore, featuring recurring motifs such as floating lovers, musicians, angels and farm animals. The show has a particular focus on the bouquet as a motif; for Chagall, flowers were symbolic of love, happiness, remembrance and life itself. It’s a rare opportunity to see approximately thirty timeless works by one of the most beloved modernist artists of all time.
| Date & Time | Nov 08-Dec 07・11:00-19:00・Open 11:00-17:00 on Sundays |
| Price | Free |
| Location | Galerie Taménaga |
Prism of the Real: Making Art in Japan
The Prism of the Real exhibition at the National Art Center Tokyo examines and showcases more than 50 artists from Japan and abroad, looking at both art that emerged from Japan and how Japanese culture has inspired the world between 1989 and 2010.
| Date & Time | Sep 03-Dec 08・10:00-18:00・last admission 30 minutes before closing, Fridays and Saturdays from 10:00-20:00, closed on Tuesdays and September 24 |
| Price | ¥2000 for adults, ¥1000 for university students, ¥500 for high school students |
| Location | National Art Center Tokyo |
| More Info | Junior high school students or younger are free, guests with disabilities (plus one assistant) will be admitted for free upon presenting ID |
Thomas Ruff, "Substrat 41 III," 2009, courtesy of Gallery Koyanagi
Thomas Ruff Solo Exhibition: Two of Each
Experimental German photographer Thomas Ruff will hold a much-anticipated solo exhibition “Two of Each” at Gallery Koyanagi starting this October. As the name of the exhibition suggests, two pieces from each of his representative series — “Substrate,” “negatives,” “flower.s” and “untitled#” — will be shown.
| Date & Time | Oct 18-Dec 13・12:00-19:00・10:00~18:00 from Nov 7 – 9 |
| Price | Free |
| Location | Gallery Koyanagi |
| More Info | Closed on Sundays, Mondays, National Holidays (open on Sun, Nov 9) |
Sweets in Everyday Life Exhibition
The Minato City Local History Museum will host a special exhibition on the evolution of confectioneries in Japan.
| Date & Time | Oct 18-Dec 14・~17:00・until 20:00 PM on Saturdays, last admission 30 minutes before closing |
| Price | ¥400 for adults, ¥200 for high school, junior high and elementary students |
| Location | Minato City Local History Museum |
Bvlgari Kaleidos: Colors, Cultures and Crafts
Luxury brand Bvlgari will hold its largest exhibition in Japan with over 350 pieces, including jewelry and contemporary art.
| Date & Time | Sep 17-Dec 15・10:00-18:00・last admission 30 minutes before closing, closed on tuesdays and on september 24 |
| Price | ¥2300 for adults, ¥1000 for university students, ¥500 for high school students |
| Location | national art center tokyo |
Viennese Style: Biedermeier through Fin de Siècle
Delving into two of Vienna’s most generative and beautiful artistic eras — the Biedermeier era (early 19th century) and the fin de siècle (turn of the 20th century) — this exhibition showcases everything from furniture and silverware to ornaments and jewelry. It’s a great introduction to the essence of the modern “Viennese Style”: a unique blend of geometric functionalism and richly decorative, fantastical expressions by artists like Gustav Klimt. Advance reservations are required, but admission fees are to be paid at the entrance.
| Date & Time | Oct 04-Dec 17・10:00-18:00・Closed Wed, Last Entry 17:30. Reservations Required |
| Price | Adults ¥1,500 / Over 65 ¥1,400 / Students ¥1,000 / Middle School and Under Free |
| Location | Panasonic Shiodome Museum of Art |
| More Info | Admission is free for disability passbook holders and up to one accompanying adult. |
EIKI MORI, "Untitled" from Moonbow Flags, 2025. C-print, 21 x 32 cm. © Eiki Mori, courtesy the artist and Ken Nakahashi.
Eiki Mori: Moonbow Flags
Eiki Mori’s new series, “Moonbow Flags,” is his first solo exhibition in two years, featuring 24 unique photograms that layer negative film portraits with hand-drawn, white geometric shapes inspired by flags and everyday patterns. Mori aims to deconstruct the symbolic authority of existing flags and introduce new perspectives by fusing them with personal and playful elements. “This [deconstruction] exposes a nameless something, previously unworthy of respect, which quietly and forcefully flutters within everyday life and emotion,” Mori said in a press statement.
| Date & Time | Oct 10-Dec 20・13:00-20:00・Closed Sun & Mon |
| Price | Free |
| Location | ken nakahashi |
SAMIRO YUNOKI, "Sunlight Through Trees", 2019. Collection of the Matsumoto City Museum of Art. Courtesy Gallery Tom.
