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ART IS EVERYWHERE IN TOKYO

Art is everywhere in Tokyo

KISA TOYOSHIMA

if you know where to look

Tokyo has its fair share of world-class museums and galleries, but much of the city’s most intriguing art isn’t confined to any established institution. The capital’s creative scene is constantly on the move – through street corners, late-night bars and liminal waterfront lots, seeping into the consciousness of locals and visitors alike. This autumn is as good a time as any to connect with Tokyo’s artistic pulse. Providing an accessible entry point is the inaugural Tokyo Atlas International Art Exhibition, which takes over the city’s waterfront with the aim of evoking local history and memories through art. Autumn foliage, Zen and sound art come together in traditional gardens, while a former capsule hotel is transformed into a pop-up art club. After nightfall, the city’s energy flows into smaller spaces: cinematic listening bars, backstreet galleries spotlighting manga and anime, cocktail temples where the artists at work handle spirits and syrups rather than paint. Meanwhile, art also finds its expression on Tokyoites themselves, through fashion, nails, tattoos and hairstyles. We hope this issue will inspire you to discover Tokyo’s artistic abundance for yourself.

Tokyo Atlas Exhibition View Front: Kusama Yayoi: ‘Narcissus Garden’, 1966/2026 Courtesy of Ota Fine Arts, ©YAYOI KUSAMA | Back: Zhao Yao, ‘Something in the Air’, 2026 Courtesy of Ota Fine Arts

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5 things to do at Arte Tokyo Dive into Tokyo’s vibrant cultural scene with this new arts festival taking over the entire city, from public parks and street corners to museums and theatres

For more details, see the official Arte Tokyo website GO

Autumn is always a great time to get artsy in Tokyo, with the last few months of the year consistently featuring a packed line-up of bigtime festivals and performance programmes, along with heavy-hitting exhibitions across the capital’s best museums and galleries. But this year, the season of cool evenings and fabulous foliage looks even more culturally enticing than usual, thanks to the inaugural edition of Arte Tokyo. Tokyo’s first truly city-wide international celebration of arts and culture, the festival takes place from October 10 to December 31 across three main areas – the waterfront, HibiyaMarunouchi and Yoyogi-Shibuya – but extends its tentacles into neighbourhoods all over the city through a roster of over 130 Partner Programmes. To help you make sense of this dizzying artistic abundance, we’ve picked out five events you definitely won’t want to miss at Arte Tokyo – from a showcase of high-tech creativity in a centuries-old samurai garden to contemporary circus performed before the city’s iconic bayside skyline.

SEE WORLDS COLLIDE ON THE WATERFRONT

Set on the water’s edge, the Hama-rikyu Gardens were originally built as a retreat for the Tokugawa shoguns. The immaculately maintained, undulating grounds have been a public park for 80 years now, and the occasion is celebrated with a programme of after-dark art from November 25 to December 24. Ou Sugiyama, an artist whose practice combines art and cutting-edge tech in the pursuit of new experiences and spaces, will showcase a project in which the garden’s traditional landscapes and storied legacy are highlighted through contemporary forms of expression. Elsewhere on the old-meets-new spectrum, waterfront venues including the artificial islands in Tokyo Bay play host to Tokyo Atlas International Art Exhibition, a showcase of contemporary creativity featuring eye-catching pieces by the likes of Abraham Poincheval, Leiko Ikemura and Kawita Vatanajyankur, plus a landmark installation by the recently departed Yayoi Kusama. à teamlab.art/e/hamarikyu | tokyoatlas.jp/en

TRAVERSE THE TRANSFORMING CITY

In the Hibiya-Marunouchi area, a high-powered business district where historic architecture coexists with gleaming glass-and-steel towers and tranquil pockets of greenery, some of the most intriguing action is taking place above street level. From October 30 to November 3, Designart Tokyo will descend on the KK Line, a decommissioned stretch of elevated expressway looping around Ginza. With architecture studio Altemy setting up a sculptural exhibition environment, you can look forward to an extra-special creative market, food and drink stalls and live programming across some 2,000 sqm of the former motorway, which is set to be transformed into an elevated green way in the 2030s. And on November 21 to 29, Roof Park Art Fes 2026 will take over the same venue with performances and light art installations.

