A look at upcoming exhibitions and art shows across Tokyo for the month of October. Whether you want to see some traditional Japanese art or a modern exhibit, here’s everything worth checking out.
Tokyo Art Shows in October
This is Kabuki Exhibition
This is Kabuki, hosted at Kabukiza, invites guests to step inside the rich world of kabuki with elaborate stage sets, costumes and props.
| Date & Time | Oct 01-Nov 16・11:30-19:00・last admission at 18:30 |
| Price | ¥700 online, ¥1000 same-day at the counter, free for preschool children |
| Location | Kabukiza Gallery |
Andy Warhol, Self-Portraits (1977-1986). © The Andy Warhol Foundation for Visual Arts, Inc. / Licensed by Adagp, Paris 2025. Courtesy of Fondation Louis Vuitton Paris. Photo credits: © Primae / Louis Bourjac
Andy Warhol: Serial Portraits
After a few months of closure, Espace Louis Vuitton in the heart of Omotesando is making a return with an homage to Andy Warhol, one of the most well-known contemporary artists of all time. The exhibition, titled “Andy Warhol: Serial Portraits,” features a selection of Warhol’s portrait-themed works from the Fondation Louis Vuitton’s collection, ranging from masterpieces to lesser-known works.
| Date & Time | Oct 02-Feb 15・12:00-20:00 |
| Price | Free |
| Location | Espace Louis Vuitton 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. |
A Nihonga Pilgrimage 2025
This marks Yamatane Museum of Art’s second “Nihonga Pilgrimage” exhibition, following its 2023 predecessor, which paid homage to places of deep artistic significance through nihonga paintings and photographs. The second installment expands its focus beyond Japan to include global locations, including works like Takeuchi Seiho’s Spring Breeze in a Castle Town, depicting a riverside view in Suzhou, China, Hirayama Ikuo’s Tower Bridge in Mist in London, and Hiroshi Senju’s The Pyramid.
| Date & Time | Oct 04-Nov 30・10:00-17:00・Last Entry 16:30, Closed Mon, except Nov 24. Closed Nov 25 |
| Price | Adults ¥1,400 / College ¥1,100 / Younger Free |
| Location | Yamatane Museum of Art |
| More Info | Disability ID holders and one accompanying person: ¥1,200 each |
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 |
Screenshot
Yoshitaka and Yumihiko Amano Fantasy Art Exhibition
Renowned artist Yoshitaka Amano, and his son Yumihiko Amano, will be holding a joint exhibition in Ikebukuro showcasing their fantasy art.
| Date & Time | Oct 11-14・11:00-18:30・open until 18:00 on the last day |
| Price | Free |
| Location | Ikebukuro Sunshine City Exhibition Hall C |
Art Deco and Fashion: Centering on The Kyoto Costume Institute Collection
Celebrating the hundredth anniversary of the 1925 arts décoratifs exhibition in Paris — which coined the “Art Deco” name — this exhibition is a love letter to Art Deco’s influence on 1920s fashion. You can admire hundreds of carefully selected pieces, many of them historic gems from The Kyoto Costume Institute (KCI): garments, jewelry, watches and beyond. Featuring dresses produced by leading Parisian couture houses such as Paul Poiret, Chanel and Lanvin, the show spotlights the movement’s characteristic geometry, luxurious materials and opulent details.
| Date & Time | Oct 11-Jan 25・10:00-18:00・Open Until 20:00 on Fri Except Jan 2 & Nov 12, Dec 10, Jan 14. Closed Mon. |
| Price | Free |
| Location | Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum, Tokyo |
| More Info | Half price for those with a disability certificate, and up to one accompanying person can enter free of charge. |
CHIM↑POM, "Build-Burger", 2016. 3 floors, office supplies, air conditioner, furniture, carpet, mixed media. Courtesy the artist and Anomaly.
