Ota Memorial Museum of Art
Ota Memorial Museum of Art
4.5
10:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:30 AM - 5:00 PM
About
This small museum houses a collection of woodblock prints from noted artist Ota Seizo.
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingTours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view
Plan your visit
The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Shibuya / Harajuku / Ebisu
There are countless opportunities to shop in the Shibuya and Harajuku districts, especially in shops that focus on Japan's "Kawaii" culture. The trendiest areas are around Shibuya’s Center district, Harajuku's Takeshita-dori and in Omotesando. If you need to recharge from all the shopping, you can easily refresh yourself in Meiji Jingu or Sasaki Park. In contrast, Ebisu has a more grown up ambiance of calm and cool. At the Museum of Yebisu Beer you can learn about the beer that was responsible for the town’s name, and enjoy dining at the popular noodle shops in the surrounding area.
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
10,000 within 5 kms
Attractions
5,658 within 10 kms
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
208 reviews
Excellent
106
Very good
86
Average
12
Poor
1
Terrible
3
joannamoog
Southampton, UK37 contributions
Jan 2020
On the previous day we had run out of time to go the Tokyo National Museum but our visit to the Ota museum more than made up for it.
This is a really beautiful and atmospheric place and unlike many museums, it's a perfect size and not too overwhelming with a nice number of works to view. We spent an hour or two here.
We were really lucky to see the exhibition celebrating the 40th anniversary of the museum, with many incredible hand painted works. Previously I had seen mostly wood block so to see hand painting was a real experience - the detail and beauty of the art were breathtaking.
This little museum is right in the middle of Harajuku, making it a nice way to mix up the usual trip to Harajuku. It's a must visit.
This is a really beautiful and atmospheric place and unlike many museums, it's a perfect size and not too overwhelming with a nice number of works to view. We spent an hour or two here.
We were really lucky to see the exhibition celebrating the 40th anniversary of the museum, with many incredible hand painted works. Previously I had seen mostly wood block so to see hand painting was a real experience - the detail and beauty of the art were breathtaking.
This little museum is right in the middle of Harajuku, making it a nice way to mix up the usual trip to Harajuku. It's a must visit.
Written 5 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hiroaki Kaneko
Tokyo, Japan5,270 contributions
Oct 2022
原宿駅から徒歩で5分程度のところにある、浮世絵専門の美術館である。建物の外観から比較的小規模の美術館であるように見受けられるが、地上階だけでなく地下にも展示室があるので、思ったほど広く展示室を設えてあるように思うだろう。
5代目太田清蔵が蒐集した1万点を超える浮世絵が収蔵されているが、展示室に展示できる作品数は多くても100点程度。そのため、基本的に時期を区切ってテーマ別に作品の展示を切り替えている。1階の展示室の中央には非常に小規模ながら枯山水のような日本庭園が設えられている。
残念なことに、2階と地下階への昇降は階段のみであるため、車椅子等の障碍を持つ方の利用はお勧めできない。同時に、特に2階の展示室は吹き抜けとなっており、通路がやや狭いため、大きな荷物を持ったままでの鑑賞もお勧めできない。中には貴重な作品も展示されていることもあり、基本的に全ての作品は撮影禁止である。
Located about a five-minute walk from Harajuku Station, this museum specializes in ukiyo-e prints. Although the exterior of the building gives the impression of a relatively small museum, it has exhibition rooms not only on the ground floor but also in the basement, which gives the impression that the museum has a larger exhibition space than one might expect.
The museum houses more than 10,000 ukiyo-e prints collected by Seizo Ota V, but the number of works that can be displayed in the exhibition room is about 100 at most. In the center of the exhibition room on the first floor, there is a very small Japanese garden like a dry landscape.
Unfortunately, the only access to the second floor and basement floors is by stairs, which is not recommended for visitors with disabilities such as wheelchairs. At the same time, the exhibition rooms on the second floor in particular are not recommended for visitors with large luggage because of the narrow aisles in the atrium. Some of the works on display are valuable, and basically all of them are prohibited from being photographed.
