What To See in Tokyo Galleries This September: Our Picks

As one of the world’s leading art cities, Tokyo is home to a myriad of incredible galleries featuring works by renowned and emerging artists. The best part is that, unlike museums, most galleries are free to enter. Although gallery hopping is a foolproof Tokyo activity in any given month, it’s especially great during this time of year, when the sweltering heat just won’t go away, no matter how much you want it to be autumn.

This September boasts a diverse crop of artworks to look forward to; from photographer Naoki Ishikawa’s breathtaking records of his expeditions in the Himalayas to dynamic, lyrical compositions by UK-based painter Mannat Gandotra. Read on to discover TW’s recommendations on what to see.

Moe Nakamura: ‘Connect Connect’

Known for her distinctive sculptures fashioned from logs of camphor wood, Moe Nakamura conveys a unique blend of whimsy, warmth and nostalgia through her works. Nakamura’s wooden creations are inspired by both our natural world and inner worlds — what we keep hidden deep in our hearts, and fragments of distant memories.

The “Connect Connect” exhibition at the Pola Museum Annex comprises both wooden carvings and two-dimensional pieces. It explores the general theme of connections in various forms, particularly in relation to the ideas of art and emotion, and of memory and the future. Nakamura contemplates the impact the pandemic had on the way we connect with one another, and how it reaffirmed the importance of community.

When: August 19 – September 28 (Closed on August 27)
Where: Pola Museum Annex (Google Maps)

Naoki Ishikawa: ‘Ascent of 14, 2001-2024’

“Ascent of 14” showcases photographer Naoki Ishikawa’s incredible 23-year-long journey through the Himalayas. Starting with an Everest expedition in 2001 when he was 23, Ishikawa has scaled all 14 of the world’s greatest peaks. Along the way, he shot some breathtaking landscapes. Many of those scenes are being shown to the world for the first time.

“This is not about logic. These are not calculated artistic expressions, but undeniable records of what I experienced,” commented Ishikawa in the exhibition press statement. “The times I spent in the Himalayas have seeped into the depths of my body as the most intense experiences. I can never forget them, and yet memory inevitably fades… What you see here is a record of those days, like a light source that will continue to illuminate the darkness for the rest of my life.”

When: August 29 – September 18
Where: Fujifilm Square Fujifilm Photo Salon Spaces 1 & 2, Mini-Gallery (Google Maps)

Collage of Artworks featured in Lai Lai Wang Wang | © KOSAKU KANECHIKA

Group Exhibition: ‘Lai Lai Wang Wang’

Kosaku Kanechika’s Kyobashi location presents a group exhibition in collaboration with Hirano Kotoken, a leading dealer of Chinese and Korean ceramics. “Lai Lai Wang Wang” — meaning “back and forth” in Chinese — highlights an array of antique pieces from China and Korea alongside contemporary works by Yutaka Aoki, Junko Oki, Takuro Kuwata, Ataru Sato, Miwa Kyusetsu XIII, Noritaka Tatehana, Ana Benaroya and Dan McCarthy.

It’s a rare opportunity to see ceramic works from the Han and Tang dynasties of China, including sculptural pieces. This will also mark Kosaku Kanechika’s first display of works by New Jersey-based painter Benaroya, who focuses on female perspectives, desires and queer sensibilities through depictions of bold, muscular physiques.

When: August 23 – October 4 (Closed on Sundays & Mondays)
Where: Kosaku Kanechika, Kyobashi (Google Maps)

“Dwelling Places for Brazen Fruit” (2025) © Mannat Gandotra

Mannat Gandotra: ‘Containers of Madness’

Mannat Gandotra, an up-and-coming painter born in India and based in the UK, presents her vibrant, energetic compositions in a solo exhibition. “Containers of Madness” refers to the idea that visual elements confined within the frame of the canvas are constantly striving to transcend boundaries. Along the way, they collide with and repel one another, while maintaining a precarious sense of harmony.

According to Gandotra, her dynamic style stems from an interest in jazz music and the concept of atonality; she is inspired by sounds that reject hierarchical tonal structures, allowing chords and harmonies to emerge unexpectedly within a progression. Ragamala, a genre of Indian miniature painting that captures the melodies and timbres of traditional music, also informs Gandotra’s language.

When: August 23 – October 11
Where: Ota Fine Arts (Google Maps)

Yuki Nara, Masayoshi Nojo and Ayako Kuno: ‘Blurred: Intersecting Boundaries’

Held at Bonded Gallery in Terrada Art Complex II, this exhibition features works by three artists who fuse traditional Japanese techniques with contemporary sensibilities: Yuki Nara, Masayoshi Nojo and Ayako Kuno. As the title suggests, the exhibition explores the fluctuations between boundaries, whether material, conceptual or temporal.

Nara, a descendent of the Ohi family — a long line of renowned ceramicists — is featuring his striking sculptural piece “Ice Wall,” which combines his heritage with 3D computer-aided design. Nojo synthesizes Japanese and contemporary visual languages to convey the passage of time. His “Mirage” series uses foil to depict ethereal landscapes that seem to appear and disappear. Kuno, known for her densely detailed metal sculptures, offers her piece “Reborn” for viewing. Inspired by ever-expanding urban landscapes, it uses a lost-wax casting technique to capture the dynamism and intricacy of cities.

When: September 11 – September 28
Where: Bonded Gallery, Terrada Art Complex II (Google Maps)