Chim↑Pom from Smappa!Group: A Hole in a Hole in a Hole
Chim↑Pom from Smappa!Group’s “A Hole within a Hole within a Hole” extends the collective’s practice of intervening in societal issues with both urgency and humor. The exhibition revolves around the concept of the “hole”— ranging from urban infrastructure like manholes to macroscopic space debris — as a multilayered metaphor for wreckage, absence and invisibility, prompting a critical re-examination of things society tries to discard or forget. By spotlighting these unseen domains, Chim↑Pom challenges conventional urban order and space.The artist collective Chim↑Pom was established in Tokyo in 2005, and consists of Ryuta Ushiro, Yasutaka Hayashi, Ellie, Masataka Okada and Toshinori Mizuno.
| Date & Time | Oct 11-Nov 09・12:00-18:00・Closed Sun & Mon. Open Nov 9 |
| Price | Free |
| Location | Anomaly |
Image by Victoria Bennett
Tokyo Weekender 55th Anniversary Exhibition
Celebrating 55 Years, Tokyo Weekender will host a photo exhibition with photographer Leslie Kee showcasing Tokyo's diversity and energy.
| Date & Time | Oct 16-20・11:00-19:00 |
| Price | Free |
| Location | Creative Space Akademeia 21 Harajuku |
Yuriko Asano, From "Continuous Land Bears Fruit," 2025 © Yuriko Asano, courtesy of SNOW Contemporary
Yuriko Asano: Fruits of the Earth
Yuriko Asano is a rising artist known for her intricate botanical paintings, and her exploration of food culture and regional traditions, encountered through her travels. “Fruits of the Earth” features 13 new paintings and a large ceramic plate inspired by her recent fieldwork and artist-in-residence period in the Seto region, a pottery-producing area with over a thousand years of history.
| Date & Time | Oct 17-Nov 22・13:00-19:00・Closed Sun, Mon, Tue |
| Price | Free |
| Location | Snow Contemporary |
courtesy of spiral / Leica
Leica 100 Years: A Century of Witnessing the World
Commemorating 100 years of Leica, Spiral Garden in Omotesando will hold an exhibition that captures the German camera brand’s history and photographic culture. In the gallery’s spacious carpeted atrium, visitors can find a lineup of rare and special edition Leica cameras from past to present, as well as a 100 photographs curated by Karin Rehn-Kaufmann (president and art director Leica Gallery International). Visitors can also look forward to master photographer Shoji Ueda's works and a display of Leica Hall of Fame-winning works from around the world, 2011-2024.
| Date & Time | Oct 18-26・11:00-19:00 |
| Price | Free |
| Location | Spiral Garden 1F |
| More Info | Advance Registration Required. Reservations open from October 6 |
PHUNG-TIEN PHAN, "Volkswagen 6", 2025. Sculpture, wood, lacquer, miniature furniture, coffee machine, kitchen towel, glass, bulb, rice, incense sticks, live flowers, 97 x 42 x 42 cm. Courtesy Misako & Rosen.
Phung-Tien Phan: Full of Debt
Vietnamese-German artist Phung-Tien Phan, known for her sculptures and video works that incorporate everyday objects and cultural icons, is holding her first solo exhibition in Japan. Her art is characterized by a charming lo-fi sensibility and satirical humor, lending a light touch to explorations of profound, universal themes such as gender stereotypes, diasporic family history, generational memory, youth and the nature of labor in art.
| Date & Time | Oct 18-Nov 16・12:00-18:00・Closed Mon & Tue |
| Price | Free |
| Location | misako & rosen |
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) |
Gunma-chan Pop-Up at Shibuya Scramble Crossing
Gunma-chan, Gunma Prefecture's cute horse mascot, will be coming to Shibuya for the first time with original goods and a special appearance.
| Date & Time | Oct 22-26・11:00-19:00 |
| Price | Free |
| Location | Shibuya Scramble Crossing event space |
| More Info | Advance reservation required |
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 |
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 |
Japan Mobility Show
The 2025 Japan Mobility Show is a festival of innovation. From cars to bikes and futuristic concepts, guests can explore new technology.
| Date & Time | Oct 30-Nov 09 |
| Price | starting at ¥1500 |
| Location | Tokyo Big Sight |
DESIGNART TOKYO 2025
DESIGNART TOKYO 2025 runs from Oct 31 to Nov 9, showcasing creativity in design and art. Featuring global talents, exhibitions citywide, and the DESIGNART GALLERY in Shibuya.