Samiro Yunoki: The Eternal Now
This exhibition offers a comprehensive look at the creative output of the textile artist Samiro Yunoki, who passed away in 2024 at the age of 101. Over the course of his life, Yunoki built a unique body of work distinguished by vibrant colors and humorous forms that bridged both Japanese folk traditions and Modernism. The show reflects on his remarkable 75-year career, spanning various genres including dyeing, illustration and collage, and invites visitors on a journey through the cities and regions that influenced his life and work.
| Date & Time | Oct 24-Dec 21・11:00-19:00・Last Entry 18:30. Closed Mon (Tue if Mon is a Holiday) |
| Price | ¥1,600 Adults, ¥1,000 College and High School Students |
| Location | Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery |
| More Info | Check Site for Group Rates |
RIKAKO KAWAUCHI, "Time to feed the milk, time to become a tiger", 2023. Oil on canvas, 130.3 x 162 cm. © Rikako Kawauchi, courtesy the artist and Waitingroom.
Rikako Kawauchi: Humans and Tigers
Rikako Kawauchi’s artistic inquiry often centers on the body, viewed through themes of food and eating. Drawing upon South American and African myths as metaphors, she explores binaries such as body and mind, self and other. Working across diverse media — including painting, drawing, neon and marble — Kawauchi’s practice is consistently defined by the “line,” which she uses to vividly reveal both physical and spiritual states. Her expressive brushwork captures the body’s movements and emotions with a sense of immediacy and speed. For this specific exhibition, Kawauchi focuses on the core duality expressed in the title, presenting a new body of work that deeply investigates the complex relationship between animals and humans.
| Date & Time | Nov 05-Dec 21・12:00-19:00・Closed Mon & Tue. Open Until 17:00 on Sun |
| Price | Free |
| Location | Waitingroom |
©2025 Kozo Miyoshi/Vacant
A Long Interview with Kozo Miyoshi
Photographer Kozo Miyoshi, known for his quiet, reverent inquiry into the world over a career spanning more than fifty years, is presenting his first solo exhibition in more than a decade. Miyoshi’s work is characterized by its subtle rendering of light, shadow and stillness, capturing landscape and people with a sense of purity and openness. The show features prints selected from his new photobook, "A Long Interview with Kozo Miyoshi." It’s a rare chance to see works printed by the artist’s own hand using ultra-large analog negatives.
| Date & Time | Nov 28-Dec 22・13:00-18:00・Open Fri-Mon, Closing 17:00 on Nov 28 |
| Price | Free |
| Location | Vacant/Centre |
ṢỌLÁ OLÚLÒDE, "In the Secret Garden of Our Love", 2025. Dye, indigo, batik, wax, ink, pastel and charcoal on canvas, 120 x 150 cm. © Ṣọlá Olúlòde.
Group Exhibition ‘The Clearing’: Artists from the African Diaspora
Curated by Ekow Eshun for space Un, “The Clearing” is an exhibition of paintings by contemporary artists from the African diaspora that explores themes of kinship, connection and collective memory. Drawing inspiration from a scene in Toni Morrison’s novel Beloved, in which Black townsfolk meet in a forest clearing for mutual support, the show meditates on communal gathering as an act of resistance, restoration and creation. The exhibition aims to present Black subjectivity as expansive and sovereign, and celebrate the full emotional and spiritual complexity of Black life through sanctuaries of quiet power. The artists represented include Nengi Omuku, Sola Olulode, Okiki Akinfe, Arthur Timothy and Kwesi Botchway.
| Date & Time | Nov 03-Dec 26・12:00-19:00・Closed Mon & Tue |
| Price | Free |
| Location | Space Un Tokyo |
View of the exhibition "The In-Between" at Perrotin Tokyo. Photo by Osamu Sakamoto. Courtesy of the artist and Perrotin.
Lee Bae: The In-Between
Born in 1956 in Cheongdo, South Korea, Lee Bae is currently based in Paris and Seoul. Lee is known for his monochromatic, yet immersive exploration of blackness; inspired by charcoal as a metaphor for the cycle of life, his sculptures and pictorial works have used both raw charcoal, carbon black (a substance close to soot) and charcoal ink. This November, his solo exhibition at Perrotin will display his new series of bronze sculptures titled Brushstrokes, and a poetic video performance The In-Between — which depicts the artist in motion in a Korean rice paddy.
