Japan's Best Yayoi Kusama Sites You Can Visit
For fans of Yayoi Kusama, Japan is more than just a travel destination—it’s a living, breathing tribute to one of the world’s most celebrated contemporary artists. From dazzling mirror rooms in Tokyo to playful pumpkin sculptures on island shores, Kusama’s surreal universe is embedded in the Japanese landscape.
This guide takes you on a vivid journey through Japan’s permanent Kusama sites—each with a unique story, setting, and sensory experience that brings her world of dots, dreams, and psychedelia to life.
1. Yayoi Kusama Museum – Tokyo
This museum offers an intimate, deeply curated experience for fans who want to trace Kusama’s journey from her early days to her modern masterpieces. Each of the five floors explores a different period or theme in her career, featuring early drawings, large-scale paintings, and immersive installations. The Infinity Mirror Room—a surreal room of endless reflections—is a mesmerizing highlight and a fan favorite. The rooftop occasionally features outdoor sculptures, and the ground-floor shop sells exclusive Kusama merchandise you won't find elsewhere.
🌟 What’s Special: The world’s only museum exclusively dedicated to Yayoi Kusama, featuring rotating exhibitions, immersive mirror rooms, and rooftop installations.
📍 Address: 107 Bentencho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
🕓 Hours: Thu–Sun & holidays, 11:00–17:30 (timed entry only)
🎟️ Tickets: ¥1,100 (adults), ¥600 (ages 6–18); free under 6
🚇 Getting There: 6–9 minute walk from Waseda, Ushigome-Yanagicho, or Kagurazaka stations
2. Matsumoto City Museum of Art – Nagano
This vibrant museum in Kusama’s hometown honors her roots with the permanent exhibit “The Place for My Soul.” Inside, you’ll find early works and immersive rooms that reflect her personal evolution. Outdoors, Kusama’s world spills into the streets—giant flowers, pumpkins, and even polka-dotted benches transform the landscape into a whimsical playground.
🌟 What’s Special: Located in Kusama’s hometown, this museum hosts her autobiographical exhibition and some of her most heartfelt outdoor sculptures.
📍 Address: 4-2-22 Chuo, Matsumoto City, Nagano
🕓 Hours: Daily 9:00–17:00; closed Mondays (except Aug)
🎟️ Tickets: ¥410 (adults), ¥200 (students); free for kids & seniors
🚶♀️ Getting There: 12-minute walk or short local bus ride from Matsumoto Station
3. Naoshima Island – Kagawa
Naoshima, Japan’s world-renowned “art island,” is home to Kusama’s most iconic outdoor works. Her Yellow Pumpkin, poised at the end of a quiet pier, is the island’s signature landmark. Near the ferry terminal, the Red Pumpkin is interactive—you can walk inside it through dotted windows and portals. Both are photo ops that perfectly balance bold design and seaside serenity.
🌟 What’s Special: Features Kusama’s two most famous outdoor sculptures, freely accessible and set against the backdrop of the Seto Inland Sea.
📍 Location: Naoshima Island, Seto Inland Sea, Kagawa
🕓 Hours: Outdoor sculptures accessible 24/7
🎟️ Tickets: Free (public art)
⛴️ Getting There: Ferry from Uno Port (20 min) or Takamatsu Port (~50 min)
4. Towada Art Center – Aomori
In the cool northern region of Aomori, the Towada Art Center features a sprawling plaza dotted with Kusama’s playful creations. Love Forever, Singing in Towada is a cheerful sculpture garden filled with bright creatures and a massive yellow pumpkin—perfect for all ages. Even outside museum hours, the artwork is open for public exploration.
🌟 What’s Special: An open-access Kusama sculpture garden where visitors can freely explore, touch, and interact with the art—even when the museum is closed.
📍 Address: 10-9 Nishi-Nibancho, Towada City, Aomori
🕓 Hours: 9:00–17:00; closed Mondays
🎟️ Tickets: ¥1,800 (or ¥1,000 without special exhibit); free for under 18
🚌 Getting There: Train to Shichinohe-Towada or Hachinohe, then 35–60 min by bus
5. Fukuoka Art Museum – Fukuoka
Tucked inside the peaceful Ohori Park, this museum holds Kusama’s very first outdoor pumpkin sculpture—a trailblazing piece that launched her now-famous motif. The yellow-and-black pumpkin sits quietly by the water, offering a striking contrast against the lake and park trees. Inside, you’ll also find rotating exhibits of modern and classical art.
🌟 What’s Special: Home to Kusama’s first-ever outdoor pumpkin sculpture, making it a must-visit landmark in her creative timeline.
📍 Address: 1-6 Ohori Koen, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka
🕓 Hours: Tue–Sun, 9:30–17:30 (Fri/Sat until 20:00 in summer)
🎟️ Tickets: ¥200 general admission; pumpkin sculpture is free
🚶♀️ Getting There: 10-minute walk from Ohori Park Station (Fukuoka subway)
6. Kirishima Open-Air Museum – Kagoshima
Surrounded by forested hills, this open-air museum lets Kusama’s works burst into nature. Her High Heel, a polka-dotted stiletto, stands tall among trees. Nearby, Flowers of Shangri-La explodes in vibrant reds, yellows, and dots. Here, art isn’t confined—it’s part of the landscape.
🌟 What’s Special: Kusama’s sculptures are meant to be explored up close and are beautifully integrated into nature, encouraging fun and interaction.
📍 Address: 6340-220 Koba, Yusui-cho, Aira-gun, Kagoshima
🕓 Hours: 9:00–17:00; closed Mondays & select dates
🎟️ Tickets: ¥310 (adults), ¥200 (students), ¥150 (children)
🚉 Getting There: Train to Kurino Station, then ~20 min bus or taxi
7. Hara Museum ARC – Gunma
A peaceful countryside museum with one of Kusama’s most captivating installations: the Infinity Mirror Room (Pumpkin). Inside, luminous yellow pumpkins repeat endlessly in a mirrored space—creating a feeling of infinite immersion. Surrounded by mountains and silence, the experience is nothing short of transcendent.
🌟 What’s Special: One of the only permanent Infinity Mirror Rooms by Kusama in the world, offering a rare and reflective experience.
📍 Address: 2855-1 Kanai, Shibukawa City, Gunma
🕓 Hours: 9:30–16:30; closed Thursdays and in winter
🎟️ Tickets: ¥1,100 (adults), ¥700 (students), ¥500 (children)
🚌 Getting There: Train to Shibukawa Station, then 15–20 min by bus or taxi
8. Tsumari in Bloom – Niigata (Echigo-Tsumari Art Field)
Set against fields and mountains in rural Niigata, Tsumari in Bloom is a giant red-and-yellow flower sculpture right outside Matsudai Station. Kusama called it her favorite outdoor piece in Japan. Standing tall amid rice paddies, it’s a bold expression of joy in an unexpected place.
🌟 What’s Special: Kusama’s personal favorite outdoor work, located in a remote area where art meets agricultural life.
📍 Location: In front of Matsudai Nohbutai, Tokamachi City, Niigata
🕓 Hours: Outdoor viewing during daylight; closed in heavy winter snow
🎟️ Tickets: Free (indoor exhibits require paid entry)
🚆 Getting There: 5-minute walk from Matsudai Station (HokuHoku Line)
Final Dots
Touring Yayoi Kusama’s permanent art sites in Japan isn’t just about seeing great art—it’s about feeling it in context. Her work transforms beaches, rice fields, rooftops, and rural towns into portals of creativity. Whether you’re a lifelong fan or discovering her for the first time, each stop on this journey will leave you a little more dotted, and a lot more inspired.
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