| Date & Time | Oct 31-Nov 09 |
| Price | Free |
| Location | MEDIA DEPARTMENT TOKYO |
Collage of Artworks featured in Lai Lai Wang Wang | © KOSAKU KANECHIKA
Kosaku Kanechika Group Exhibition: Lai Lai Wang Wang
Kosaku Kanechika’s Kyobashi location presents a group exhibition in collaboration with Hirano Kotoken, a leading dealer of Chinese and Korean ceramics. “Lai Lai Wang Wang” — meaning “back and forth” in Chinese — highlights an array of antique pieces from China and Korea alongside contemporary works by Yutaka Aoki, Junko Oki, Takuro Kuwata, Ataru Sato, Miwa Kyusetsu XIII, Noritaka Tatehana, Ana Benaroya and Dan McCarthy. It’s a rare opportunity to see ceramic works from the Han and Tang dynasties of China, including sculptural pieces. This will also mark Kosaku Kanechika’s first display of works by New Jersey-based painter Benaroya, who focuses on female perspectives, desires and queer sensibilities through depictions of bold, muscular physiques.
| Date & Time | Aug 23-Oct 04・11:00-19:00・Closed on Sundays & Mondays |
| Price | Free |
| Location | Kosaku Kanechika, Kyobashi |
Conal Kelly: Body Language Exhibition
The UltraSuperNew Kura art gallery will showcase British graphic designer Conal Kelly's debut solo exhibition, titled "Body Language."
| Date & Time | Sep 26-Oct 10・11:00-19:00・closed on sundays and mondays |
| Price | Free |
| Location | UltraSuperNew KURA |
| More Info | the exhibit can be viewed by appointment only |
“Dwelling Places for Brazen Fruit” (2025) © Mannat Gandotra
Mannat Gandotra Exhibition: Containers of Madness
Mannat Gandotra, an up-and-coming painter born in India and based in the UK, presents her vibrant, energetic compositions in a solo exhibition. “Containers of Madness” refers to the idea that visual elements confined within the frame of the canvas are constantly striving to transcend boundaries. Along the way, they collide with and repel one another, while maintaining a precarious sense of harmony. According to Gandotra, her dynamic style stems from an interest in jazz music and the concept of atonality; she is inspired by sounds that reject hierarchical tonal structures, allowing chords and harmonies to emerge unexpectedly within a progression. Ragamala, a genre of Indian miniature painting that captures the melodies and timbres of traditional music, also informs Gandotra’s language.
| Date & Time | Aug 23-Oct 11・11:00-19:00・Closed on Sundays and Mondays |
| Price | Free |
| Location | Ota Fine Arts |
Chanel Beyond Our Horizons Exhibition
Chanel will bring together French and Japanese artisans and industry experts. The Beyond Our Horizons exhibition features over 30 creatives.
| Date & Time | Sep 30-Oct 20・10:00-18:30・last entry at 17:30; fridays, saturdays and days before holidays: 10:00-19:30 (last entry at 18:30) |
| Price | Free |
| Location | Tokyo City View |
| More Info | Advance registration is required |
Chanel Lesage: 100 Years of Fashion and Decoration Exhibition
Chanel's Lesage: 100 Years of Fashion and Decoration exhibition celebrates the 100th anniversary of embroidery and tweed house, Lesage.
| Date & Time | Sep 30-Oct 20・10:00-18:30・last entry at 17:30; fridays, saturdays and days before holidays: 10:00-19:30 (last entry at 18:30) |
| Price | Free |
| Location | Mori Arts Center Gallery |
| More Info | Advance registration is required |
The Architecture of Sou Fujimoto: Primordial Future Forest
The Mori Art Museum will be exhibiting "The Architecture of Sou Fujimoto: Primordial Future Forest," a comprehensive overview of projects from architect Sou Fujimoto's design journey.
| Date & Time | Jul 02-Nov 09・10:00-22:00・10:00-17:00 on Tuesdays, Open until 22:00 on September 23 |
| Price | ¥2300 for adults, ¥2000 for seniors, ¥1400 for university/high school students, free for children |
| Location | Mori Art Museum |
| More Info | admission price varies on weekends and holidays, online tickets are discounted |
Issey Miyake: Folded Forms, Formed Reflections Exhibition
Issey Miyake's Folded Forms, Formed Reflections exhibition displays the craftsmanship folding techniques used by the fashion brand.
