Perhaps due its location outside the center of the Metropolis, or perhaps due to its image as more of a community-oriented public art museum, Itabashi Art Museum is one of Tokyo’s most underrated and well-curated museums.

The building itself is unique, and opened on May 20, 1979, Itabashi Art Museum was the first municipal art museum to open in the 23 wards of Tokyo.

In 2019, the 40th anniversary of the opening of the museum, the building underwent major renovations to modernize its facilities to meet the changing needs of the community and to help expand museum activities. The museum’s collections are mainly focused on the early modern paintings from the Edo Kano school, avant-garde art from the Taisho to early Showa eras, and works by artists associated with Itabashi City. Itabashi Art Museum mainly holds special exhibitions that introduce Edo culture and Ikebukuro Montparnasse.

The museum shop is not large, by any standard, but you will likely find something interesting there.

If you love Japanese art, bring some extra cash and allow yourself a good hour or so to peruse museum shop offerings.