MASAKI IWATA + SOU FUJIMOTO ARCHITECTS

à designart.jp/designarttokyo2026/?lang=en | roofpark.com/en

TAKE PART IN ART IN THE PARK

One of Tokyo’s most cherished green oases, Yoyogi Park is just steps away from the bustle of Shibuya and Harajuku but provides a tranquil setting for cultural encounters during Arte Tokyo. Numerous eye-catching programmes take place along the route from Shibuya toward the park throughout the event period. And once you reach the greenery, you’ll come across monumental works like ‘Pavilion of the Sky’, a cone-shaped structure designed by starchitect Sou Fujimoto to encourage anyone entering his creation to take a moment and gaze up at the sky. From December 4 to 27, the park also plays host to Meet Your Art Festival Annex, a showcase of interactive installations by three up-and-coming artists: Dan Isomura, Shota Yamauchi and Shu Yonezawa. à artetokyo.jp/en/programs/sky_pavilion | avex.jp/meetyourart/festival/annex

ADMIRE ACROBATIC FEATS FOR FREE

Though the waterfront district of Odaiba always provides some of Tokyo’s best photo ops, the scene gets even more spectacular when the free-to-view Arte Tokyo Circus rolls around. On November 14, acrobats, musicians, dancers and assorted costumed performers will be entertaining the crowds from 1.10pm and 3.40pm at the Odaiba Observation Deck. Featuring a blend of aerial acts, Cyr wheel acrobatics and physical artistry performed on a 6-metre-high truss, the show will unfold before a dramatic bayside backdrop dominated by the Rainbow Bridge connecting Odaiba with the mainland. More performances are also planned later during the festival, so keep an eye out for additional announcements. à artetokyo.jp/en/news/ artetokyocircus

BUS AROUND A WEEK’S WORTH OF ART

Arte Tokyo’s plentiful selection of Partner Programmes includes a smattering of well-established favourites on the Tokyo art calendar, among them the annual Art Week Tokyo. Taking place November 4–8 this year, the event brings together more than 50 museums, galleries and art spaces for five days of coordinated programming, curated sales platforms, video screenings, talks, and a pop-up bar offering experimental cuisine alongside cocktails envisioned by art luminaries including Natsumi Aoyagi, Yoshihiro Suda and Mariko Mori. Free buses will connect the venues on November 6–8, helping you hop between all the events and exhibitions.

à artweektokyo.com/en

ART IS EVERYWHERE IN TOKYO

Tokyo Atlas

A map for the transforming city

Tokyo itself becomes both subject and stage in Tokyo Atlas, an international art exhibition unfolding across the capital’s waterfront until December 20. Through the site-specific works of more than 20 artists, the exhibition transforms parks, public spaces and urban infrastructure into a cultural landscape, inviting attendees to navigate the city as a living constellation of artistic discoveries.

Kusama Yayoi: Yayoi-chan, 2012/2023; A Bouquet of Love I Saw in the Universe, 2021 Courtesy of Ota Fine Arts, ©YAYOI KUSAMA

Sasaoka Yuriko: Arabesque, 2026

Ikemura Leiko: Moonrabbit Landing, 2026

Moon Kyungwon & Jeon Joon, Exhibition View in the underground parking lot. Courtesy of the artists and SCAI THE BATHHOUSE

Start your voyage in the atrium of the Telecom Center Building, where a world-premiere installation by Yayoi Kusama brings together her monumental balloon sculptures Yayoi-chan and A Bouquet of Love I Saw in the Universe. On the water off Odaiba Marine Park stands Leiko Ikemura’s Moonrabbit Landing, the sixmetre-tall sculpture transforming the bay into a site of silent prayer. And in Daiba Park, originally constructed as an Edo-period (1603–1868) coastal battery, Kusama’s Narcissus Garden is exhibited adjacent to Something in the Air by Zhao Yao, the two works combining for a powerful statement on the transcendence of the spirit. For a step back in time, descend into the underground parking lot in Aomi Minami Port Park. Left unused, its cavernous halls are guarded by Phantom Garden, a sci-fi-esque narrative work by Korean duo Moon Kyungwon and Jeon Joon. They depict a barren future Earth where spring and autumn no longer occur, visited by an unknown lifeform searching for the remnants of humanity and plant life. (Note that entry to the parking lot is by reservation only.) Be sure to also stop by Tennozu Isle, where Yuriko Sasaoka’s video work Arabesque is screened at Isle Shinagawa. Through imagery focused on vintage clothing, the work depicts the cycles of the city and the body in a pop-up theatre built on the site of a former sanitation depot.

