The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, known locally as MOMAT (Tลkyล Kokuritsu Kindai Bijutsukan), stands in Kitanomaru Park in Chiyoda City, in the heart of the capital's Kanto Region. It is Japan's first national art museum devoted to modern and contemporary Japanese art, with a collection that begins in the Meiji period and continues into the present.
What you will see
The museum's holdings cover the range of Japanese art over this period. Visitors can expect:
- Paintings across the modern and contemporary periods
- Sculptures that show how three-dimensional work developed in Japan
- Crafts, giving a sense of the country's decorative and applied arts alongside its fine art
Because the collection moves from the Meiji period onwards, a visit works well as a way to follow how Japanese artists responded to rapid change, new materials and ideas from abroad, and their own traditions.
Planning your visit
The museum is in Kitanomaru Park, a green space that makes a calm setting before or after your time indoors. Its address is 3-1 Kitanomaru Park, Chiyoda City, Tokyo 102-8322, Japan, and you can call +81-3-5777-8600 for current information. Check the museum's details directly before you travel, as opening times and admission arrangements are not covered here.
Chiyoda is the central ward of Tokyo, so you can combine a museum visit with other stops in the area. Allow time to walk through the park and to take in the surroundings, and let the museum's focus on Japanese art shape the rest of your day.
