Edo in Focus: Japanese Treasures From the British Museum

The British Museum holds one of the biggest Japanese art collections outside Japan — around 40,000 works — and for the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum’s 100th birthday, a couple of hundred of the very best pieces are coming home for a visit.

What to expect

Around 200 Edo-period works, including folding screens, hanging scrolls, and handscrolls, plus prints from the big names of ukiyo-e: Hokusai, Hiroshige, Utamaro, and the famously mysterious Sharaku. Several paintings are making their first return to Japan since they left — in some cases, well over a century ago.

If you’ve been to the British Museum’s Japan galleries and wished the lighting were better and the jetlag optional, this is your do-over.

Schedule

The exhibition runs July 25 to October 18, 2026, at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum in Ueno Park. Hours are 9:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m., with late opening until 8 p.m. on Fridays; last entry is 30 minutes before closing. Closed Mondays and October 13, but open on August 10, September 21, and October 12.

Tickets 2026

General admission is ¥2,300 at the door, or ¥2,100 for advance tickets, on sale until July 24. University students pay ¥1,300 at the door (¥1,100 in advance), those 65 and over pay ¥1,600 (¥1,400 in advance), and high-school students and younger get in free. Bring ID for the discounted tickets.

Pro tip: University students get in free on weekdays from July 28 to August 7, and Tokyo residents visiting with kids under 18 pay half price on the third Saturday and Sunday of each month.

How to get there

The Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum is about a 7-minute walk from JR Ueno Station (Park Exit), inside Ueno Park.

Missed it in Tokyo? The show travels to the Nakanoshima Museum of Art in Osaka from October 31, 2026 to January 31, 2027.

Note that dates, opening hours, and prices are subject to change, so make sure to check the official website before you go.