Artizon Museum redefines how we experience art today

In a city filled with incredible museums and galleries, you can only choose one to see the day. The Artizon Museum is a world-class institution with an impressive range of ancient Japanese and Western art and is ideal for art lovers on the go. The sleek treasure house captures the unique charm of Tokyo’s prismatic art world, and it responds in its symbolic location: just a 5-minute walk from Tokyo Station and can be accessed from every corner of the metropolis.

Continue reading to learn about the museum’s thoughtful architectural renovations, permanent collections and current special exhibitions.

A legendary space that inspires the community and immersively

Originally founded in 1952, Artizon Museum is one of the oldest museums in the country. Modern Art The museum is the Bridgestone Museum of Art, created by pioneering art collector Shojiro Ishibashi. During the post-war reconstruction, Ishibashi went out of his way to preserve Japanese art while also building high-quality Western paintings in Japan, including many Impressionist masterpieces.

In 2020, the Artizon Museum reopened a name that combines the terms “art” and “Horizon” to encapsulate the founder’s original mission to enable everyone to use art and connect Japan to the world. The refurbished six-story structure is twice the size of its predecessor, and is built not only to withstand earthquakes, but also has many thoughtful design elements that promote interaction and immersion. The award-winning interior is Tonerico: Inc, the company responsible for Ginza’s iconic Tsutaya bookstore. Designed. Artizon has also worked with TeamLab to build a digital collection wall, an interactive digital display that allows visitors to explore the Ishibashi Foundation’s art collection, which includes rare works that are not often displayed.

Floor-to-ceiling glass windows surround the first and second floors of the museum, creating a beautiful open space that is seamlessly woven into the city’s fabric. A café on the first floor offers from elegant refreshments to France – Italy inspired Class meals, decorated with stunning Venetian glassware by Ettore Sottsas, and works by Shiro Kuramata, one of Japan’s most renowned interior designers. His famous chairs can be found around the museum. Located on the upper level, the exhibition space maximizes audience immersion through cutting-edge, highly customized lighting systems and display cabinets. The fifth floor features an open glass atrium overlooking the exhibition area below and has a sense of continuity and spaciousness.

Collect highlights: spanning centuries and regions

Building on the extensive collection of Shojiro Ishibashi, the Ishibashi Foundation provides approximately 3,000 works of art to the Artizon Museum, and the collection grows every year. What makes the museum unique among many institutions in Tokyo is the breadth and scope of its permanent collection – it spans the ancient Greek and Roman artJapanese Early modern artEuropean Impressionism, Western style Japanese painting, abstract painting And more.

From this month to September 21, the museum will introduce highlights of the collection in the fourth-floor exhibition room. Some incredible masterpieces include Alfred Sisley’s June Morning in St. Mamus (1884), Claude Monet’s Water Lily (1907), and Harue Koga’s “Bird Cage” (1929).

Sophie Taeuber-Arp and Jean Arp’s Art Collaboration

Among the highlights of the collections exhibited from March 1 to June 1 are works by Sophie Taeuber-Arp and Jean Arp. Sophie Taeuber-Arp (1889-1943) from Switzerland is known for her profound understanding of color theory and geometric abstraction, which translates into her unique paintings. Her husband, Jean Arp (1886-1966), was part of the German expressionist collective Der Blaue Reiter (Blue Rider), and was led by artists such as Wassily Kandinsky, Gabiele Münter and Franz Marc. ARP is known for its aesthetics that blend surrealism and abstraction, and has also contributed to the Dada movement and created many collages, carvings and sculptures. The exhibition will explore the works of each artist, their collaborative efforts and each other’s influence.

Suddenly Haza: Introduce Mussi to Japan

Another exhibition to note is “Hazama Inosuke”. Like Shojiro Ishibashi, the founder of the museum, Inosuke Hazama is a pioneering ambassador of Japanese Western art, introducing the works of Courbet and Van Gogh as editor and translator. Most notably, he played an important role in achieving Japan’s first exhibition of Matisse in 1951 – Hazama began learning Matisse from the 1920s. As the idea itself, Hazama is known for his paintings and ceramic works. The retrospective exhibition will showcase Hazama’s works for the first time in Tokyo, including 83 oil paintings, prints and porcelain works. 17 works related to Hazama in the museum’s Western painting series will also be considered.

Sensory Enjoyment: Dining at Artizon Museum

After enjoying the masterpiece on display, head to the Museum Cafe, which offers refreshments, premium lunch and dinner classes, and even afternoon tea (reservations are required). The space offers French-Italian inspired fares, offering delicious and beautiful dishes – the chef’s attention to visual details reflects the stylish atmosphere inside the museum. The cafe also prides itself on highlighting ingredients unique to Japan, such as Nigata Prefecture’s rice, bamboo buds and seasonal fish. A vegetarian menu is also available.

More information

Artizon Museum

1-7-2 Kyobashi, Chuo-Ku, Tokyo 104-0031
Open 10:00-18:00, Friday until 20:00 (except national holidays)
Closed on Monday (or the next working day’s national holiday on Monday, exhibition renewal period, New Year’s holiday)

How to get here

Artizon Museum is located a 5-minute walk from JR Tokyo Station (Yaesu Central Exit), Ginza Line Kyobashi Station (Exit 6 and 7) and NIHO’s JRmBashi Station (Exit B1).