Idemitsu Museum Of Arts

With an impressive 15,000 works of art in their private collection, there’s always something new to see at the Idemitsu Museum of Arts in Marunouchi.

[Idemitsu Museum of Arts - image © Florentyna Leow]

Like most of the best private museums in Tokyo, the Idemitsu Museum of Arts is the result of several decades of buying and collecting. The exhibits draw from the 15,000-strong collection of artworks amassed by petroleum magnate Sazo Idemitsu. Obviously, they can’t display all the items at once, so you’ll have to keep coming back for new exhibitions.

[Idemitsu Museum of Arts - image © Florentyna Leow]

The collection is largely centered around East Asian art. There are fine examples of Japanese painting from yamato-e to Rimpa-style art, but also many exquisite ceramics from China, Japan, and Korea. Though they feature very lightly in the extensive collection, there are also paintings by the likes of Western artists such as Georges Rouault and Sam Francis.

Besides enjoying the quality of the works on display, another upside to visiting the Idemitsu Museum is the spectacular view of the Imperial Palace Gardens you’ll see from its location on the 9th floor of the Imperial Theater Building.

A small downside here is the laundry list of things visitors are forbidden to do. Here’s a small sample: speak loudly; touch the display cases; speak on your mobile phone; use ballpoint pens, mechanical pens, or fountain pens; take photographs; eat or drink; disturb or annoy anyone else. Most of this is fairly standard museum etiquette, but they seem a little fussier than most institutions - you’ve been duly warned.

English name:
Idemitsu Museum of Arts

Japanese name:
出光美術館

English address:
9F Teigeki bldg., 3-1-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 100-0005

Japanese address:
〒100-0005 東京都千代田区丸の内3-1-1 帝劇ビル9F

Opening hours:
Tuesday-Thursday, Saturday and Sunday: 10am-5pm (last entry 4:30pm)
Friday: 10am-7pm (last entry 6:30pm)
Closed Monday except national holidays

Admission:
Adults: 1000
College and high school students: 700
Junior high school students and younger: free

Nearest Transport:
Subway: Directly connected to exit B3 of Hibiya Station on the Toei Mita line, and Tokyo Metro Hibiya and Chiyoda lines.
Train: 5-minute walk from the Tokyo International Forum exit of Yurakucho Station on the JR Yamanote line.

Nearest Hotels:
Check availability and pricing for hotels near Idemitsu Museum of Arts on Booking.com or Agoda.com.

Telephone:
+81-3-5777-8600 (NTT Hello Dial)

Website: Official Website (English)

Near To Here:
Idemitsu Museum of Arts is located in Tokyo’s Tokyo Station and Marunouchi district. See our complete list of things to do in Tokyo Station and Marunouchi, including places to eat, nightlife and places to stay.

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