Six galleries around Tokyo Station have collaborated to launch a special discount pass for art enthusiasts. Here, we break down the “2024 Tokyo Station Area Museums Ticket”, and take a look at the exhibitions on offer.
What is the Tokyo Station Area Museums Ticket?
Introduced in January 2024, the Tokyo Station Area Museums Ticket gives you entry to six different museums around Tokyo Station for the price of ¥4,500. The pass, also referred to as the “Ticket of Museums around Tokyo Station”, replaces the former Tokyo Station Gallery Passport.
The Tokyo Station Area Museums Ticket is part of a collaboration among six museums in, well, the Tokyo Station area. While the pass itself is new, the project has been running in one way or another since 2010.
The museums’ exhibitions vary from traditional Japanese ceramics to contemporary art. Each museum has three to five special exhibitions a year, most of which focus on a particular aspect of traditional Japanese culture or a certain artist. The pass allows holders to experience one exhibition of their choice at each museum during the calendar year.
Got little ones in tow? Check out our guide to child-friendly experiences in Tokyo.
How do you buy the Tokyo Station Area Museums Ticket?
At the time of writing, you could not purchase the pass online. The easiest way to buy it is to visit the ticket counter of one of the participating museums. After you have paid, you will be handed a small booklet, which you will need to hold onto and show at each museum you visit. This booklet also includes useful information about the exhibitions, museum opening and closing times, and a map.
Where can you use the Tokyo Station Area Museums Ticket?
Participating museums include:
- The Artizon Museum
- Idemitsu Museum of Arts
- Mitsui Memorial Museum
- Tokyo Station Gallery
- Seikado Bunko Art Museum
- The Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum (closed for renovations until November 23, 2024)
The pass is easy to use; simply present the booklet at the ticket counter of each gallery, and the staff member will tear out the ticket stub at the corner of the relevant page.
Here’s what you can expect at each museum.
Artizon Museum — Impressionist, 20th-century, and contemporary art
Found in the 23-story Museum Tower Kyobashi building, the Artizon is one of the best places to see art in Tokyo. Previously known as the Bridgestone Museum of Art, the museum underwent a makeover and a name change. Blending the words “art” and “horizon”, the new name signals the museum’s purported aim to bring pioneering art to many people.
Exhibitions to see in 2024
- March 30, 2024 – July 7, 2024: Brancusi: Carving the essence
- July 27, 2024 – October 14, 2024: Place and piece: Where was this work displayed, who loved it, and why is it here now?
- November 2, 2024 – February 9, 2025: Jam session: The Ishibashi Foundation Collection X Mohri Yuko – On physis
Idemitsu Museum of Arts — Traditional Japanese paintings and East Asian ceramics
The Idemitsu Museum of Arts is on the ninth floor of the Imperial Theater Building. Home to around 15,000 items, this museum is mainly filled with East Asian antiques and ceramics, in addition to paintings by Japanese and Western artists. There is also a small gift shop and a quiet seating area, where you can enjoy a free beverage and uninterrupted views of the Imperial Gardens.
Exhibitions to see in 2024
- June 1, 2024 – July 7, 2024: Sazo Idemitsu, the communion of beauty — Hayama, Hoan, Rouault
- July 20, 2024 – August 25, 2024: The essence of Japanese and Oriental ceramics — Deepening the collection
- September 7, 2024 – October 20, 2024: Things, calling things — From Ban Dainagon Emaki to Jakuchu
High School students: ¥795
Elementary School students: Free
Seniors: Free
Mitsui Memorial Museum — Japanese National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties
The Mitsui Memorial Museum in Nihonbashi prides itself on retaining a sense of historical culture through its collection of Japanese and East Asian artworks and artifacts. The collection, acquired by the Mitsui family, houses a variety of items deemed Japanese National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties, including tea-ceremony utensils, Noh costumes, and swords.
Exhibitions to see in 2024
- July 2, 2024 – September 1, 2024: Japanese art that can be experienced with all five senses
- September 14, 2024 – November 12, 2024: The Sun God and Maitreya worship at Bamiyan buddhas
High School students: ¥500
Tokyo Station Gallery — Diverse temporary exhibitions
A gallery primarily designed for station passengers to stop by, Tokyo Station Gallery is best known for its innovative one-off exhibitions and esthetic design. Established in 1988, this museum is significant for its location in the heart of Tokyo Station, which itself is a designated Important Cultural Property. Exhibitions here range in theme from travel and transport to contemporary art.
Exhibitions to see in 2024
- July 13, 2024 – September 23, 2024: Fantasy travel guide: Jean-Michel Folon
- October 12, 2024 – January 5, 2025: Terence Conran, designing modern Britain (tentative name)
Seikado Bunko Art Museum — Classic books and East Asian artifacts
The Seikado Bunko Art Museum and Library houses 6,500 works of art, which were collected by Yanosuke Iwasaki and his son, Koyata. Items in this personal collection include pottery, lacquerware, and paintings — some of which are considered National Treasures.
Exhibitions to see in 2024
- June 22, 2024 – August 25, 2024: The “Perfect guide to Japanese swords”, revived: Studying the great swords of the Kamakura period
- September 10, 2024 – November 4, 2024: A feast for the eyes: The Seikado’s tea utensil treasures with masterpieces of former daimyō collections
- November 16, 2024 – January 13, 2024: Elegance of Heian literature: The National Treasure Tale of Genji screens and the evolution of court esthetics
High School students: ¥1,000
Elementary School students: Free
Seniors: Free
Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum – 19th-century Western art
The Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum is a tribute to late 19th-century art. Its collection includes works by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Odilon Redon, and Félix Vallotton. Interestingly, the original Ichigokan building was the first Western-style office building in the area. The museum usually holds three major exhibitions a year, focusing on late 19th- and early 20th-century modern art.
Note: The Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum is closed until November 23, 2024. If you get the pass before the reopening date, you won’t receive an entry ticket but a ¥300 discount for the next exhibition, valid until December 30.
Exhibitions to see in 2024
- November 23, 2024 – January 26, 2025: Toulouse-Lautrec and Sophie Calle (tentative name)
Is the Tokyo Station Area Museums Ticket worth it?
To answer this question, let’s take a look at the regular entry prices:
- Artizon Museum: Adults ¥1,800, students can enter for free with valid ID
- Idemitsu Museum of Arts: Adults ¥1,200, high school and college students ¥800, free for junior high school or elementary students (who come with a parent)
- Mitsui Memorial Museum: Adults ¥800 to ¥1,500, high school and college students ¥400 to ¥1,000
- Tokyo Station Gallery: Admission ticket price varies by event, free for junior high school students and younger
- Seikado Bunko Art Museum: Adults ¥1,500 and student ¥1,000
- Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum: Admission ticket price varies by event
Note: Some of these admission prices may vary, depending on the exhibition.
When you consider that the price of the pass is the same as visiting the three most expensive museums, it works out to be pretty economical — especially if you visit all six museums.
Although anyone can buy the discount pass, we recommend it for people who are staying in Tokyo for a while. This is because they are likely to get better use out of it, picking the exhibitions that interest them most.
While information is only in Japanese at some of the exhibitions, others do provide English translations, and the Seikado Bunko Art Museum often has audio guides for an additional cost.
Alternative Tokyo museum passes
If you want a more general overview of Japanese culture, consider visiting one of the more well-known museums, like the Tokyo National Museum. For those interested in more tourist-friendly places, you could look into the Tokyo Pass instead. This pass costs ¥6,800 and gives you unlimited access to almost 40 different museums, parks, gardens, zoos, and aquariums.
While we do our best to ensure it’s correct, information is subject to change.
