Recommended Art Exhibitions in April 2026

NPO Aoyama Design Forum presents the recommended exhibitions of art galleries and museums in April 2026. In addition to the schedule of events, we will provide you with detailed information such as the works on display. Please check the website of each museum for current opening hours before visiting.

画像クレジット：ミカロユス・コンスタンティナス・チュルリョーニス《祭壇》1909年

The National Museum of Western Art M. K. Čiurlionis: Inner Worlds / Cosmic Vision; Hokusai: Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Iuchi Collection)

This exhibition presents a major retrospective of M. K. Čiurlionis, a pioneering Lithuanian artist who bridged music and painting, alongside iconic works by Katsushika Hokusai. Around 80 works explore Čiurlionis’s symbolic universe, including the first display in Japan of “Rex.” Together with Hokusai’s celebrated series, it offers a rare opportunity to experience two visionary artistic worlds.

Period: March 28 - June 14, 2026
Venue: The National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo
Hours: 9:30–17:30 (Fridays and Saturdays until 20:00)
Closed: Mondays, May 7
Fee: Adults 2,200; University students 1,300; High school students 1,000
URL: https://tinyurl.com/3xnhu9tb

The National Museum of Art, Osaka "Nakanishi Natsuyuki: Devices for Gentle Gazing and Endless Lingering"

画像クレジット：中西夏之《弓形が触れて Ⅲ》1978年

Marking ten years since the artist’s passing, this retrospective surveys Nakanishi Natsuyuki’s practice from the late 1950s onward. Through works that resist categorization into abstraction or figuration, it examines his enduring inquiry into how painting emerges and exists, offering a renewed perspective on seeing and artistic presence.

Period: March 14 - June 14, 2026
Venue: The National Museum of Art, Osaka
Hours: 10:00–17:00 (Fridays until 20:00)
Closed: Mondays (except May 4), May 7
Fee: Adults 1,500; University students 900
URL: https://tinyurl.com/bdz6w2t7

The National Museum of Art, Osaka "Collection Exhibition 3: Reflecting City"

Comprising “Reflecting City” and collection highlights, this exhibition presents around 110 works from the 1950s to the present. Focusing on the theme of the city, it reflects social change, economic conditions, and human experience through diverse artistic expressions.

Period: March 14 - June 14, 2026
Venue: The National Museum of Art, Osaka
Hours: 10:00 - 17:00 (Fridays until 20:00)
Closed: Mondays (except May 4), May 7
Fee: Adults 430; University students 130
URL: https://tinyurl.com/mvd6c6d2

Tokyo Photographic Art Museum "TOP Collection: Don't Think. Feel."

画像クレジット：川内倫子《M/E》2022年

Drawn from the museum’s collection, this exhibition explores “sensation” in the age of AI. Inspired by Bruce Lee’s phrase “Don’t think. Feel.,” it presents works that engage the senses and encourage intuitive, imaginative encounters across five thematic sections.

Period: April 2 - June 21, 2026
Venue: Tokyo Photographic Art Museum
Hours: 10:00 - 18:00 (Thursdays and Fridays until 20:00)
Closed: Mondays (except May 4), May 7
Fee: Adults 700; Students 560; Seniors 350
URL: https://tinyurl.com/3dtntfkr

Osaka Museum of History "Special Exhibition: Koizumi Yakumo – Kwaidan and the View of a Folklorist"

This exhibition focuses on Koizumi Yakumo, known internationally as Lafcadio Hearn, and his interpretation of Japanese culture through folklore and ghost stories. It offers insight into the richness of traditions he encountered and his unique perspective as an observer of Japan.

Period: April 11 - June 8, 2026
Venue: Osaka Museum of History
Hours: 9:30 - 17:00
Closed: Tuesdays (except May 5)
Fee: Adults 1,600; University and high school students 1,000
URL: https://tinyurl.com/43dmn48r

Plaza Gallery "Next Passion"

This group exhibition brings together artists working across diverse materials and ideas. Featuring creators connected through collaborative initiatives, it highlights experimentation, exchange, and the dynamic nature of contemporary artistic practice.

Period: April 11 - April 19, 2026
Venue: Plaza Gallery
Hours: 11:00 - 18:00 (until 17:00 on final day)
Closed: Mondays - Wednesdays
URL: http://www.plaza-gallery.com/

Toyota Municipal Museum of Art "Hitsuda Nobuya: Scenes Passed By"

画像クレジット：《箱》2003-2019年

This exhibition traces the work of Hitsuda Nobuya, who has explored landscape painting since the early 1970s. Combining Western techniques with traditional Japanese aesthetics, his works reflect changing urban and suburban environments across decades.

