Must-see art exhibitions in Tokyo this December

This December, Tokyo is lit up with holiday lights, and the city’s indoor art spaces offer equally beautiful views. Leading the cultural agenda are several returning events: the Tokyo Art Book Fair, a global center for art publishing and magazines; the Mori Art Museum’s triennial contemporary art exhibition Roppongi Crossing; and the Ueno Artist Project, which this year celebrates the embroidery ceremony. If we had to pick, our favorite exhibitions this month are the rare, heartbreakingly beautiful prints of photographer Kozo Miyoshi and the incredible retrospective of Western-style Japanese painter and celebrated cultural figure Tokusaburo Kobayashi.

Read on to learn more about our picks of art exhibitions taking place in Tokyo this December.

Tokusaburo Kobayashi, “Flower and Boy” (1931), Fukuyama Museum of Art

Tokusaburo Kobayashi: Retrospective

The first major retrospective to focus on early Taisho and Showa painter Tokusaburo Kobayashi reveals the extent of his contribution to the Japanese art world. He initially gained attention in the Fyuzan-kai (Fusain Society), the first group to break away from traditional academic art and was influenced by European movements such as Post-Impressionism and Fauvism, and he earned the nickname “Sardine Tosaburo” for his striking fish paintings. Tokusaburo’s unique voice shines most brightly in intimate, unassuming descriptions of everyday life, often using his own children as models.

The exhibition traces his artistic achievements through approximately 300 works and archival materials, demonstrating his contribution to the popular culture of the time; he contributed designs and essays to literary magazines trajectorymanaged stage arts for the theater company “Art Seat”, etc., and was highly praised by the creative community at that time.

when: November 22, 2025 – January 18, 2026
Where: Tokyo Station Gallery
price: 1,100 yen～1,300 yen

Counteraction: Challenges and Responses of Women Artists in Postwar Japan

In Japan in the 1950s and 1960s, female artists initially rose to prominence in the avant-garde art world, supported by movements such as Non-Metal Art. However, the subsequent introduction of “action painting” – a style closely associated with masculine ideals of boldness and strength – resulted in the marginalization of female painters from critical discussions.

This exhibition attempts to reinterpret the history of Japanese modern and contemporary art from the perspective of “counter-action”. This framework is derived from Izumi Nakashima’s 2019 book, Counteraction: Postwar Japanese Art and Women Artists. Through this lens, the exhibition presents artists such as Yayoi Kusama, Atsuko Tanaka, and Eiko Fukushima, as well as many others who have been traditionally overlooked in art history.

when: December 16, 2025 – February 8, 2026
Where: National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo
price: 1,200 yen～2,000 yen

©2025 Miyoshiyoshisan/Vacant

Long interview with Kozo Miyshi

Photographer Kozo Miyoshi, known for his quiet, reverent approach to exploring the world during a career spanning more than fifty years, will have his first solo exhibition in more than a decade. Miyoshi’s work is characterized by subtle renderings of light, shadow and stillness, capturing landscapes and people with a sense of purity and openness.

©2025 Miyoshiyoshisan/Vacant

The exhibition presents a selection of photographs from his new photo album, Long interview with Kozo Miyshi. This is a rare opportunity to see works hand-printed by the artist using oversized analog negatives, with a level of detail unmatched by digital screen viewing. “It gives me both comfort and a quiet sense of loneliness to know that such beautiful landscapes exist all over the world,” said Yusuke Nagai, founder of Vacant/Centre.

when: November 28, 2025 – December 22, 2025 (Friday to Monday)
Where: Vacant/Central
price: free

Roppongi Crossing 2025: Time is passing. We are eternal.

The Roppongi Cross Series is a triennial exhibition co-curated by the Mori Art Museum and launched in 2004 to capture the current state of Japan’s contemporary art scene. The eighth edition features 21 artists and groups exploring how art changes and diversifies our perceptions of time – whether personal, geological or social.