ART IS EVERYWHERE IN TOKYO

©TOMOKO KONOIKE PHOTO: ATSUSHI NAKAMICHI (NACÁSA & PARTNERS INC.)

MIE MORIMOTO

Public art you’ll want Four masterpieces hidden in plain sight to seek out in Tokyo around town Tokyo’s many destination museums, contemporary art galleries and exhibitions make the capital a wonderland for the art lover. But that doesn’t mean you need to fork out the yen to see some of the best art in the city – heck, to witness these masterpieces, there’s no need to pay anything at all. What’s more, they all have treasure-hunt appeal: you navigate through stations and shopping malls to stumble upon something that perfectly decorates the cityscape. Here are our picks of some of the best public art around town.

YOSHITOMO NARA: ‘MISS FOREST IN TOKYO’ Yoshitomo Nara’s bronze girl is notable for her pointed, conifer-like head – an antenna intended to receive extraterrestrial transmissions, amplify them and redirect them into the ground beneath her root-like feet. The 7.6-metre-tall work in the central plaza of Azabudai Hills invites onlookers to reflect on their connection to the invisible world. à1-3-1 Azabudai, Minato

Tomoko Konoike: Wild Things – Magic of Landscape SATOSHI NAGARE

Yoshitomo Nara: Miss Forest in Tokyo

TOMOKO KONOIKE: ‘WILD THINGS – MAGIC OF LANDSCAPE’ A pair of 6-metre-high white wings rising from the ground in front of the Waterras complex in Awajicho, artist Tomoko Konoike’s awe-inspiring creation invites passers-by to imagine a world hidden beneath their feet. à2-101 Kanda-Awajicho, Chiyoda

KOHEI NAWA: ‘SNOW-DEER’ This stunning deer installation by Kohei Nawa is a permanent fixture in the atrium of the Jins Ginza store, opened in March 2026. Standing 5 metres tall, the pearly-white animal makes for a striking contrast with the bustling scene in the eyeglass shop, bringing a touch of fantasy to the streets of Ginza. Kohei Nawa: Snow-Deer

à4-5-1 Ginza, Chuo

ETSU EGAMI: ‘THE FATE OF FACES AS TOLD BY PARALLEL LINES’ Etsu Egami’s practice explores the nature of communication through the perceptual gaps caused by linguistic and cultural differences, drawing on her formative experiences living abroad. At Otemachi One Garden, you’ll find her colourful portraits scattered throughout domeshaped tents that emit a gentle glow after dark. à1-2-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda (on view until Dec 25) Etsu Egami: The Fate of Faces as Told by Parallel Lines

ART IS EVERYWHERE IN TOKYO

6 artsy things to do after dark Tokyo’s after-dark art scene comes alive this autumn with late-night exhibitions, illuminated gardens and reimagined listening bars. Here are six of our favourite ways to spend an inspiring evening in the city.

QUARTER ROOM Helmed by bartender Soran Nomura, Quarter Room serves up a unique fusion of art and cocktails. Drawing inspiration from renowned pieces by masters around the world and translating specific works into experimental cocktails, Nomura crafts drinks highlighting everything from painting to architecture – our favourites in the latter category include the Sagrada Familia and Kiyomizu Temple concoctions. à Nakahara-Sou B1F,

5-10-7 Daita, Setagaya. @quarter_room_tokyo

TOKYO JAZZ CLUB GOKI MURAMOTO, IMAGRAPH (SERIES), 2020. COURTESY OF GOKI MURAMOTO.

Inspired by Switzerland’s Basel Social Club, a community-driven nonprofit art fair that takes over a different liminal location every year, Tokyo Jazz Club unfolds across all eight floors of a former capsule hotel near Jimbocho. In addition to an exhibition featuring works by Arthur Jafa, Barbara Kruger and Shinro Ohtake, the venue hosts performances, listening sessions and a bar. à Nov 1–8. 3-11-15 Kanda-Nishikicho, Chiyoda. tokyojazzclub.jp.