Period: April 4 - June 21, 2026
Venue: Toyota Municipal Museum of Art
Hours: 10:00 - 17:30
Closed: Mondays (except May 4)
Fee: Adults 1,300; Students 900
URL: https://tinyurl.com/mcaketan

21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa "Collection Exhibition 3: Déjà vu"

Focusing on the phenomenon of déjà vu, this exhibition presents works across various media, exploring the interplay between memory, perception, and reality. It invites reflection on how images and experiences are shaped in contemporary society.

Period: January 31 - May 10, 2026
Venue: 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa
Hours: 10:00 - 18:00 (Fridays and Saturdays until 20:00)
Closed: Mondays (except May 4), May 7
Fee: Adults 450; University students 310
URL: https://tinyurl.com/bddurm3a

The Museum of Modern Art, Hayama "Ansei and Toshiko Uchima: Weaving Colors and Memories"

内間安瑆《Forest Byobu (Autumn-Stone)》1979年　個人蔵

This exhibition highlights the works of Ansei and Toshiko Uchima, focusing on their distinctive approaches to printmaking and assemblage. Their richly layered compositions explore memory, nature, and abstraction within postwar artistic contexts.

Period: March 7 - May 31, 2026
Venue: The Museum of Modern Art, Hayama
Hours: 9:30 - 17:00
Closed: Mondays (except May 4)
Fee: Adults 1,200; Students 1,050
URL: https://tinyurl.com/mr4989td

Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo "Mission Infinity: Space, Quantum and Art"

展覧会メインビジュアル デザイン：永原康史

This exhibition explores the intersection of science and art, focusing on space and quantum concepts. Featuring collaborations between researchers and artists, it presents immersive installations and new perspectives on unseen worlds.

Period: January 31 - May 6, 2026
Venue: Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo
Hours: 10:00 - 18:00
Closed: Mondays (except May 4)
Admission: Adults 1,800; Students 1,260; Children 720
URL: https://tinyurl.com/4c2sj8cy

Tokyo Photographic Art Museum "W. Eugene Smith and New York: The Loft Period"

W. ユージン・スミス〈AS FROM MY WINDOW〉より 1958年頃 ©1958, 2025 The Heirs of W. Eugene Smith

Focusing on W. Eugene Smith’s years in a New York loft, this exhibition highlights his transition beyond photojournalism. His photographs capture artists, musicians, and everyday urban scenes, revealing a vibrant creative environment.

Period: March 17 - June 7, 2026
Venue: Tokyo Photographic Art Museum
Hours: 10:00 - 18:00 (Thursdays and Fridays until 20:00)
Closed: Mondays (except May 4), May 7
Fee: Adults 700; Students 560; Seniors 350
Image Credit: W. Eugene Smith, 1958
URL: https://tinyurl.com/4jfepxyc

21_21 DESIGN SIGHT "Soup: A Matter of Life"

Using soup as a starting point, this exhibition reflects on the essentials of daily life—food, clothing, and shelter. Through sensory experiences, it invites visitors to reconsider nourishment and its connection to living.

Period: March 27 - August 9, 2026
Venue: 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT
Hours: 10:00 - 19:00
Closed: Tuesdays (except May 5)
Fee: Adults 1,600; University students 800; High school students 500
URL: https://tinyurl.com/4cjsx8he

The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto "Modern Urban Life and Takehisa Yumeji: Kawanishi Collection"

Centering on Takehisa Yumeji, this exhibition explores modern urban culture of the Taisho and early Showa periods. Prints and works by related artists reveal the spread of modern sensibilities and visual culture.

Period: March 28 - June 21, 2026
Venue: The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto
Hours: 10:00 - 18:00 (Fridays until 20:00)
Closed: Mondays (except May 4)
Fee: Adults 1,800; University students 1,100
URL: https://tinyurl.com/55my4w69

Contemporary Art Gallery, Art Tower Mito "Takehiro Iikawa: Gathering Matters and Mediations"

飯川雄大《デコレータークラブ―配置・調整・周遊》2020年、「ヨコハマトリエンナーレ 2020」(PLOT48)での展示風景、Photo: Takehiro Iikawa, courtesy of the artist

This exhibition presents Takehiro Iikawa’s exploration of perception and time. Through interactive installations, it highlights the instability of recognition and invites viewers to reconsider everyday experiences.

Period: February 28 - May 6, 2026
Venue: Art Tower Mito Contemporary Art Gallery
Hours: 10:00 - 18:00
Closed: Mondays (except May 4)
Fee: Adults 900
URL: https://tinyurl.com/bdh2d884

Nihombashi Takashimaya S.C. "Asuka Irie Exhibition 2026: Moonlight and" Reverie

Featuring approximately 60 works, this exhibition showcases Asuka Irie’s intricate copperplate prints combined with collage techniques. Including new folding screen works, it presents a richly imaginative artistic world.

Period: April 22 - May 6, 2026
Venue: Nihombashi Takashimaya S.C.
Hours: 10:30 - 19:00
Fee: Adults 1,200
URL: https://tinyurl.com/nhjsc2nm