The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo

A wonderful museum, with a beautiful collection and truly wonderful guides. I visited this museum at the end of February 2026, hoping to have my first real encounter with Japanese culture and art after the Meiji Restoration. At first, I thought I would simply walk through the entire exhibition on my own without diving too deeply into the context behind the artworks. But then I was invited to join a free guided tour for English-speaking visitors. Honestly, this was both completely unexpected and a little terrifying for me, because my English is far from good. But luckily for me, our guide was the incredibly kind and knowledgeable — Saki! She gave us a wonderful tour, explaining everything in a clear and engaging way, helping us understand the historical and cultural context behind the artworks, and somehow always finding an answer to every question we asked. Her talent as a guide is outstanding, and she has earned my enormous respect. And even after the tour, she patiently listened to my endless questions and thoughts about the similarities between Japanese and Russian culture. I really appreciated that conversation and her willingness to discuss these ideas with me. I also have to mention how incredibly affordable this museum is. In my hometown of Moscow, museum admission usually starts at around $7, while guided tours can easily start at $30. At the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, my ticket cost me only about $2 — and on top of that, I was offered a FREE guided tour with an absolutely wonderful guide! The collection is fantastic, the staff are fantastic, and I cannot recommend this museum enough. It was a truly wonderful experience and one of the most memorable parts of my time in Tokyo. Thank you so, so much! ❤️

Very affordable entry and beautiful collection. A great way to kill a couple of hours when it’s baking hot outside as the gallery is nice and cool. I bought the basic entry ticket for 500¥ and was very satisfied with what I was able to see. I also got to enjoy the ‘room with a view’ which was a great way to appreciate the imperial palace and escape the sunshine

Great museum. The building was stunning with great views. The selection of art was fantastic and the gallery was very well curated. I would highly recommend visiting here along with the Imperial Palace Gardens as they are right next to each other. The art gallery is very relaxed and has affordable admission fees

Great museum. I'm not familiar with the artists and their works, but I had a great time walking around this museum and viewing all the different kinds of art. I loved sitting in the room called "A Room With A View", amazing views of the imperial palace grounds.

Great art museum. Saw the Kanzan exhibit and the permanent exhibit 2000円 total. Amazing art. Kanzan exhibit had audio guide for 800円。 Overall a great experience. The building isn't an architectural marvel like other art museums though.