About this website
What is APJ?
The Art Platform Japan (APJ) research portal is a platform that gathers a broad range of information on Japanese modern and contemporary art and museum collections throughout Japan and provides this to interested parties within and outside Japan.
APJ is administered by the National Center for Art Research (NCAR). The Research Resource Committee, part of the center’s Research Resources Group, establishes data record policies, record access procedures, and other operational guidelines.
Who we are
National Art Research Center (NCAR)
Research Resource Committee Members
Egami Yuka (Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art)
Kawaguchi Masako (National Center for Art Research)
Nariai Hajime (National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo) *Chair
Ohmukai Ikki (The University of Tokyo)
Soeda Kazuho (Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art)
(alphabetical order; as of March 2024)
Who we work with
The operation of Art Platform Japan (APJ) is made possible through the cooperation and collaboration of many institutions and individuals, including more than 190 museums across Japan. (Names are in alphabetical order.)
Research Guides
Translator
Yonebayashi Joy, Yoshimura Reiko
Reading Lists (English translation)
Selection
Hayashi Michio, Kajiya Kenji, Nakajima Izumi, Andrew Maerkle, Odate Natsuko, Yamamoto Hiroki
Advisors
Collectivism: Kikkawa Hideki, Tomii Reiko, Tsutsui Hiroki, Yamamoto Kazuhiro
Critics: Imura Yasuko, Mitsuda Yuri, Osaki Shinichiro
Exhibitions, events, and sites: Kataoka Mami, Matsumoto Toru, Namba Sachiko, Yamashita Kohei
Feminism in/and Japanese art: Kitahara Megumi, Kokatsu Reiko, Nakajima Izumi, Yoshimoto Midori
Japan in Asia: Endo Mizuki, Furukawa Mika, Sasaki Gentaro, Ushiroshoji Masahiro
Photography and media: Kaneko Ryuichi, Kasahara Michiko, Ma Jung-Yeon, Nishimura Tomohiro
State and ecology: Adachi Gen, Nariai Hajime, Yamamoto Hiroki
Translators
Ignacio Adriasola, Alice Kiwako Ashiwa, Penny Bailey, Polly Barton, Kei Benger, Sam Bett, Alfred Birnbaum, Julia Clark, Caroline Mikako Elder, Alan Gleason, Lisa Hofmann-Kuroda, Nina Horisaki-Christens, Eriko Ikeda Kay, Asato Ikeda, Rebecca Jennison, Justin Jesty, Darryl Jingwen Wee, Ayako Kano, Kato Kumiko, Juliet Reiko Knapp, Kohno Haruko, Shi-Lin Loh, Eric Luong, Mabuchi Kanako, Andrew Maerkle, Tomoko Mamine, William Marotti, Aiko Masubuchi, Naoki Matsuyama, Daria Melnikova, Giles Murray, Nakai You, Taro Nettleton, Ogawa Kikuko, Okada Noriko, Frederik L. Schodt, Reiko Tomii, Matt Treyvaud, Monika Uchiyama, Bert Winther-Tamaki, Midori Yoshimoto
Editing