| Date & Time | Nov 05-Dec 27・11:00-19:00・Closed Sun & Mon |
| Price | Free |
| Location | Perrotin Tokyo |
Kobayashi Tokusaburo: A Retrospective
The first major retrospective dedicated to the Taisho and early Showa-era painter Kobayashi Tokusaburo reveals the extent of his contribution to Japan’s art world. Initially gaining attention within Fyuzan-kai (Fusain Society) — the first group to break away from traditional academic art, influenced by European movements like Post-Impressionism and Fauvism — he earned the nickname “Sardine Tokusaburo” for his striking paintings of fish. Tokusaburo’s characteristic voice shines most in intimate, unassuming depictions of daily life, often using his own children as models. The exhibition traces his artistic achievements through approximately 300 works and archival materials, and shows his contributions to popular culture at the time.
| Date & Time | Nov 22, 2025-Jan 18, 2026・10:00-18:00・20:00 on Fri, Last Admission 30 min before closing |
| Price | Adults ¥1,300 / Students ¥1,100 / Middle School and Under Free |
| Location | Tokyo Station Gallery |
MOON KYUNGWON and JEON JOONHO, "To Build a Fire_This is me", 2024. Black stone, stainless steel, 81 x 75 x 64 cm. Courtesy SCAI The Bathhouse.
Moon Kyungwon & Jeong Joonho: News from Nowhere
Korean artist duo Moon Kyungwon & Jeon Joonho are presenting their multidisciplinary project, “News from Nowhere,” across two concurrent exhibitions at SCAI The Bathhouse and SCAI Piramide. The shows center on the new moving image installation, Phantom Garden (2024-2025), which explores a “critical dystopia” where the seasons of spring and autumn have disappeared. Visitors will also see paintings by Moon, sculptures by Jeon and the cast aluminum installation Prosperos Botanica (2025).
| Date & Time | Nov 5, 2025-Jan 31, 2026・12:00-18:00・Closed Sun, Mon, Dec 20-Jan 12. Open Nov 9 |
| Price | Free |
| Location | SCAI The Bathhouse |
Marina Perez Simão, "Untitled / Sem Título," 2025 © Marina Perez Simão
Pace Gallery Tokyo: Marina Perez Simão & Tomie Ohtake
Brazilian artist Marina Perez Simão is holding her debut solo exhibition in Japan at Pace Tokyo, with a new series of landscape-inspired abstract paintings. Known for her vibrant, lyrical compositions that blur interior and exterior worlds, Simão’s work explores emotion, memory and place. The exhibition’s pieces are linked by the use of indigo, a deep shade with centuries of tradition in Japan. Her works are displayed in dialogue with paintings and sculptures by the late Japanese-Brazilian artist Tomie Ohtake, who she cites as a key influence. Born in Kyoto in 1913, Ohtake immigrated to Brazil in 1936, eventually becoming one of the country’s most celebrated modernists. Her works employed both organic forms and structured geometries to abstract natural landscapes and phenomena.
| Date & Time | Nov 4, 2025-Feb 11, 2026・11:00-19:00・Open Until 18:00 on Sun, Closed Mon. 19:00-20:00 Appointment Only |
| Price | Free |
| Location | Pace Gallery Tokyo |
'Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru' Exhibition
The Machu Picchu exhibition will show over 130 artifacts from ancient Andean civilization, some being exhibited in Japan for the first time.
| Date & Time | Nov 22, 2025-Mar 1, 2026・10:00-18:00・Friday, Saturday and the day before a holiday: 10:00-20:00 |
| Price | ¥2800 |
| Location | Mori Arts Center Gallery |
Taro Gomi Picture Book World Exhibition
Explore the world of picture books at the Picture Book World Exhibition featuring Gomi Taro, author and illustrator of over 400 books.
| Date & Time | Aug 8, 2025-May 27, 2026・10:00-18:00 |
| Price | Free |
| Location | Mikka Lirio Ichibankan |
| More Info | A separate Mikka admission fee is required for other in-house exhibits |
Tokyo Exhibitions in December
Roppongi Crossing 2025: What Passes Is Time. We Are Eternal.