HI-FI DISCO BAR CHAOS The 1970s New York club scene as viewed through a Shibuya lens is the concept justifying the maximalist design choices at this unfussy listening bar adorned with the stylised likenesses of NYC scene legends. DJs spin house and disco while you sip on a carefully crafted cocktail and wonder how on earth one should dress for this occasion. à Nexus Maruyama 2F, 9-3 Maruyamacho, Shibuya.

@hifi_disco_bar_chaos

ZEN NIGHT TOKYO Being one of the most visited museums in the world, the Tokyo National Museum may not feel particularly meditative on your average day. But the Ueno institution has a Zen side to it, too – one that’s best experienced at this after-hours illumination event in the museum garden, featuring a programme designed to soothe the senses with evocative scenery, calming soundscapes and something called ‘Brainwave Zen’ meditation. à Until Dec 6. 13-9 Uenokoen, Taito.

zen.vie.style/tokyo2026.

AUTUMN NIGHT MUSEUM 2026 Six Tokyo-run museums and cultural institutions are reducing their fees and extending their hours for those long and dark November nights, staying open until 8pm on Fridays. Discounts for general admission apply after 5pm, while students get into some venues for free. This is your chance to start the weekend with an acclaimed show like ‘Marimekko: Art of Printmaking – Beauty, Dream, Love’ at the Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum or the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo’s ‘Tada Minami: Still, shimmering light’. à Nov 5–27. rekibun.or.jp/crossing/nightmuseum.

FUMIKA ENDO

RE-I As MES, artists Takeru Arai and Kanae Tanikawa explore the intersection of technology and social change through means like laser-drawn messages projected onto buildings and thermography-based installations that illustrate the heat we all emit into the world. Here, they play on the many meanings of the word ‘ray’ in both English and Japanese to reexamine the history of Shibuya. à Until Nov 16. Shibuya Parco 4F, 15-1

Udagawacho, Shibuya. art.parco.jp/museumtokyo/detail/?id=2004.

To k

ART IS EVERYWHERE IN TOKYO

3 unmissable manga and anime exhibitions Their time in the subcultural shadows long gone, manga and anime are now common sights at prestigious art museums around the world. But Tokyo is still the global capital of anime and manga shows, and this autumn brings another packed slate of highlights to exhibition venues around the city. These are the displays you won’t want to miss in November and December.

SHOGAKUKAN, ‘MONTHLY FLOWERS’, JULY 2016, COVER © MOTO HAGIO / SHOGAKUKAN

‘It’s neither a stage play nor a concert’, says Belle director Mamoru Hosoda, but a whole new form of live experience. ‘U’, the virtual world depicted in the film, is brought to life through LED screens, singing and sound synchronised with onlookers’ phones, making for an experience that’s both immersive and truly interactive. à Until Nov 15. Box1000 at MoN Takanawa: The Museum of Narratives, 3-16-1 Mita, Minato. feverup.com/m/778893/en.

©︎2021 STUDIO CHIZU｜ THE PRODUCTION COMMITTEE FOR THE ANIMMERSIVE LIVE "LAYRA INSPIRED BY BELLE"

ANIMMERSIVE LIVE: LAYRA INSPIRED BY BELLE

MAPPA EXPO 15TH ANNIVERSARY

The first major showcase of shojo manga ever held at a national art museum in Japan convenes more than 800 original illustrations by three pioneering artists noted for their mastery of themes like inner emotions, women’s emancipation and nuanced history, condensing some 60 years of the genre into a single exhibition. à Until Feb 8 2027. The National Art Center, Tokyo, 7-22-2 Roppongi, Minato. nact.jp/english/exhibition_special/2026/shojomanga.

à Until Dec 7. Yurakucho Museum, Tokyo International Forum B1F, 3-5-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda. expo.mappa.co.jp/en.

SHOJO MANGA INFINITY: MOTO HAGIO, RYOKO YAMAGISHI, AND WAKI YAMATO

The force behind smash hits including Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc and Jujutsu Kaisen, animation studio Mappa is celebrating its 15th anniversary with this appropriately gigantic exhibition bringing together original drawings, large-scale sets and video projections from 23 titles – including a massive installation of 3D Titans from Attack on Titan Final Season.