| Date & Time | Sep 01-Nov 11 |
| Price | Free |
| Location | ISSEY MIYAKE GINZA / 445 |
Aki Sasamoto's Life Laboratory
Explore Aki Sasamoto's 20-year journey in Laboratory, blending sculpture, performance and video at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo.
| Date & Time | Aug 23-Nov 24・10:00-18:00・Last entry 30 minutes before closing |
| Price | ¥1500 |
| Location | Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo |
| More Info | Discounts for students |
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 |
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 |
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 October
Melissa Schriek, The Laundrette, Ode, 2020. Courtesy of T3 Photo Festival Tokyo
T3 Photo Festival Tokyo
Founded by Director Ihiro Hayami, T3 is a recurring photography festival that gives artists an opportunity to present their works in an international forum. The project consists of several events: a festival, a photo fair and a development program for new talent. This year’s festival revolves around the theme of “City as Garden,” inviting world-renowned artists like Stephen Shore and Melissa Schriek.
| Date & Time | Oct 04-27 |
| Price | Free |
| Location | 15 venues across Ginza, Kyobashi, Yaesu and Nihonbashi |
Graphical Tokyo at Tokyo Parco
Parco and R11R's 4th art project will feature over 200 artists showcasing a diverse range of illustration and graphic design styles.
| Date & Time | Oct 10-Nov 10 |
| Price | Free |
| Location | Ikebukuro Parco |
Doyeon Gwon, Bukhansan #White Mouth, 2019
T3 Photo Asia
T3 Photo Asia is an art fair that brings together works from a variety of galleries across Asia.Highlights include a “Masters” section showcasing legendary Chinese photographer Lang Jingshan, who incorporates the visual language of classical Chinese landscape painting into his pieces.The “Discover New Asia” section presents installations by Risaku Suzuki (Japan), Doyeon Gwon (South Korea) and Robert Zhao Renhui (Singapore), exploring “The Shape of Asian Landscapes: Then and Now.”
| Date & Time | Oct 11-13・13:00-20:00・13:00-17:00 on October 13 only |
| Price | ¥4,000 |
| Location | Tokyo Midtown Yaesu, 4F & 5F |
| More Info | Advance Tickets: ¥3,500 |
© Shinro Ohtake, courtesy of take ninagawa
Shinro Ohtake Solo Exhibition: Retina
Born in Tokyo in 1955, Ohtake is a prolific contemporary artist known for his densely layered collages and unique, multidimensional visual language. Often utilizing found objects, ephemera, magazines and more, Ohtake crafts textured worlds at once familiar and surreal, orderly and chaotic. His works explore themes of memory, nostalgia and identity. Ohtake has been producing the “Retina” series since the 1980s, inspired by exposed test film meant to be discarded. Stretching the traces of light remaining on the film then coating it with a urethane resin, he created two distinct elements — the plane of the photographic image and the transparent coating — which are unified through the viewer’s retina as a new image. These compositions are studies on the mechanisms of perception, shifting with photographic chemical reactions and the effects of time.
| Date & Time | Oct 11-Jan 17・11:00-19:00・Closed Sundays, Mondays, Public Holidays |
| Price | Free |
| Location | Take Ninagawa |
Horror Exhibition: The World of Film Art
With the theme of Japan in the 1970s and 1980s, this exhibition shows the art of Japanese horror films through interactive eerie displays.
| Date & Time | Oct 11-Nov 09・11:00-21:00・Last admission 30 minutes before closing; open until 18:00 on November 9 |
| Price | Advance tickets: ¥2200 (adults), ¥1700 (high school and younger); Same-day tickets: ¥2400 (adults), ¥1900 (high school and younger) |
| Location | Tokyo Solamachi |
Yebisu Bijinga Exhibition ft. Hirohiko Araki
Celebrating 135 years, Yebisu Beer is holding a special exhibition in collaboration with JoJo's Bizarre Adventure artist Hirohiko Araki.
| Date & Time | Sep 10-Nov 30・12:00-20:00・Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays: 11:00-19:00 |
| Price | Free |
| Location | Yebisu Brewery Tokyo |
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Updated On October 1, 2025
