Yayoi Kusama is perhaps Japan’s most celebrated contemporary artist. Prominent in the art world since the 1960’s, she’s known for her use of polka dots, her pumpkin motif and the infinity mirror rooms that continue generating long line ups and sold out tickets around the world.
In 2017 she opened her very own Yayoi Kusama Museum in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward. It’s dedicated to educating visitors about her art, via curated exhibitions that change every six months.
The museum itself is a sleek, tall space across five levels, with Kusama’s dot motifs playfully woven into the design. The rooftop showcases larger sculptures and has a great view out over the neighbourhood. It’s worth picking up a souvenir in the ground floor gift shop-most of the goods are sold exclusively at the museum.
The Yayoi Kusama Museum is an exclusive affair, only admitting a couple of hundred visitors per day in ticketed sessions. So, it’s something you’ll need to diarise to book ahead. Tickets are only available via the museum’s official website. They go on-sale at 10am Japan-time on the first day of each month, for two months ahead. Set your reminder now.
Address: 107 Bentencho, Shinjuku City, Tokyo
Getting there: 6 minute walk from Ushigome Yanagicho Station East Exit (Toei Subway Oedo Line)
Nearby: La Kagu
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