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The Le Corbusier-designed main building of the National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo

No. 42 Top 100 Most Visited Art Museums 2025 · 1,648,112 visitors in 2025

National Museum of Western Art

Tokyo, Japan · City guide: Tokyo

Western art from the Renaissance to the 20th century in Le Corbusier's only building in East Asia.

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Photo: Jean-Pierre Dalbéra from Paris, France, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Overview

The National Museum of Western Art is No. 42 in The Art Newspaper's survey of the world's most visited art museums, with 1,648,112 visitors in 2025, up 21% on 2024. It was founded in 1959 around the collection of the businessman Matsukata Kōjirō, which is especially rich in French art.

Its main building in Ueno Park was designed by Le Corbusier and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site 'The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier', listed in 2016.

Rodin's The Gates of Hell in the forecourt of the National Museum of Western Art
Rodin's The Gates of Hell in the forecourt of the National Museum of Western Art. Photo: Ocdp, CC BY-SA 3.0, source

Best time to visit

Weekday mornings are the quietest. The museum is usually closed on Mondays; check the official website for hours.

Highlights & collections

  • 1

    Rodin in the forecourt

    Casts of The Gates of Hell, The Thinker and The Burghers of Calais stand outside the entrance.

  • 2

    Monet

    A fine group of paintings by Claude Monet, including Water Lilies.

  • 3

    Old masters

    European painting from the 14th to the 18th century.

  • 4

    19th and 20th centuries

    Works by Courbet, Renoir, Gauguin, Van Gogh and Picasso, among others.

  • 5

    The building

    Le Corbusier's main building, with its central Hall of the 19th Century and spiralling route.

Getting there

The museum is in Ueno Park, about a 1-minute walk from the Park Exit of JR Ueno Station.

Visiting tips

Tickets & hours
Buy tickets for the permanent collection at the museum or online; special exhibitions charge separately. Check the official website for prices and hours.
Time needed
One to two hours.
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: National Museum of Western Art (official website). Check opening hours, prices and entry rules there before you go.

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