Experience a contemporary art tour in Tokyo with an expert guide!

▲OTA Art Gallery (Photo / Ota Fine Arts Facebook page)

By Rita

For a long time, Japan’s art scene has been dominated by pop artists such as Takashi Murakami, Yayoi Kusama, and Yoshitomo Nara. However, over the past five years, emerging Japanese artists like Tabaimo and Hiraki Sawa, along with the art collective teamLab, have begun experimenting with digital and high-tech media to present traditional Japanese art forms in a modern way, increasing Tokyo’s global visibility in the digital art world.

▲Art bookstore NADiff A/P/A/R/T (Photo / NADiff a/p/a/r/t Facebook page)

On this topic, Wall Street Journal reporter Adam H. Graham visited several contemporary art venues in Tokyo, delving deep and sharing many valuableinsights:

Given that English is not widely spoken in Tokyo and galleries are scattered across the city, Graham suggests hiring a professional art guide. For example,The Palace Hotel Tokyo offers such a service. In partnership with the art media platform Blouin Artinfo, they provide an 8-hour private guided tour, though it’s not cheap—around 12,000 TWD. However, guests of the Palace Hotel Tokyo can enjoy a discount.

A few must-visit venues include “Art bookstore NADiff A/P/A/R/T,” where you can see works by Tokyo’s avant-garde artists, such as Kishio Suga’s black-and-white photographs, and pieces from the “Ebisu Image Festival” this year, including works by Noriko Yamaguchi and Fujiko Nakaya, as well as the “OTA Art Gallery.” Those who know some Japanese can also download the guide app “Tokyo Art Beat,” which regularly updates various exhibitions, events, and gatherings.

The Palace Hotel Tokyo official website: http://en.palacehoteltokyo.com/

Art bookstore NADiff A/P/A/R/T address: 1-18-4 Ebisu, NADiff A/P/A/R/T 1F, Shibuya, Tokyo 150-0013

Ebisu Image Festival official website: http://www.yebizo.com/

OTA Art Gallery official website: http://www.otafinearts.com/en/gallery/