Art & Exhibits · Roppongi

The National Art Center, Tokyo 国立新美術館

Kisho Kurokawa's undulating glass wave in Roppongi: Japan's largest exhibition space, free to enter, with big touring shows and a restaurant perched on a giant inverted cone.

About

NACT has no permanent collection at all; it is a vast hall of 12 galleries that hosts major touring exhibitions alongside the annual shows of Japan's art associations. The building itself is the reason many people come: Kisho Kurokawa's rippling glass facade floods a soaring atrium with light, and two huge inverted concrete cones rise from the floor, one topped by the Brasserie Paul Bocuse Le Musee, which feels like dining on a floating platform. The atrium, art library, cafes and excellent museum shop (SFT, in the basement) are all free to enter, so it makes a great free stop between Roppongi Hills and Tokyo Midtown. Check the schedule: several exhibitions usually run at once, ranging from free to around ¥2,000.

Highlights

• Undulating glass curtain-wall facade by Kisho Kurokawa
• Brasserie Paul Bocuse Le Musee atop an inverted concrete cone
• Free-to-enter atrium, cafes and art library
• Souvenir from Tokyo (SFT) basement design shop
• Multiple simultaneous exhibitions, from blockbusters to amateur art-society shows

Tips

• Walk in from Nogizaka Station exit 6, which leads directly into the building.
• Art-association exhibitions upstairs are cheap or free and often fascinating.
• Book Paul Bocuse lunch or arrive before 11:30 to avoid a wait.
• Bring a ticket from Mori Art Museum or Suntory Museum for the "Roppongi Art Triangle" discount (ATRo).

Open in Google Maps · Info checked 2026-10-09

Nearby

• Suntory Museum of ArtMuseum · 390 m away
• Nogi ShrineShrine · 400 m away
• 21_21 DESIGN SIGHTArt & Exhibits · 420 m away
• Tokyo MidtownLandmark & Tower · 450 m away
• The Bar at The Ritz-Carlton, TokyoBars & Nightlife · 460 m away
• Iruca Tokyo RoppongiRamen & Noodles · 480 m away
• Roppongi Station · Coin Lockers (Hibiya Line, Roppongi Hills side)Luggage Storage · 520 m away
• The Ritz-Carlton, TokyoStay · 530 m away