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The undulating glass façade of the National Art Center, Tokyo

No. 58 Top 100 Most Visited Art Museums 2025 · 1,322,716 visitors in 2025

National Art Center, Tokyo

Tokyo, Japan · City guide: Tokyo

A vast exhibition hall behind a rippling glass façade in Roppongi, with no permanent collection.

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Photo: Kakidai, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Overview

The National Art Center, Tokyo is No. 58 in The Art Newspaper's survey of the world's most visited art museums, with 1,322,716 visitors in 2025, down 25% on 2024. Opened in 2007 in Roppongi, it is one of the largest exhibition spaces in Japan.

It has no permanent collection; instead it hosts major touring exhibitions and many art society shows. The building, by Kisho Kurokawa, has an undulating glass façade and an atrium with two giant inverted cones.

The atrium of the National Art Center, Tokyo, at dusk
The atrium of the National Art Center, Tokyo, at dusk. Photo: Takipoint123, CC BY-SA 4.0, source

Best time to visit

Weekday mornings are the quietest. The center is closed on Tuesdays (or the following day if Tuesday is a holiday).

Highlights & collections

  • 1

    The building

    The wave-like glass curtain wall and the soaring atrium.

  • 2

    Major exhibitions

    Large shows of international and Japanese art, which change through the year.

  • 3

    Restaurant on the cone

    A restaurant sits on top of one of the atrium's inverted cones.

  • 4

    Art Triangle Roppongi

    The Mori Art Museum and Suntory Museum of Art are within walking distance.

Getting there

Nogizaka Station (Chiyoda Line) connects directly to the building. Roppongi Station (Hibiya and Oedo lines) is about a 5-minute walk away.

Visiting tips

Tickets & hours
Tickets are sold for each exhibition. Check the official website for what's on and hours.
Time needed
One to two hours per exhibition.
Currency
Japanese yen (JPY). Cards are widely accepted, but carry some cash for small restaurants, shrines and markets.
Visa & entry
Citizens of many countries, including the US, Canada, the UK, Australia and EU countries, can visit Japan visa-free for short stays. Register on Visit Japan Web (vjw.digital.go.jp) before you fly to get QR codes for immigration and customs. Check Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs website for the rules that apply to your passport.

Official information: The National Art Center, Tokyo (official website). Check opening hours, prices and entry rules there before you go.

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