Where to find Yayoi Kusama’s art in Japan

Yayoi Kusama is perhaps Japan’s most famous female artist. Known for her bright and colorful artworks featuring countless spots and polka dots, Kusama was active in the art world for more than 70 years, working in Japan and for about ten years in New York between the 1950s and 1970s. Five years. Many visitors to Japan have “visiting Yayoi Kusama” on their bucket list…but where exactly? See the prolific artist’s iconic works below.

Nagano Prefecture Matsumoto City Museum of Art

This art museum in the often-overlooked city of Matsumoto quietly houses one of the most comprehensive Kusama collections in Japan. The Matsumoto City Art Museum houses an enviable collection of Kusama’s early works, inviting visitors to see Kusama in a new light as the paintings contrast with her more famous installations. The museum displays Kusama’s dark paintings, as well as some bright installations. The museum’s exterior is decorated with iconic Kusama sights, and Kusama’s floral sculptures stand in the front garden.

Yayoi Kusama Museum, Shinjuku

Yayoi Kusama Museum, Tokyo

Fans of Kusama’s imagery—polka dots, mirror rooms, and more—will love the Kusama Museum, which is entirely dedicated to her work. The five-story building features multiple spaces where museum visitors can enjoy Kusama’s art. In addition to the large installation on the fourth floor (and very Instagrammable), there are rotating exhibitions on the second and third floors. Please note that tickets are not available on site and must be booked in advance through the museum website.

Naoshima City, Kagawa Prefecture

The yellow Kusama pumpkin overlooking the Seto Inland Sea may be one of the most iconic “Japanese Kusama” images, but there’s more than just one piece of Kusama art on the island. There is also a red pumpkin near the ferry terminal, which is one of the first things visitors see after disembarking. The red pumpkin is large enough to walk into, and its spots act like little peepholes, making it an enviable photo spot.

Yayoi Kusama, “Flowers of Shangri-La”, 2000 / ©YAYOI KUSAMA

Kirishima Open Air Museum, Kagoshima Prefecture

One of the many things Japan does well is sculpture parks. The Hakone Open Air Museum in Kanagawa Prefecture and Moerenuma Park in Hokkaido Prefecture will always remain on the list of “top art experiences.” The Kirishima Open Air Museum on the island of Kyushu is another gem. Its 13-hectare space features 23 outdoor sculptures and more than 40 indoor sculptures. It also contains two works by Yayoi Kusama: “High Heels” and “Flowers of Shangri-La.”

“Eternal Love, Singing in Towada”, 2010 (c) Yayoi Kusama

Aomori Towada Art Center

The Towada Art Center (TAC), located in the northern part of the Tohoku region, is home to an incredible array of art, from Chiharu Shiota’s red thread installations to Ron Mueck’s Standing Woman. TAC’s collection allows viewers to experience the most cutting-edge contemporary art in its spacious spaces. In addition to the galleries, the museum also has an art plaza, where you can see Yayoi Kusama’s “Love is Forever, Singing in Towada”, an eight-piece artwork that also doubles as a children’s playground.

Fukuoka Museum of Art, Fukuoka Prefecture

The Fukuoka Museum of Art, located in Ohori Park, Fukuoka City, houses a large collection of modern, contemporary and pre-modern art created from approximately 5000 BC to the present day. Works on display at the Fukuoka Museum of Art include pottery dating between 2200 and 2000 BC, the 12th-century hinoki statue “Standing Medicine Guru”, and the colorful 2021 work “Wind Sculpture” by Yinka Shonibare CBE ( SG) II”, the Fukuoka Museum of Art offers visitors a journey through time. Art history books. Rounding out the modern collection is Yayoi Kusama’s OG spotted pumpkin: “Pumpkin,” her first outdoor sculpture and the one that started it all. Iconic.

Yayoi Kusama, “Mirror Room (Pumpkin)”, 1991/1992 ©YAYOI KUSAMA / Photography: Shinya Kigure

Former Museum ARC, Gunma Prefecture

The original museum ARC is a fashionable art center designed by Arata Isozaki, located in the countryside of Gunma Prefecture, surrounded by majestic mountains. It is divided into three modern pyramid-roofed galleries and the Kankai Pavilion, built as a tribute to traditional Japanese architectural styles. The complex houses a variety of contemporary art works and features rotating exhibitions. In addition to Yayoi Kusama’s “Mirror Room (Pumpkin),” you can also find iconic works by Yasumasa Morimura and Yoshitomo Nara.

Related posts