This museum, located at Ueno Park, specializes in western works of art (paintings, sculptures etc.). Apart from having permanent displays of art from the renaissance period until the early 20th century, the NMWA also from time to time holds special exhibits.

From establishment on:

The NMWA was built in 1959, first based on the Matsukata Collection (松方コレクション), which focuses on art from the 19th century to the early 20th century, including impressionist paintings and Rodin sculptures among others. The Matsukata Collection was obtained in Europe by Kōjirō Matsukata (松方幸次郎), president of Kawasaki Shipbuilding (now Kawasaki Industries), in the early 20th century. However, these pieces of art were seized by France, victorious after World War Two, and were only returned to Japan later on. To display the collection after its return, the National Museum of Western Art was established.

Construction planning of the building itself was led by modern construction mastermind Le Corbusier, who oversaw the inspection of possible areas to build on, during his trip to Japan in 1955. This trip was his first and would be his last to Japan. After this he sent the construction plans to be followed through by his apprentices Kunio Maekawa (前川國男), Junzō Sakagura (坂倉準三), and Takamasa Yoshizaka (吉阪隆正) who completed construction of the museum, just as it stands today. In Le Corbusier’s layouts there were large scale plans for an auditorium, a library, and a hall, but due to economic difficulties, only the main building was built. However, Kunio Maekawa changed the Tokyo Culture Hall, which he also built, into a hall which matched Le Corbusier’s plans.

After construction, the Matsukata Collection made its way to Japan, and on June 10th, 1959, the National Museum of Western Arts opened its doors. In 1979, the museum saw the addition of an annex, and in 1997, an exhibition gallery room was built beneath the front garden, making it what it is today.

National Museum of Western Arts by Le Corbusier

As previously mentioned, the NMWA main building was designed by Le Corbusier, and his apprentices Kunio Maekawa, Junzo Sakagura and Takamasa Yoshizaka followed through with the construction. The NMWA is Japan’s only building designed by Le Corbusier.

The NMWA is also the only Museum of Unlimited Extension (無限成長美術館) made by Le Corbusier. The idea behind this type of museum is, instead of being made complete, the museum itself expands like a spiral around the building, with new exhibits being added as more art is displayed inside. This type of museum makes it possible to endlessly expand its own exhibits. Other art museums which have been based off of Le Corbusier’s unlimited extension idea are the Sanskar Kendra Art Museum (1957) and the Chandigarh Art Museum (1965), both in India. The NMWA is valued as the most perfected art museum of this category.

There are several traits unique to the unlimited extension museum used at the NMWA, which are pilotis (ground level support columns), slopes, rectangular helix shaped exhibit galleries, and spiral staircases.

After entering the main entrance, there is a large atrium on the way to the center, which is bathed in light coming through a triangular skylight. This room is christened Le Corbusier’s “19th Century Hall.”

The second floor can be reached via a slope connecting to the first floor, making to possible to view the whole “19th Century Hall” on the way to the exhibit gallery. The second floor’s exhibit gallery is made in the shape of a rectangular helix, with the ceiling lowered in the center, allowing natural light to flow in to mix with the fluorescent lighting. However, the light from outside was said to disrupt the proper balance for the art works inside, and was later reconstructed, keeping only the fluorescent lights. There are three places on the second floor where stairways were made to connect to the upper floor, but because of the exhibit galleries, these stairways are too narrow and are not in use due to safety concerns.

The NMWA was made to be a museum of unlimited extension, but as it stands today, there has not been one addition made to it.

World Heritage Record

The French government proposed to UNESCO (United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization) to make a name for Le Corbusier’s architecture in and outside France, to be called “Le Corbusier’s Architectural and Urban Work” (L’œuvre architectural et urbaine de Le Corbusier). It was clear that the National Museum of Western Art was under discussion as a possible asset to this organization. On September 14th 2007, the Japanese government gave its cooperation and recommended the NMWA to be added. On December 12th of the same year, the main building was designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan (重要文化財). The French government submitted its finished plans for “Le Corbusier’s Architectural and Urban Work,” buildings from seven different countries, including Japan’s NMWA, to UNESCO on February 1st 2008.

On June 27th 2009, these plans were examined at the yearly World Heritage Committee, but received an “information inquiry” result, failing to achieve world heritage status. If these plans are submitted once more before the required date in the current year, 2010, they will be once again evaluated at the committee, and can be expected to receive world heritage status.>

Art in Possession

The National Museum of Western Art, the Matsukata Collection remains at the core of art that the museum possesses.
For a list of other art found at the NMWA, please visit this website: