To introduce some features of the museum’s exhibitions of works from the collection: First, its scale is one of the largest in Japan, displaying approximately 200 works each term from the museum’s holdings of approximately 14,000 works acquired since its opening in 1952. Also, it is one of the foremost exhibitions in Japan, tracing the arc of Japanese modern and contemporary art from the end of the 19th century to the present day through a series of 12 rooms, each with its own specific theme.

All five oil paintings from our collection of 18 nationally designated Important Cultural Properties will be on view together for the first time in many years. Room 3 offers an in-depth examination of one of these works, Kishida Ryusei’s Road cut through a hill. Other exhibits focus on themes such as the year 1940 in Room 6, Yamamura Gasho’s series The children living in Washington heights in Room 9, and Painting and purpose in Room 10, all of which relate to this year’s milestone of 80 years since the end of World War II. The current exhibition also features many new acquisitions.

As you explore the individual works, we encourage you to note the museum’s recent collecting priorities, including an increased focus on women artists and emphasis on regional diversity. We hope you enjoy this rich lineup of works from the MOMAT Collection, where longtime highlights are joined by fresh new faces.