Yayoi Kusama Museum (YAYOI KUSAMA MUSEUM)
The Yayoi Kusama Museum, which opened on October 1, 2017, runs on a timed-entry reservation and capacity-limited system. Tickets are quite the scramble to get.
*The scramble to obtain tickets has since eased. *Updated January 19, 2019
https://art-on.jp/yayoikusama-museum-ticket/
Having somehow managed to get a ticket, I visited for the first time. I’d like to share an account of my visit to the Yayoi Kusama Museum.
1F
The Yayoi Kusama Museum is a five-story building. On entry, you present a QR code and place a “y”-mark sticker on a visible part of your clothing before going in. Upon entry, you can receive a booklet with a floor map and a list of the works.
I asked a staff member, and they recommended going up from the 2nd floor in order and viewing the 5th floor last.
2F
Climbing the stairs to the 2nd floor, I found monochrome works lined up in a row. The works are all made with silkscreen. It feels a little unsatisfying, but with a volume of 27 large-scale works it was a display well worth seeing.
Note that photography is prohibited on the 2nd and 3rd floors.
3F
Heading to the 3rd floor with eyes now accustomed to the monochrome works, I found colorful works waiting in complete contrast. Unlike the 2nd floor, these are original works painted in acrylic on canvas. In terms of size, 16 large works measuring “194×194cm” were gathered for the display. There are also benches on the floor, so an environment for leisurely viewing has been provided.
The works are not framed, so I could view them at very close range. The depiction of the “eyes” that often appear in Kusama’s works was striking. Rather than painting the eyes on, the technique appeared to carve them out from the base color with a different color of paint applied on top.
This floor is arguably positioned as the main floor. I was able to face many works carefully and spend a relaxed stretch of time. For a Kusama fan, I think it’s a place that offers a real sense of fulfillment.
4F
The 4th floor is an installation on a two-minute rotation. It’s a pumpkin work, a specialty of Yayoi Kusama. The title is “Pumpkins Screaming About Love Beyond Infinity.”
A work in which many pumpkins gradually emit light.
The work was designed to be seen from all four sides.
For reference, I tried filming a video.
5F
The final 5th floor greeted me with a chronology of Yayoi Kusama.
Furthermore, books and other materials related to Kusama were displayed so that visitors could actually read them.
Going further in, there was a door leading outside, and here too there was a display of a pumpkin work.
From the 5th floor you can also take in the whole outside view.
Back to 1F again…
Descending from the 5th-floor rooftop down to the 1st floor. Even inside the elevator, the Kusama world was in full swing.
The 1st floor consists only of a merchandise corner.
Honestly, there weren’t really any items with strong pulling power, and I didn’t see many people buying anything
Summary
Although entry was limited to 90 minutes, since the display is in a not-very-large space, I was able to finish viewing it in no time.
Those who managed to get a ticket are lucky, but for those who didn’t, why not take on the challenge on another occasion?
I was able to thoroughly enjoy the world of Yayoi Kusama.
Overview
Yayoi Kusama Museum Opening Commemorative Exhibition
Creation is a Solitary Pursuit, Love is What Brings You Closer to Art
The inaugural exhibition of the Yayoi Kusama Museum, centered on the latest painting series “My Eternal Soul.”
In addition to 16 works from “My Eternal Soul,” we introduce Yayoi Kusama’s recent works: the monochrome drawing series “Love Forever” that served as a precursor to the same series, the latest installation work created for the museum’s opening, and a new pumpkin sculpture displayed on the rooftop.
Dates: October 1, 2017 (Sun.) – February 25, 2018 (Sun.)
Open days: Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays
Closed: Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays
Opening hours: 11:00–17:00
Admission: General ¥1,000 (tax incl.); elementary, junior high, and high school students ¥600 (tax incl.)
*Preschool children free. No group discounts are available.
Entry times
①11:00–12:30 (enter by 11:30)
②12:30–14:00 (enter by 13:00)
③14:00–15:30 (enter by 14:30)
④15:30–17:00 (enter by 16:00)
To let visitors enjoy the exhibition safely and comfortably, the Yayoi Kusama Museum operates on a timed-entry reservation and capacity-limited basis, with a rotation system of 90 minutes and 70 visitors per session. Tickets for the month after next go on sale at 10:00 (Japan time) on the 1st of each month. Date/time changes and refunds are not possible after purchase. Tickets can be purchased here.