ART IS EVERYWHERE IN TOKYO 

SUCRE

Tiny spikes, silver chains, cartoon creatures: Sucre’s Shinjuku and Harajuku salons pack entire worlds onto your fingertips. Its artists treat each nail as a tiny canvas for your strangest ideas. à Shinjuku: Gomeikan Bldg 204, 3-3-9 Shinjuku, Shinjuku. Harajuku: One Eighth Bldg 3F, 2-18-15 Jingumae, Shibuya. @nail.sucre.

RAKUTO – QUQU TOKYO à From graphic colour blocks to cuts with attitude, Rakuto brings an artist’s eye to Shibuya salon Ququ. Drawing inspiration from fashion, culture and the individuality of his clients rather than other hairstyles, he creates oneof-a-kind looks that reflect the person wearing them. His street fashion influences make your next hairstyle feel like a new identity. Ququ is all about experimental design, backed by 12 years of expertise and a fresh perspective on personal expression. à Ogasawara Bldg 1F, 1-5-10 Shibuya, Shibuya.

@ququ_raaakun7.

, y d o b r You s a v n a c r u o y ble customisa ecomes as intings on b ir a H . rm pa s own art fo res and tattoos put l style is it a tu sa lons and n l lp o u ta rs n e sc e p , re m ri tu e ia p nd x in e m In Tok yo to ion to a canvas a ils turn in ima list fash to ma ke your body x a m as a fit, na ’s u k ays day. Haraju mes offer w vity into your every skin. From se four na e ti a th re s, c io ’s d y tattoo stu le of the cit bring a litt

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6%DOKIDOKI

Sebastian Masuda’s Harajuku institution has been feeding colourful obsessions since 1995. With wild prints, candy colours and accessories with toybox energy, it’s definitely the place to dress like your imagination got lost in Harajuku. à TX101 Bldg 2F, 4-28-16 Jingumae, Shibuya. 6dokidoki.com.

DEAN – GOOD PEOPLE INK à Dean’s tattoos look like someone spilled a painting onto your skin. At Good People Ink, his animals, plants and original characters arrive in juicy colour, informed by painting and installations. à Contact for details.

@lvdiankk.

10 THINGS TO DO IN JAPAN

DAITO MANABE × ELEVENPLAY

10 THINGS TO DO IN JAPAN

What’s hot across the country right now

MENU VARIES BY SEASON. IMAGE FOR ILLUSTRATIVE PURPOSES ONLY.

01 02

TOKYO | Music

Mutek.jp The sprawling digital art, music and tech festival returns with one of the strongest line-ups in recent memory, with audiovisual artist Max Cooper and Tokyo post-rock outfit Mouse on the Keys topping the bill. Expect cross-disciplinary electronic music paired with immersive installations and dazzling visuals. à Nov 20–23. MoN Takanawa, 3-16-1 Mita, Minato, Tokyo. tokyo.mutek.org.

HOKKAIDO | Hotel

JAL Auberge Furano

Here’s a hotel restaurant worth travelling for: Savour wild vegetables and mushrooms, melt-in-your-mouth Furano wagyu and other flavours unique to this picturesque part of Hokkaido as reimagined by chef Makoto Ishii, who earned a Michelin star with his Sapporo establishment Le Musée.

à Opening Dec 4. Nishi 1 Senkita 13, Nakafurano, Sorachi District, Hokkaido. jalauberge.jal.co.jp/furano.

TOKYO | Art

Yoshirotten: Communication with the Other Side / Beyond Earth

à Nov 20–end of Mar 2027. MoN Takanawa, 3-16-1 Mita, Minato, Tokyo. montakanawa.jp/programs/feelthesound2026.

OKINAWA CHURASHIMA FOUNDATION

Find out more online – check out Time Out Tokyo and Osaka GO→

Feel the Sound

Originating at the Barbican in London, this multisensory journey into our personal relationship with sound highlights work by the likes of Ryuichi Sakamoto and Miyu Hosoi across installations combining noise, vibration, music and technology, promising to turn attendees’ bodies into ‘listening instruments’.

