Museums and galleries
1. Directories of Art Museums in Japan
This section includes lists and directories of Japan’s art museums and related institutions.
Agency for Cultural Affairs. Zenkoku no hakubutsukan. Hakubutsukan sōgō saito(Museums Nationwide).
Comprehensive website operated by the Agency for Cultural Affairs. On the “Museums Nationwide” page is a list of all museums and designated facilities which are registered in accordance with the Museum Act (Japan). The list is arranged by region.
The Japanese Council of Art Museums. Member Museums.
This is a list of registered members of the Japanese Council of Art Museums (a collaborative organization for public and private art museums in Japan, which was established in 1952), categorized by 10 regional blocks. The list includes the museum name, address, and a link to the official website. Approximately 400 museums are listed
Japanese Association of Museums.
This is the website of the Japanese Association of Museums, a collaborative organization for museums and art museums in Japan. Under the header “Museum guide,” one may research information about the member organizations, including names of institutions, type of museum, region located, addresses, phone numbers, and URL links to official websites.
Agency for Cultural Affairs. “Museum list.” Cultural Heritage Online.
This is a comprehensive website run by the Agency for Cultural Affairs, which focuses on Japan’s Cultural Heritage. The page titled “Museum List” is searchable by name, keyword, address, or region, resulting in information about addresses, telephone numbers, access, maps, user guidelines, URL links to official websites, etc.
National Center for Art Research. Japanese Museum Collections Search (SHŪZŌ) Contributors.
A list of art museums throughout Japan that provide collection data to the Art Platform Japan’s nationwide collection search system, 'SHŪZŌ.'
DNP Dai Nippon Insatsu Kabushiki Gaisha (Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.). Artscape.
Artscape is a web-based magazine providing art related information. It is issued by Dai Nippon Printing. Artscape’s “Museum Search” can be used for researching information on art museums according to prefecture, genre, or other keywords. Results include names of museums, addresses, URL links to websites, etc.
Kabushiki Gaisha Tanseisha (Tanseisha Co., Ltd). Ai Em Intānetto Mūjiamu (I M Internet Museum).
This is a website operated by Tanseisha Co., Ltd. It publishes information on museums and art museums in Japan, and can be searched according to name of museum, type of museum, region, genre, etc. Results will include addresses, telephone numbers, opening hours, closing days, entrance fees, type of museum, facilities available, access information, and URL links to official websites.
Nihon Hakubutsukan Kyōkai, ed. Zenkoku hakubutsukan sōran. Tokyo: Gyōsei, 1986.
This is a compendium guidebook in loose leaf format, edited by the Japanese Association of Museums and published by Gyōsei Co., Ltd. from 1986 until it ceased publication. It lists more than 3000 museums, art museums, resource centers, memorial halls, zoos, aquariums, etc. in Japan. Information is arranged by prefecture, and includes addresses, telephone numbers, opening hours, days closed, brief overviews of institution history, collections data, exhibits, access information, etc. There is an index by type of institution.
Bijutsukai dēta bukku. Tokyo: Seikatsu no Tomosha, 2011.
“Art World Databook” is a yearbook published by Seikatsu no Tomosha since 2011. It includes information on general museums, art museums, literature museums, memorial museums, galleries, art dealers, appraisers, etc.
2. Information Sources Regarding History of Art Galleries and Art Dealers in Japan
We have assembled information sources which may be useful for those researching the history of galleries and dealers in Japan for modern and contemporary art.
N.B.: Regarding publications about individual art galleries, please see Art Platform Japan website Japanese Galleries and Art Spaces | Art Platform Japan Japanese Galleries and Art Spaces.
Nihon Yōgashō Kyōdō Kumiai (Japan Art Dealers Association), ed. Nihon yōgashōshi. Tokyo: Bijutsu shuppansha, 1985. Reprint, 1994.
Book which discusses the history of the art business handling Western-style painting in Japan, from modern (Meiji) era to early Showa era. The appendices include chronological records, data on galleries affiliated with the Japan Art Dealers Association , and a listing of their gallery shows.
Tokyo Bijutsu Kurabu Hyakunenshi Hensan Iinkai, ed. Bijutsushō no hyakunen: Tōkyō Bijutsu Kurabu hyakunenshi. Tokyo Bijutsu Kurabu, 2006.
Book edited by Tokyo Art Club, published in 2006, commemorating its 100th anniversary. Includes an overview of the history of the art dealers' industry, sales history, history of member galleries, past officers, and other timelines.
Osaka bijutsu kurabu. Osaka Bijutsu Kurabu hyakushūnen kinenshi. Osaka: Osaka Bijutsu Kurabu. 2012.
This is a 2012 publication commemorating the 100th year anniversary of the Osaka Art Club in 2010. It shows a timeline of the organization, including information about changes of headquarters, record of bidding prices and final auction sales, and list of past officers.
Shinohara Seiji, ed. Garo no keifu: Asakawa korekushon to 1960-80nendai nihon no bijutsu. Ashikaga Shiritsu Bijutsukan, 2012 [exhibition catalogue].
Exhibition catalogue for a special exhibition of Asakawa Kunio’s art collection (on loan at the time) which was held at the Ashikaga Museum of Art in 2012. Mr. Asakawa was a key figure in Japan’s postwar art world: he was involved in the operation of Minami Gallery for its first 13 years, then founded and operated Garō Shunjū in Ginza, Tokyo, from 1956 until 1978. The catalogue includes timelines of shows held at Minami Gallery and Garō Shunjū during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s; as well as interviews with gallery owners or relevant individuals from Tokyo Gallery, Sakura Garō, Gallery 16, Osaka Form Gallery, Gallery Lunami, Rittai Gallery Iteza, Gallery Kobayashi, Art Space Baku, and Art Space Niji.
“Tokushū bijutsukan to garō.” Gendai no me 57 (August 1959).
“Tokushū shōka zuisō.” Gendai no me 81 (August 1961).
“Tokushū Nagoya no garō.” Rear: Geijutsu hihyōshi 30 (August 2013).
Special edition of “Rear” magazine, focusing on the history of Nagoya art galleries. In addition to dialogues, interviews, essays, and columns, the data includes the 'Chronological Table of Nagoya Gallery History' and the '2013 Tokai Gallery Guide.'"
“Tokushū nijūisseiki eno manazashi.” Bijutsu foramu 21 3 (November 2000).
3. Lists and Directories of Galleries
We have assembled a list of art galleries in Japan, which we hope will be useful for people researching this topic.
N.B.: For bibliographic information regarding individual galleries, please refer to Japanese Galleries and Art Spaces | Art Platform Japan.
National Center for Art Research. “Japanese Galleries and Art Spaces.” Art Platform Japan.
Information about art galleries and art spaces which have played major roles in the field of postwar Japanese art, and have provided important bases for international networking. Approximately 2500 galleries are referenced.
Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties. Information on art galleries.
Database of art gallery information, primarily documents and other reference materials donated by the Contemporary Art Document Center supervised by Sasaki Shigeo.
Bijutsu Nenkansha. Āto Anyuaru Onrain (Art Annual Online).
Its “Gallery Guide” (categorized by region in Japan) can be browsed for art gallery information such as address, telephone number, type of gallery, size (square footage) of gallery, name of owner, and URL link to official website.
Bijutsu Techō, ed. Ketteiban Tokyo āto gaido. Tokyo: Bijutsu Shuppansha, 2013”
“Tokyo Art Guide” was first issued as a special edition of the magazine Bijutsu Techo in May 2012. In 2013 it was republished in book format (“Definitive Edition: Tokyo Art Guide”). It lists art galleries in Tokyo.