These contemporary indie galleries are MY favorites, but they don’t have to be YOURS, too! Many galleries have sections for postcard-sized advertisements for other local galleries. So if you read Japanese or have Google Translate figure out dates, times, and places, pick these up for free when you find them to have your own art discovery adventures!🎨💪
Online, Tokyo Art Beat, Gallery Guide Ginza, and guide-gallery.jp are also a great resources to browse from!
If you’re looking for indie art events or markets in Japan (and not just individual galleries), see my other post, Game Events in Japan.
(Note: These lists will be perpetually updated as I find new events! Expect updates!)
(Note2: These galleries often rotate their artists and displays, so check in with their websites to see what’s currently on exhibit!)
(Note3: All the places I list here are tried-and-true by yours truly! I’ve visited them IRL, taken my own pictures, and sometimes have had the opportunity to speak with some of the artists themselves. Basically, this list isn’t just a copy-paste from Google or Instagram.)
Tokyo
- Art Beans Gallery (website) (🗺google maps)
- Artcomplex Center of Tokyo (website) (insta) (🗺google maps)
- Artston Gallery (website) (insta) (🗺google maps)
- B-gallery, Ikebukuro (🗺google maps)
- Blank Gallery, Koenji (🗺google maps)
- ca*n*ow (website) (insta), Asagaya (🗺google maps)
- Cloud Gallery (🗺google maps)
- Gallery 2511 (website) (insta) (🗺google maps)
- Gallery Dazzle (website) (insta) (🗺google maps)
- GALLERY IRO (website) (insta), Kichijouji (🗺google maps)
- Gallery 219 (website) (insta) (🗺google maps)
- Gallery Storks (website) (🗺google maps)
- Gankagarou (website) (insta) (🗺google maps)
- HB Gallery (website) (insta) (🗺google maps)
- Irorimura Gallery (🗺google maps)
- Jingumae Gallery (website)
- JUNKUDO Ikebukuro 9th floor (website) (🗺google maps)
- JPS Gallery
- Local Gallery (website) (insta), Koenji
- Nora Shop and Gallery (website) (insta), Koenji
- Ondo Gallery (website) (insta)
- Orange Gallery (website), Ikebukuro
- Petit Gallery
- SH Gallery
- Sousaku Kuukan Cafe Atelier (website) (insta), Akihabara
Ginza
- Kousin Gallery, Ginza
Harajuku
Chuo Gallery (The Okuno Building) (website) (insta), Ginza
- Design Festa Gallery (website), Harajuku
- Empathy Gallery (website) (insta), Harajuku
- Somsoc Gallery, Harajuku
Shibuya
- Morgenrot Art Space (website)
- Nine Gallery (website), Aoyama
- Opa Gallery and Shop (website) (insta)
- Pinpoint Gallery (website) (insta), Shibuya
- SPACE YUI (website) (insta), Aoyama
- Spiral (website)
- Yugen Gallery (website) (insta), Aoyama
Osaka, Kansai
- Gallery Ato (website) (insta)
- Gallery glad. (website)
- Gallery IYN (website) (insta)
- Gallery Kaori (website)
- Sousaku Kuukan Cafe Atelier (website), Shinsaibashi
- SUNABA (website) (insta)