The exhibition spans a variety of media, from paintings and videos to crafts, magazines and community projects. Some highlights include AA Murakami’s immersive installations using fog and light, Takuro Kuwata’s bold, colorful interpretations of historical ceramic techniques, and Kelly Akashi’s intricate glass sculptures.

when: December 3, 2025 – March 29, 2026
Where: Mori Art Museum
price: 1,400 yen – 2,200 yen

Tokyo Art Book Fair (TABF)

Taking place over two weeks for the first time, the 15th annual Tokyo Art Book Fair (TABF) has expanded its scope and features a different lineup of exhibitors each week. The event is an important platform for the global art publishing community, with a special focus on art books, photography books, magazines and other forms of print.

©︎ Takashi Honma

This year’s show’s “Guest Country” program focuses on Italy, exploring its history of independent publishing through exhibitions based on revolutionary media from 1966 to 1977 and Italian magazines from 1978 to 2006, as well as a feature from publisher Corraini. Other highlights include an exhibition on refugee portraits by renowned photographer Takashi Homma, an archival display at Pace Gallery, and a special “book packaging corner” with original designs by artists including Bruno Munari.

when: December 11 to 14 (Week 1), December 19 to 21 (Week 2)
Where: Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art
price: 1,200 yen, free for students

Anne Morris and Idris Khan: a petal falls quietly

This is the last month to see Kotaro Nugaga’s two-person exhibition centered around Anne Morris and Idris Khan. This exhibition is the first in Japan for two renowned British artists who are partners in life and collaborative practice. Morris is best known for his colorful, precariously balanced Stark sculptures, which began as a means of processing the grief of stillbirth but have evolved into monuments of hope and remembrance.

Born into a multicultural background, Khan creates serene, contemplative works—photographs, paintings, sculptures—that use repetition and layering to visualize the accumulation of time and the complexities of memory. This is evident in his latest work, After reflectionCarefully deconstructed Monet’s “Water Lilies”.

when: October 29, 2025 – December 26, 2025 (Friday to Monday)
Where: Kotaro Nuga’s Roppongi, Kotaro Nuga’s Tennoza
price: free

Touo Okumura, “Rabbit”, Yamatane Museum of Art

Love: Japanese paintings of cute things

This winter, the Yamatane Museum of Art’s colorful collection of modern and contemporary Japanese paintings warms the hearts of visitors. Perfect for viewing with a loved one, this exhibition shows how artists capture the many forms of love in our lives—romance, affection, compassion for animals, and even bet on victory fandom.

Appropriately, the exhibition’s Japanese title is “Itoshii,” an adjective encompassing a variety of emotions, tenderness, and longing. Works on display include Kawasaki Tora’s paintings of children dreaming of their hometown, Okumura Tohisa’s rabbit portraits and Kabutoki Kiyakata’s romantic tragedies.

when: December 6, 2025 – February 15, 2026
Where: Yamatane Museum of Art
price: 500 yen – 1,400 yen

Ueno Artist Project 2025: Embroidery—Expressing Life from the Rhythm of the Needle

The Ueno Artist Project is an annual event focusing on key themes in artistic expression. This year, the ninth edition moves away from traditional canvas and instead celebrates the art of needlework – the profound beauty of embroidery and needlework. Working with needle and thread is more than just a craft, it is a deeply meditative process that has brought peace, focus, and inner liberation to artists across cultures for centuries.

The exhibition traces this lineage through the work of five artists whose careers span the early 20th century to the present: Toshitaro Hirano, who innovated traditional techniques; Megumi Onoe, who used yarn to create vibrant, painterly works; Okada Mika, who freely embroidered landscapes and memories from film; Yohei Fusegi, who used everyday patchwork to depict inner time; Mari Mochizuki, who worked with the Indian Kantha Tradition has deep roots.

when: November 18, 2025 – January 8, 2026
Where: Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum
price: 800 yen, free for students

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