Greg Adamson, Cat Anderson, Araki Shinya, Sam Bett, Bigakkō, Beth Cary, Mike Fu, Furuichi Yasuko, Furukawa Mika, Goto Oko, Nick Hall, Hidaka Toshiyasu, Miyuki Hinton, Hirai Shōichi, Asato Ikeda, Imoto Chikako, Ishizaki Takashi, Kagitani Rei, Tom Kain, Kajiya Kenji, Ayako Kano, Yung-Hsiang Kao, Dylan Kerr, Koike Kazuko, Kojima Kaoru, Kuroda Raiji, Jung-Yeon Ma, Andrew Maerkle, William Marotti, Maruyama Mika, Matsui Katsumasa, Matsuyama Naoki, Kiyoko Mitsuyama-Wdowiak, Nagashima Yurie, Nakajima Izumi, Odate Natsuko, Okada Noriko, Okamura Yukinori, Okubo Emma, Okumura Yuki, Elicia O'Reilly, Rachi Akira, Sakagami Shinobu, Araki Shinya, Shirabe Bunmei, Takano Akiko, Takano Mariko, Takeda Masaaki, Meg Taylor, Tomiyama Yukiko, Gus Tsekenis, Tsuji Hiroko, Tsukada Miki, Uesaki Sen, Ushiroshoji Masahiro, Utsumi Junya, Yamagata Akiko, Yamamoto Hiroki, Miya Yoshida, Midori Yoshimoto
Design
Ian Lynam
Dictionary of Artists in Japan (DAJ)
Authors
Aoyama Noriko, Daichō Tomohiro, Fujii Akira, Furuta Ryo, Hashimoto Azusa, Hashimura Naoki, Hayashi Yoko, Hirabayashi Megumi, Hirai Shoichi, Hirasawa Hiroshi, Hirase Reita, Iio Yukiko, Imai Yōko, Imanishi Ayako, Ito Eriko, Itō Yoshiyuki, Iwai Mieko, Kaizuka Tsuyoshi, Kajioka Shuichi, Kambayashi Nahoko, Kamiyama Ryoko, Kanno Hitomi, Katō Yōsuke, Katsuyama Shigeru, Kimura Takuya, Kitamura Hitomi, Kobayashi Tadashi, Kojima Atsushi, Kōso Yūko, Kuwahara Noriko, Maezaki Shinya, Masuda Rei, Miki Keisuke, Minami Yusuke, Miyagawa Tomomi, Miyakawa Noriko, Morimoto Haruka, Munakata Shinsaku, Mutoh Yukari, Nagashima Keiya, Nagato Saki, Nagaya Mitsue, Nakahara Chiho, Nakai Yasuyuki, Nakamura Reiko, Nakao Yui, Nariai Hajime, Nishizawa Harumi, Ogawa Tomoko, Ogura Jitsuko, Omuka Toshiharu, Orii Takae, Ōtani Shōgo, Otsuka Yasuko, Sakonju Naomi, Sasagawa Shūichi, Sato Shino, Sawatari Kiyoko, Seki Naoko, Shioya Jun, Shiratori Seiichirō, Sunohara Fumihiro, Suzuki Satomi, Takayanagi Yukiko, Takei Satoshi, Tanaka Shūji, Taniguchi Eri, Tobari Taiko, Tsuchida Ruriko, Tsurumi Kaori, Uchiyama Junko, Yahagi Manabu, Yamaguchi Mayuka, Yamano Hidetsugu, Yasugi Masahiro, Yoshida Akiko, Yoshida Eri
Translators
Martha J. McClintock, Ogawa Kikuko, Ota So & Walter Hamilton, Christopher Stephens
Editorial Collaboration
Wada Ayano (Cogito Inc.), Kato Akiko
Japanese Museum Collections Search (SHŪZŌ)
Contributors
Japanese Museums Collections Search (SHŪZŌ) Contributors
Contemporary Japanese Art Exhibitions from 1945
Cooperation
Nakajima Masatoshi, Mitsuyama Kiyoko
Japanese Galleries and Art Spaces
Institutional cooperation
Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties
Cooperation
Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art, ANOMALY, art space baku, Art Space Rashinban, Atelier Clair, Bambinart Gallery, Bijutsu Shuppan-sha Co., Ltd., CAMP TALGANIE artistic farm, Contemporary Art Document Center, DiEGO Omotesando, Eureka, Fukuoka Art Museum, Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, Galerie 16, Galerie Kawakami, Galerie Miyawaki, Galerie Tokyo Humanité, Galleria Finarte, Gallery 58, GALLERY ATOS, Gallery Baihodo, Gallery Camellia, GALLERY GALLERY, Gallery Hill Gate, Gallery K, Gallery Kobayashi, Gallery Maronie, Gallery Miyashita, Gallery Monma&Annex, Gallery Natsuka, Gallery Okinawa, Gallery OUT of PLACE, gallery rougheryet, Gallery Saiensu, Gallery Shes, Garō Kissa Mama, Ginza K's Gallery, Hokkaido Arts Foundation, Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art, Hokkaido Obihiro Museum of Art, i