National Art Center

Like much of the Roppongi neighborhood, the National Art Center is sleek and innovative. The museum, designed by Kisho Kurokawa was designed to look like a melting iceberg with waving blue glass walls.

This center is unique among Tokyo art museums in that, instead of maintaining a permanent collection, it is a revolving door venue for art exhibitions from around the world. It has the largest exhibition space of any museum in Japan and can hold up to ten exhibitions at a time although it's usually not completely full.

While some of the shows require admission there are usually a few free exhibitions at any given time. The building itself is worth exploring for its sleek architecture, public spaces and restaurants perched high on wooden pedestals. Check their website for a rundown of what's currently showing.

Practical Info

The Center's hours are from 10:00am-6:00 pm, and until 8:00pm on Fridays. Visitors must enter 30 minutes prior to closing. The Center is closed on Tuesdays, New Year's Day and during exhibition preparation periods. Exclusion: If Tuesday is a national holiday, the Center will be open and closed on the following day. Admission is varies per each exhibition. Admission to annual exhibitions of artist associations is also determined by the organizer. By train, Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line, Nogizaka Station, exit 6 is directly connected to the Center. If taking Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line, Roppongi Station is a 5-minute walk from Exit 4a. From the Toei Oedo Subway Line, Roppongi Station it is a 4-minute walk from Exit 7. There is no parking lot.