On the ninth floor of the Teigeki Building in Marunouchi, the Idemitsu Museum of Arts presents Japanese and other East Asian art from a private collection of around 15,000 works. Exhibitions bring together painting, calligraphy, ceramics and antiques, with displays changing over time. Look for Japanese works from the Edo period and, when featured, Chinese ceramics. After the galleries, take a seat in the lounge: its view looks across the Imperial Palace moat, and complimentary green tea is available. English explanations can be limited, so a translation app or guidebook may help.
Art from Japan and East Asia
The Idemitsu Museum of Arts is on the ninth floor of the Teigeki Building in Marunouchi, facing the moat of the Imperial Palace. Its collection includes Japanese and Chinese paintings, ceramics and other East Asian antiques. The museum was built around a private collection assembled by Idemitsu Sazo, and the collection is reported to contain around 15,000 works.
The displays change, so a visit depends in part on what is currently on view. Japanese painting and calligraphy appear alongside ceramics and other objects. Chinese ceramics are associated with special exhibitions rather than a permanent display, so check the current programme if they are your main reason for going.
Paintings, ceramics and calligraphy
The collection includes Japanese works from the Edo period, as well as ceramics from Japan, China and Korea. Past displays have included Edo paintings and works by the Zen monk Sengai Gibon. Chinese porcelain from the Tang and Song dynasties is also part of the collection, alongside Japanese ceramics such as Old Seto, Oribe, Old Kutani, Karatsu and Kakiemon ware.
The museum also holds Zen painting and calligraphy, woodblock prints and genre paintings. A room dedicated to the French artist Georges Rouault and a display of ceramic fragments from around the world are among the collection's other subjects. Which works you encounter depends on the exhibition, so the museum's website is useful for checking what is on view before you go.
A lounge above the Imperial Palace moat
The lounge gives visitors a place to sit after the galleries, with a broad view over the Imperial Palace area and the city beyond. Complimentary green tea is available there. It can be a welcome pause, particularly if you want to spend time looking out across the moat rather than moving straight on to another stop.
English interpretation may be limited, with some displays providing little beyond the work titles. If you want more context for the art, bring a translation app or guidebook. The museum has wheelchair-accessible entrances, elevators and restrooms, and its website recommends getting tickets in advance.
Perguntas frequentes
Where is the Idemitsu Museum of Arts?
It is on the ninth floor of the Teigeki Building in Marunouchi, Tokyo, facing the moat of the Imperial Palace.
What can you see at the museum?
The collection includes Japanese and other East Asian paintings, calligraphy, ceramics and antiques. The works on display change with the exhibitions.
Are Chinese ceramics always on display?
No. Chinese ceramics appear in special exhibitions, so check the current programme if you want to see them.
Is there English information in the galleries?
English explanations may be limited. A translation app or guidebook can help you get more context for the displays.