Gallery, implexus art gallery, INTERFACE-Shomei Tomatsu Lab, Iwate Museum of Art, Japan Camera Industry Institute, Jin Gallery Jin produced by Hirama Gallery, Keio University Art Center, Kunst Arzt, Kyoto University of Art and Design (Currently: Kyoto University of the Arts), Kyotoba, Luft, M Art, MAKI Gallery, The Miyagi Museum of Art, MORIOKA Daiichi Gallery, The Museum of Modern Art, Gunma, Niigata City Art Museum, The Niigata Prefectural Museum of Modern Art, O Gallery, Ohara Museum of Art, Okinawa Prefectural Museum & Art Museum, Saitama Prefectural Kuki Library, Sapporo Cultural Arts Community Center, Sendai Mediatheque, Shizuoka City Museum of Art, Shizuoka Prefectural Museum of Art, ShugoArts, SPC Gallery, STANDING PINE, Steps Gallery, Taka Ishii Gallery, Temporary Space, The Tokushima Modern Art Museum, Tokyo Gallery + BTAP, Tokyo Photographic Art Museum, Westbeth Gallery Kozuka, Yutaka Kikutake Gallery
Akitomo Hitoshi, Aono Fumiaki, Asakawa Kunio, Echigoya Takashi, Fukuda Kumiko, Hamabuchi Mayumi, Hara Hisako, Harada Naoko, Hirama Akinori, Hirose Takeshi, Hisaki Sachiko, Hitomi Junko, Hoshida Nanae, Ikura Arata, Inoue Michiko, Ishibashi Teruo, Ishii Takayuki, Ito Ayu, Itosaka Akiko, Kawakami Jun, Kawashima Keiko, Kawatani Shoko, Kikutake Yutaka, Kobayashi Hitomi, Kobuki Takafumi, Kotomizu Herio, Kozuka Masakazu, Kurashina Mikiko, Kuroda Raiji, Machida Megumi, Maki Masahiro, Makino Miki, Makishi Nami, Matsumoto Nahoko, Matsuzawa Hisashige, Mekaru Yasushi, Minato Nanao, Miyagi Jun, Miyashita Akemi, Miyawaki Yutaka, Mizutani Izuru, Moriyama Midori, Murai Rikuhei, Murayama Wakako, Nagakura Tomomi, Nagamine Yutaka, Nagasaki Yukiko, Nakamori Toshio, Nakano Yasuo, Natsuka Shigehiro, Nishikawa Hiroshi, Nomura Yoshinori, Oda Ritsuko, Ōi Keiko, Okamoto Mitsuhiro, Okazaki Koyu, Onimoto Kayoko, Ōno Hiroko, Ōshiro Sayuri, Ōshita Tomokazu, Ōta Kazuto, Satani Shugo, Sawanobori Takeo, Shimizu Kento, Shimodate Kazuya, Sonobe Yoko, Sugita Minako, Suzuki Toshiharu, Tachibana Yoshiaki, Tachihara Tamami, Tahara Mino, Takahashi Akiko, Takahashi Sayaka, Takahashi Toshiya, Tamagawa Kaoru, Taniguchi Eri, Taniuchi Katsutoshi, Tateishi Takeshi, Tokura Yūzo, Tomana Makoto, Tomatsu Yasuko, Tomiyama Megumi, Ueda Rito, Uehara Seiyu, Uematsu Atsushi, Wada Koichi, Yamaguchi Yōzō, Yamamoto Hozu, Yamamoto Koichi, Yamamoto Yuko, Yamashita Rika, Yanagisawa Hideyuki, Yoneyama Hajime, Yoshihara Mieko, Yoshioka Masami, Yoshizaki Motoaki
Our history
The Art Platform Japan research portal originated from a website launched in March 2021 under the Agency of Cultural Affairs’ Bunka-cho Art Platform Japan project (FY2018–2022).
The project was initiated in April 2018 to maintain the sustainable development of the contemporary art scene in Japan through efforts for enhancing the international standing of Japan’s artists and their works. The impetus for this undertaking was “Summary of Discussions on Overseas Dissemination of Contemporary Art ,” a report issued in 2014 by the agency’s Study Group to Discuss Overseas Dissemination of Contemporary Art .