The Roppongi Crossing series is a triennial, co-curated exhibition at the Mori Art Museum, launched in 2004 to capture the current state of Japan’s contemporary art scene. The eighth edition, featuring 21 artists and groups, explores how art can shift and diversify our sense of time — whether it be personal, geological and social. The exhibition spans a diverse range of media, from painting and video to crafts, zines and community projects. Some highlights include A.A. Murakami’s immersive installation using fog and light, Takuro Kuwata’s bold, colorful interpretations of historic ceramic techniques and Kelly Akashi’s intricate glass sculpture.
| Date & Time | Dec 3, 2025-Mar 29, 2026・10:00-22:00・Until 17:00 on Tue, and Dec 8 (Mon). Open until 22:00 on Dec 30 (Tue) |
| Price | Adults ¥2,000 / Over 65 ¥1,700 / Students ¥1,400 / Middle School and Under Free |
| Location | Mori Art Museum |
| More Info | on Weekends & Holidays - Adults ¥2,200 / Over 65 ¥1,900 / Students ¥1,500 |
Okumura Togyū, "Rabbit", Yamatane Museum of Art
Love: Japanese Paintings of Adorable Things
This winter, Yamatane Museum of Art’s diverse collection of modern and contemporary nihonga warms visitors’ hearts. The exhibition, perfect for viewing with your beloved, showcases how artists have captured the many forms of love in our lives — romance, familial love, compassion toward animals and even oshikatsu fandom. Aptly, the exhibition is titled “Itoshii” in Japanese, an adjective that encompasses various feelings of affection, tenderness and wistfulness. Among the displayed works are Kawasaki Kotora’s painting of a child dreaming of his hometown, Okumura Togyu’s portraits of rabbits and Kaburagi Kiyokata’s depictions of tragic romance.
| Date & Time | Dec 6, 2025-Feb 15, 2026・10:00-17:00・Closed Mondays, Except Jan 12; Closed Dec 29 - Jan 2, Jan 13 |
| Price | Adults ¥1,400 / Students ¥500 - 1,100 / Middle School and Under Free |
| Location | Yamatane Museum of Art |
Imagine Noh: Legends and Laughter On Stage
Imagine Noh is an official guided experience with certified hosts and presentations for an accessible way to enjoy Kyoto's traditional arts.
| Date & Time | Nov 12-Dec 04・17:30-19:00 |
| Price | starting at ¥18000 for A-tier seats, ¥5,000 for ages 18-25, free for children ages 6-17 |
| Location | Kyoto Kanze Noh Theater and The Kongo Noh Theatre |
'Imagining the Magic' Tokyo Disney Resort Photography Project
Tokyo Disney Resort will hold a free exhibition at Fujifilm Square featuring photographer Mika Ninagawa, and various Disney characters.
| Date & Time | Nov 21-Dec 18・10:00-19:00・final day until 14:00, last entry 10 minutes before closing |
| Price | Free |
| Location | Fujifilm Square |
(Left) Idris Khan, "The shadow of water" (2025). Courtesy the artist, Photographer: Stephen White & Co. (Right) Annie Morris, "Stack 3, Cobalt Turquoise" (2025). Courtesy the artist, Photographer: Stephen White & Co.
Annie Morris and Idris Khan: A Petal Silently Falls
This is the last month to catch Kotaro Nukaga’s two-person exhibition revolving around Annie Morris and Idris Khan. The show marks the first exhibition in Japan for both acclaimed British artists, who are partners in life and in their collaborative practice. Morris is known for her vividly colored, precariously balanced Stack sculptures, which originated as a means of processing the grief of stillbirth but have evolved into monuments of hope and remembrance. Khan, born to a multicultural background, creates serene, contemplative works — photographs, paintings, sculptures — that use repetition and layering to visualize the accumulation of time and the complexity of memory. This is evident in his newest piece, After the Reflection, which meticulously deconstructs Monet’s Water Lilies.
| Date & Time | Oct 29-Dec 26・11:30-18:00・Sun & Mon Closed |
| Price | Free |
| Location | Kotaro Nukaga Roppongi, Kotaro Nukaga Tennoz |
Ueno Artists Project 2025: Embroidery – Expression of Life from the Rhythm of a Needle
The Ueno Artist Project is an annual event that spotlights focused themes in artistic expression. This year, the ninth edition steps away from traditional canvases to celebrate the art of the stitch — the profound beauty of embroidery and needlework. More than just a craft, working with needle and thread is a deeply meditative process, bringing peace, focus and inner liberation for artists for centuries across cultures. The show traces this lineage by featuring five artists whose careers span the early 20th century to the present: Toshitaro Hirano, who innovated traditional techniques; Megumi Onoe, who created vibrant, painting-like works with yarn; Mika Okada, who freely embroiders memories of landscapes and films; Yohei Fusegi, who uses daily stitching to portray internal time; and Mari Mochizuki, who felt a deep bond with the Indian Kantha tradition.
| Date & Time | Nov 18, 2025-Jan 8, 2026・09:30-17:30・Fri 9:30 – 20:00 |
| Price | General ¥800 / Over 65+ ¥500 |
| Location | Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum |
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Updated On December 1, 2025