5代目太田清蔵が蒐集した1万点を超える浮世絵が収蔵されているが、展示室に展示できる作品数は多くても100点程度。そのため、基本的に時期を区切ってテーマ別に作品の展示を切り替えている。1階の展示室の中央には非常に小規模ながら枯山水のような日本庭園が設えられている。
残念なことに、2階と地下階への昇降は階段のみであるため、車椅子等の障碍を持つ方の利用はお勧めできない。同時に、特に2階の展示室は吹き抜けとなっており、通路がやや狭いため、大きな荷物を持ったままでの鑑賞もお勧めできない。中には貴重な作品も展示されていることもあり、基本的に全ての作品は撮影禁止である。
Located about a five-minute walk from Harajuku Station, this museum specializes in ukiyo-e prints. Although the exterior of the building gives the impression of a relatively small museum, it has exhibition rooms not only on the ground floor but also in the basement, which gives the impression that the museum has a larger exhibition space than one might expect.
The museum houses more than 10,000 ukiyo-e prints collected by Seizo Ota V, but the number of works that can be displayed in the exhibition room is about 100 at most. In the center of the exhibition room on the first floor, there is a very small Japanese garden like a dry landscape.
Unfortunately, the only access to the second floor and basement floors is by stairs, which is not recommended for visitors with disabilities such as wheelchairs. At the same time, the exhibition rooms on the second floor in particular are not recommended for visitors with large luggage because of the narrow aisles in the atrium. Some of the works on display are valuable, and basically all of them are prohibited from being photographed.
Written 6 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Keegan
4 contributions
Nov 2023 • Solo
Some places you always have to come back to to relive the good times--makes it even sweeter when the exhibitions change every time you come back, too! Ukiyo-e is my favorite form of Japanese art and this place seems to have an unlimited stock of the greatest hits. Looking forward to coming again next trip!
Written 13 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ExileInPoohville
Oswego, NY51 contributions
Jun 2019
This is a little gem of a museum. At least if you like old-time woodblock prints. When I visited they had an exhibit culled from Hiroshige's One Hundred Famous Views of Edo. Other classic woodblock artists are on display, too. The images of snow-covered Tokyo made me want to come back in the winter. The museum shop is superb and worth visiting in its own right. The museum and shop are located conveniently next to one of the main vertical malls in Harajuku and at the end of its main shopping alley/street.
Written 25 June 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CapeCarl
Eastham, MA290 contributions
Oct 2018 • Couples
This small museum is tucked in between the bustling Takeshita St and the Meiji-jingumae subway stop.It provides a quiet break from the crowds of shoppers. The Ota Museum has a wonderful collection of ukiyo-e, wood block prints. When we visited, a lot of Hiroshige prints were on display.There a gift shop in the basement that is worth a look. There are some signs in the neighborhood in English that will help you find it.
Written 7 January 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
OJWay1
21 contributions
Mar 2017 • Family
I started getting into Ukiyo-e just after deciding to visit Japan. I immediately realized Hiroshige was my favorite, so I decided to find the best place, and the Tokyo National Museum told me to go to the Ota.
The museum is easy to get to - it's close to Harajuku Station and in a really pretty part of Tokyo. Or it's a 2000 Yen cab ride from Shinjuku. It's small and tucked away. I was surprised by how small it was. It's just a single 2-story gallery. They change their exhibits every month, apparently because the prints are so light-sensitive that they need to rotate them.
But that's fine, because the prints are pretty small themselves, so I must have seen 200 or so. About half were Hiroshiges, and I had been afraid I'd only see a few of them. I did only see 3 or 4 of my favorite series - Stations of the Tokkaido, but there was a lot of other great stuff there, including many Hokusais. But the shows change monthly, so who knows what you'll see?
