Modern Art

THE ART OF PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE

In Japan, travelers can take a seamless journey through time, from the country's treasured history and heritage to its cutting-edge future, where some of the world's most visionary artists and architects are redefining the term "contemporary" and offering tomorrow's most ingenious designs today.

Tokyo's Ueno district is home to the Tokyo National Museum.
Established in 1872, this is the oldest and largest museum in Japan, housing a comprehensive collection of Asian art works and archaeological objects. With over 11,000 pieces, including 87 Japanese National Treasure holdings and a large assortment of Greco-Buddhist art, the museum offers a superb look at ancient Japanese and Asian art from along the Silk Road. Its Japanese Archaeology Gallery includes pottery and the Jomon linear appliqué type, dating from around 10,000 BCE.

In Tokyo's lively Roppongi district, the National Art Center - the largest art exhibition space in Japan, designed by famed architect Kisho Kurokawa - features a striking glass façade that blends beautifully with the surrounding greenery. Nearby, Tokyo Midtown beckons with trendy boutiques, noteworthy restaurants and the five-star Ritz-Carlton Tokyo.

In the northeastern region of Shimane in Western Honshu lies the inviting city of Yasugi, home to the Adachi Museum of Art. The museum's beautiful gardens have been ranked the country's finest for five consecutive years by the Journal of Japanese Gardening. Its galleries house a collection of Japan's most highly regarded paintings produced after the 19th-century Meiji period. 1,300 works include many hundreds of paintings by Yokoyama Taikan, the celebrated master of Japanese traditional painting.

On the lovely island off Naoshima lies the innovative complex of museum and hotel Benesse House. Designed by world-renowned Japanese architect Tadao Ando, the site frames its rugged natural surroundings while showcasing work by such notable artists as Bruce Nauman and Hiroshi Sugimoto. Art House Projects transform old houses into artwork, blending traditional Japanese aesthetics with contemporary art.