Moving seamlessly between fine art, graphic design, moving image and spatial design, Yoshirotten, one of Japan’s most influential contemporary visual creators, showcases his speculative and sci-fi-inspired worldview with a massive solo show introducing new large-scale, site-specific installations. à Until Jan 11 2027. Tokyo Node, Toranomon Hills Station Tower, 2-6-2 Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo. tokyonode.jp/sp/yoshirotten.

TOKYO | Art

OKINAWA | Things to do

Shuri Castle

Reborn from the ashes of a destructive fire seven years ago, the symbol of Okinawa’s distinctive history and culture is finally reopening to the public. Constructed anew by artisans from across Japan, the former Ryukyu royal palace has lost none of its historic splendour.

à Opening Nov 23. Shuri Castle Park, 1-2 Shuri-Kinjocho, Naha, Okinawa. oki-park.jp/shurijo.

13 YAYOI KUSAMA ’PUMPKIN’ 1994 | PHOTO: SHINTARO YAMANAKA (QSYUM!) ©YAYOI KUSAMA

ISHIKAWA | Art

Neutral Colors New Circuit

Handling everything from printing and book binding to distribution, creative collective and indie publisher Neutral Colors’ work is driven by the desire to capture emotions on paper. This exhibition showcases the group’s activities over the past year as a ‘circuit’, exploring alternatives to the traditional publishing cycle. à Until Apr 18 2027. 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, 1-2-1 Hirosaka, Kanazawa, Ishikawa. kanazawa21.jp/data_list.php?g=65&d=1857.

FUKUOKA | Art

Fukuoka Art Museum

Decorated with porcelain-like tiles and nestled within Ohori Park, this stately city-run art museum boasts one of the nation’s finest collections of works by artists with ties to Kyushu – think Seiki Kuroda and Shigeru Aoki – plus Yayoi Kusama’s first-ever open-air pumpkin sculpture. à 1-6 Ohorikoen, Chuo, Fukuoka, Fukuoka. fukuoka-art-museum.jp.

YAMAGATA | Art

Yamadera Galleria

Self-obliteration – in memory of Yayoi Kusama (1929–2026)

Experience the ancient mystique and deep tranquillity of the mountaintop Yamadera temple complex by way of meditation, scent artworks and video installations that respond to visitors’ vital signs at this reservations-only gallery filled with digital art. à 2982-3 Yamadera, Yamagata, Yamagata. yamaderagalleria.jp/en.

NARA | Things to do

Kobaien Nigirisumi Experience

Kobaien has been in the calligraphy tools business for nearly 450 years, so they know a thing or two about making ink. Classes offered in the company’s heritage-listed workshop from November to April let you try kneading your own nigirisumi, moulding a slab of traditional ink with your bare hands. à 7 Tsubaicho, Nara, Nara. kobaien.jp/index.html.

TOKUSHIMA | Shopping

Buaisou Store & Gallery

Buaisou has established itself as a difference-making force in the revival of traditional Japanese indigo dyeing, collaborating with the likes of Jimmy Choo and Nike while refining its proprietary ‘farm-to-closet’ approach to the craft. Set amidst indigo fields in rural Tokushima, the group’s first flagship store stocks its full line-up, from denim to pouches, while the gallery nearby showcases indigo artworks.

à Store: 245-4 Takase, Kamiita, Itano District, Tokushima. Gallery: 363-2 Takase. buaisou-i.com.

HIROSHI MIZUSAKI

YOICHI ONODA / COURTESY 21ST CENTURY MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART, KANAZAWA

10 THINGS TO DO IN JAPAN

When I first met Yayoi Kusama in 1982, I was immediately struck by her unrestrained and free-spirited nature, along with her independent and self-respecting attitude. Some called her the ‘Queen of Scandal’ at the time, but as a critic, I somehow felt I had to tackle her work with a deep sense of empathy. Kusama’s creativity arose from the hallucinatory experiences of her childhood, evolving into the now so familiar Infinity Nets and polka dots. Her ‘obsessive’ art was characterised by the compulsive repetition and proliferation of tiny basic units. Two catalysts for her widespread international recognition and reevaluation were a landmark retrospective of her work held in New York from 1989 to 1990, and her participation in the 1993 Venice Biennale. Kusama wasn’t a newcomer to Venice; she had put on a guerrilla performance of her work Narcissus Garden at the 1966 edition, arranging 1,500 mirror balls on a lawn and lying down among them while clad in a red leotard, only to be ordered to leave by the authorities midway through the performance. As Japan’s official representative in 1993, she failed to win the Golden Lion. Upon her return to Japan, she called me, screaming ‘The public won’t accept this!’ Her triumph, of course, would come later, with global fame and the awarding of Japan’s Order of Culture, her legacy undeniably etched into the history of art. There’s no way to know now how she felt about the global ‘public’ becoming infatuated with her work. In death, she achieved the ultimate self-obliteration – a theme she had pursued throughout her career. I don’t know if these words are appropriate for Yayoi Kusama. I only pray that she rests in peace. By Atsushi Tanigawa

