Kengo Kuma’s quiet trick: make a museum that feels like it was woven, not built.
Art museum in Tokyo, Japan.
Featured in Kengo Kuma's definitive monograph, Kengo Kuma: Complete Works.
Visitor Guide
Enter from Tokyo Midtown and give your eyes 5 minutes to adjust—this building rewards slow perception; check the exhibition schedule before buying a ticket.
Tokyo Midtown Galleria approach, late afternoon; shoot the layered screens with side light so the texture reads instead of flattening.
Open hours vary by exhibition; commonly 10:00–18:00, with late opening Fridays to 20:00; closed Tuesdays and some changeover days; ticket price varies by exhibition.
Kuma’s ‘Japanese’ isn’t nostalgia—it’s an environmental device: layers of screens that tune glare, depth, and rhythm.
60–90 min
Design & Structure
Designed as layered ‘filters’ (screens, louvers, soffits) coordinated in detail drawings and 3D; not flashy parametric form, but parametric thinking about light, spacing, and repetition.
Wood-like lattice, stone, glass—materiality is about softness and shadow control in a corporate megablock context.
Structure is conventional; the architectural performance comes from the envelope and interior screen systems managing daylight and acoustics.
See Together
Buildings that pair well with Suntory Museum of Art — they're nearby or share a compelling architectural conversation.
More by Kengo Kuma
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Misono-za
Yokohama International School
Nezu Museum
Taikoo Li Sanlitun
Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center
MoN Takanawa
Nearby in Akasaka
Frequently Asked Questions
Who designed Suntory Museum of Art?+
Suntory Museum of Art was designed by Kengo Kuma and completed in 1961. It is located in Akasaka, Japan.
Where is Suntory Museum of Art located?+
Suntory Museum of Art is located in Akasaka, Japan. Its coordinates are 35.6664°, 139.7303°.
When was Suntory Museum of Art built?+
Suntory Museum of Art was completed in 1961. It was designed by Kengo Kuma.
Can I visit Suntory Museum of Art?+
Suntory Museum of Art is a real building in Akasaka that can be viewed from the outside. Check local information for interior access and visiting hours. Use the Parametric Atlas walking tour feature to plan a route that includes this building.