A warning to Westerners, the first part of the museum is on an elevated platform with tatami mats. Take off your shoes. It is posted but it's easy to miss. They also sell high quality reproductions of the classic prints there made using traditional techniques for around 14,000¥ if you want a classy souvenir.
The museum is easy to get to - it's close to Harajuku Station and in a really pretty part of Tokyo. Or it's a 2000 Yen cab ride from Shinjuku. It's small and tucked away. I was surprised by how small it was. It's just a single 2-story gallery. They change their exhibits every month, apparently because the prints are so light-sensitive that they need to rotate them.
But that's fine, because the prints are pretty small themselves, so I must have seen 200 or so. About half were Hiroshiges, and I had been afraid I'd only see a few of them. I did only see 3 or 4 of my favorite series - Stations of the Tokkaido, but there was a lot of other great stuff there, including many Hokusais. But the shows change monthly, so who knows what you'll see?
A warning to Westerners, the first part of the museum is on an elevated platform with tatami mats. Take off your shoes. It is posted but it's easy to miss. They also sell high quality reproductions of the classic prints there made using traditional techniques for around 14,000¥ if you want a classy souvenir.
Written 26 March 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Francoise V
Kortrijk, Belgium27 contributions
Jul 2012 • Couples
if you are into the classic Japanese drawings, this is just the place you want to visit (before heading back to the cosplays in Harakuju or the upmarket shopping on Omotesando Dori).
Written 13 August 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bikers_Mom
Middlebury, VT278 contributions
Jun 2012 • Couples
The exhibit at this museum changes monthly. June's exhibits consists of ukiyo-e of cats - dressed as people, playing with children, ghostly cat spirits etc. The exhibit is not just for cat lovers but uses cats as a way to understand daily life in the 18th and 19th centuries. The museum, located in Shibuya, is modern and tastefully decorated. It is closest to the Harajuku Station on the JR Yamanote Line. See http://www.ukiyoe-ota-muse.jp/annai-E.html for exact location.
Written 15 June 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AnnaDBJ
Melbourne, Australia136 contributions
Apr 2012 • Solo
Loved it! Odd location right near the crazy of Takeshita-dori but that contrast is very Tokyo. Atmosphere is set when you take off your shoes on arrival and put on museum slippers. Low lighting and frequently changed exhibits to protect the prints, so what you see will vary, but the museum has a huge collection and includes displays showing how the woodblock prints are made. Lovely zen garden with raked gravel, pebbles and rocks under the stairs to the second level. Well worth seeing such a uniquely Japanese art form in a quiet, reflective environment.
Written 3 May 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
WanderingGull
New York City, NY47 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
While engrossed in a discussion with my Japanese wife concerning the ukiyo-e on exhibit , we were approached by an ikiryo (living ghost) cleverly disguised as a museum staff member.
She bore a placard stating NO speaking (NOT low speaking) was permitted in the exhibit space and proceeded to chastise my wife for providing an explanation of a pleasure house scene depicted on one of the ukiyo-e . Jealous of our ability to verbalize thoughts and with limited career prospects within such a pleasure house, she turned into an enforcer
Startled , my wife complied and joined the hordes of other attendees also under a "No Talking" order
She bore a placard stating NO speaking (NOT low speaking) was permitted in the exhibit space and proceeded to chastise my wife for providing an explanation of a pleasure house scene depicted on one of the ukiyo-e . Jealous of our ability to verbalize thoughts and with limited career prospects within such a pleasure house, she turned into an enforcer
Startled , my wife complied and joined the hordes of other attendees also under a "No Talking" order
Written 19 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Buy at the museum itself; this is just a small, though exquisite, museum. But check online when it is open, as exhibits change monthly and it closes when it is being changed over.
Written 17 August 2017
Hello, quite easy, just walk up to the front desk of the museum. No need for advanced booking or online purchase. It will cost you 1000yen per person. They'll accept your visa/master card as well.
Written 18 August 2017
Showing results 1-3 of 3
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing