Shibuya isn’t just all about the shopping or clubbing. Get your art and culture fix at the excellent Bunkamura The Museum.
Bunkamura The Museum - image © Florentyna Leow
With an abundance of shops devoted to youth culture and fashion, Shibuya doesn’t seem like the kind of district that has fantastic art museums. But just a short walk from the main station in the quieter streets is Bunkamura. Owned and operated by the Tokyu corporation, which also runs the fabulous Tokyu Food Hall beneath JR Shibuya, Bunkamura is actually one of the leading art museums in the nation.
Bunkamura hosts excellent international art shows yearly. It averages upwards of 30 or so exhibitions a year, with four to six of them being major ones. The focus is mainly on modern art, mostly from the 20th century; past artists exhibited include Lou Fujita, Chagall, Kandinsky, and Klee. There’s also an ever-changing rotation of smaller art exhibitions in the gallery spaces.
Art museum aside, Bunkamura is really an entire complex devoted to all forms of the arts. The same building is home to a concert hall, an art-house cinema, and theatre spaces, as well as the Tokyu department store with boutiques and restaurants. If you want, you can pretty much spend the whole day immersing yourself in the arts without ever leaving.
English name:
Bunkamura The Museum
Japanese name:
Bunkamura ザ・ミュージアム
English address:
2-24-1 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, 150-8507
Japanese address:
〒150-8507 東京都渋谷区道玄坂2-24-1
Opening hours:
10am-6pm (Sunday-Thursday, last entry 5:30pm)
10am-9pm (Friday and Saturday, last entry 8:30pm)
Admission:
Varies by exhibition
Nearest Transport:
Train: 7-minute walk from Hachiko exit of Shibuya Station.
Nearest Hotels:
:: Check availability and pricing for hotels near Bunkamura on Booking.com or Agoda.com.
Telephone:
+81-3-3477-9111
Website:
Official Website (English)
Near To Here:
Bunkamura is located in Tokyo's Shibuya district. See our complete list of things to do in Shibuya, including places to eat, nightlife and places to stay.
Where Is This Place Located?
See this place on the Truly Tokyo Google map:- Open the Tokyo map
- You will see the list of places on the left hand side. (Click the 3-line icon in the top left corner if not). Scroll down or use the map search (the magnifying glass icon) to find the place you want.
- Click the name of the place in the list. Its location pin will be highlighted on the map.
- Map pins are color coded - BLUE: Hotels / Ryokan / Guesthouses | VIOLET: Ryokan | PINK: Places to Eat | GREEN: Shops | YELLOW: Things to See and Do
- If you're using the map on your phone, open the map and then search for the name of the place. The map will then zoom in on its location.
Tokyo Vacation Checklist
- For all the essentials in a brief overview, see my First Time In Tokyo guide
- Check Tokyo accommodation availability and pricing on Booking.com and Agoda.com - often you can book with no upfront payment and free cancellation
- Need tips on where to stay? See my one page guide Where To Stay In Tokyo
- You can buy shinkansen (bullet train) tickets online from Klook - popular routes include Tokyo to Kyoto, Tokyo to Osaka and Tokyo to Hiroshima
- You can buy an eSim to activate in Japan or buy a Japan SIM card online for collection on arrival at Tokyo Narita or Haneda airports. Or rent an unlimited data pocket wifi router
- See my comprehensive Packing List For Japan
- Compare airline flight prices and timings for the best Japan flight deals. Check my guides to arriving at Narita Airport and at Haneda Airport.
- If you're visiting more than one city, you might save money with a Japan Rail Pass – see if it's worth it for you
- A prepaid Welcome Suica card makes travelling around Tokyo much easier - here's how
- World Nomads offers simple and flexible travel insurance. Buy at home or while traveling and claim online from anywhere in the world
- Do you want help planning your trip? Chris Rowthorn and his team of Japan experts at Japan Travel Consulting can help