ONE DAY IN KARUIZAWA

One day in…

ASAMAYAMA, Karuizawa

Only a quick hop from the chic commotion of central Karuizawa, the moneyed Tokyoite’s weekend retreat of choice, the historic town of Asamayama exudes an unhurried air. This former post station at the intersection of the old Nakasendo and Hokkoku Kaido highways hides treasures like the 400-year-old Sentoji Temple, where the autumn foliage paints the grounds in sparkling shades of red and orange. Strolling amidst the seasonal hues, you’ll come across mysteriously smiling stone Buddhas in multifarious shapes and sizes – one of them even looks to be getting ready for a curling game. When you start feeling peckish, set course for Cafe Futsuu, a purveyor of vegan sweets and hearty lunches made with produce from the Karuizawa area.

Our favourite spots Takao Kitayama A pioneering urban developer, Takao Kitayama has designed cityscapes throughout Japan. His projects in Roppongi include the Axis Building and 21_21 Design Sight.

Cafe Futsuu

Sentoji Temple

WORLD’S COOLEST NEIGHBOURHOODS

Time Out’s Coolest Neighbourhoods 6

OSAKA

Kitakagaya

Kitakagaya on the mouth of the Kizu River was a bustling shipbuilding hub from the early twentieth century until the 1970s. In recent years, thanks to fruitful cooperation between residents and the administrators of the neighbourhood’s industrial legacy, many of the neighbourhood’s former factories, warehouses and vacant buildings have been given a new lease of life as art spaces and artists’ studios. With mural-covered walls, striking sculptures, hidden stencil graffiti and illustrated manhole covers adding to the colourful scenery, the area is being reborn as Osaka’s creative haven. In addition to art hubs large and small, streets are lined with inviting indie shops, restaurants and bars, making Kitakagaya an inspiring, tasty and very fun day trip.

TOKYO

Koenji

In a city where substantial dissent is, well, frowned upon, artsy, eccentric, charmingly shabby Koenji deserves the title of Tokyo’s most rebellious neighbourhood. As the rest of the city’s outskirts are gentrified at an alarming pace, the former punk scene epicentre, just a few stations west of Shinjuku, flies the flag for resistance: local residents have long been vocal about their opposition to redevelopment, homogenisation and even the opening of a Starbucks in the area. While not all their initiatives have been successful – a certain global coffee chain finally set up shop in 2025 – this is still a district that cherishes its identity while letting all flowers bloom. Spend a day exploring its labyrinthine shopping streets, lined with an eclectic, constantly changing mix of used clothing shops, record stores, tiny bars and bakeries, and you’ll find yourself cheering for Koenji’s commitment to keeping it real.

Cover Art direction Steve Nakamura

Deputy Editor-in-Chief Genya Aoki Deputy Editor Ili Saarinen Digital Editor Kaila Imada

Editors Jasmina Mitrovic Kosuke Hori Kaoru Hoshino Photographer Kisa Toyoshima

Designer Soraya Tengan Administration Momo Ando

Contributors Karin Minamishima Shota Nagao Henri Qian Sales Reika Kurita

Based on local insights and insider expertise gleaned through a comprehensive network of on-the-ground writers and editors, Time Out’s annual survey examines city neighbourhoods across the planet based on livability metrics including culture, community, nightlife, food and drink, street life and that hard-to-define sense of ‘nowness’, ranking the vibiest districts in the world.

Check out our full guides to

Executive Vice President Akiko Toya President/ Publisher Hiroyuki Fushitani

Kitakagaya

Koenji

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