The Contemporary Art Committee Japan (CACJ) was formed to serve as the project’s steering committee. Chaired by Kataoka Mami (Director, Mori Art Museum), the CACJ comprised a broad array of members, including art museum professionals, critics, art media representatives, experts, and collectors. Its activities focused mainly on organizing the annual Bunka-cho Contemporary Art Workshop, promoting international dissemination of important texts for improving the international reputation of contemporary Japanese art, developing a website for international dissemination of information, and increasing the visibility of information on collections. The Art Platform Japan website was created as part of those efforts.
Bunka-cho Art Platform Japan concluded its five-year program at the end of March 2023. On March 28, it was decided that the National Center for Art Research (NCAR), part of Independent Administrative Institution National Museum of Art Secretariat, would take over the administration of the website. The NCAR repositioned the website as a Japanese art research portal and named it “Art Platform Japan” in honor of the original project’s title.
The NCAR is working to enhance Art Platform Japan’s content and advance its sustainable growth so that it can firmly serve its functions and role as an important hub for research on art in Japan.
Bunka-cho Art Platform Japan project archives
The Bunka-cho Art Platform Japan project carried out diverse activities during its five-year span. Below are some records of its achievements.
Closing report
- Bunka-cho Art Platform Japan Project Closing Report(PDF) (Japanese only)
Programs
Many symposiums, workshops, and lectures were hosted as part of the project.
Translation Project
To incite international interest in research on contemporary Japanese art, key texts, including critiques, academic papers, and exhibition catalog essays, focusing on the post-1945 era, have been chosen for English translation for the first time. Texts were selected based on themes identified as being in particularly high demand. A total of 65 texts were translated over the course of five years.
- Text selection process: The text selection process was guided by themes designed to connect past narratives to contemporary society. Three to four advisors were invited for each theme, with each recommending 20–30 important texts. This resulted in a total of 745 titles. Using this "big data," the selection team divided tasks to read and assess the texts, holding discussions to evaluate their importance. After narrowing down the candidates, all team members read the final selections, deciding on texts for translation.
- Criteria for text selection: Target audience set to “curators, critics, researchers, artists and other professionals and students who cannot read Japanese but are active on the international stage”; Texts that have not been previously translated into English and that would be of interest to readers outside Japan; Texts that can serve as teaching material for scholars overseas instructing on modern and contemporary Japanese art; Historically important texts that will give a new narrative to the conventional view of contemporary Japanese art history; Gender balance and diverse values should be taken into consideration; Emphasis is placed on contemporaneous texts, but recent works may be included; and Themes and periods that were not included in From Postwar to Postmodern, Art in Japan 1945–1989 (Edited by Doryun Chong, Michio Hayashi, Kenji Kajiya, and Fumihiko Sumitomo. New York: Museum of Modern Art, 2012) to be considered.
- Translation Project Style Guide: A style guide was created for the translation of art-related texts in line with international practices. Translation Project Style Guide(PDF) was released in July 2021.
Japanese Museum Collections Search (SHŪZŌ)
- 2018 (first year of the project): The Contemporary Art Committee Japan, the Collections Information Subcommittee convenes to carry out a preliminary survey including interviews with stakeholders, as well as to consider prospective directions and formulate a proposal for the establishment of a Comprehensive Digital Archive for Artwork. As the result of this preliminary survey, a policy is decided to use Selected Bibliography of Collection Catalogues of the JCAM Member Museums (2014) compiled by JCAM’s Information and Resources Study Group as a source of basic information.
- 2019: After gathering sample data, policies are decided regarding the development and editing of databases and presentation systems.
- 2020: Efforts to request the submission of information from registered museums and equivalent institutions begin. A decision is made on the procurement for the development of the presentation system. The online launch of a freely accessible beta version of the website is scheduled for March 2021.
- 2021: Expansion of information on works in collections as well as artist information.
- 2022: The Preparatory Office of the National Art Research Centre (tentative name) has succeeded to the SHŪZŌ project.