A tour of Japan for Yayoi Kusama fans

Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, famous for her polka dots, pumpkins, and Infinity Rooms, first made a name for herself in the 1960s. And after collaborating with Louis Vuitton in 2023, she has become one of the world’s most famous living artists.

Kusama has exhibitions all around the globe, such as her Infinity Mirror Rooms in the Tate Modern in London, which has just now been extended until September 2023 due to popular demand. But arguably the best place to appreciate her work is in her home country of Japan. 

Thai Airways’ destinations across Japan offer art enthusiasts not only different insights into the artist’s work, but also a veritable Kusama tour around the country, taking in many varied experiences.

Here’s how to take it all in.

Tokyo

Yayoi Kusama Museum

If you’re flying into Tokyo, start your pilgrimage at the awe-inspiring Yayoi Kusama Museum. The five-floor museum in the western suburb of Shinjuku Ward is entirely dedicated to the artist’s work, and holds some 600 exhibits. One floor is a dedicated Infinity Room, titled Pumpkins Screaming About Love Beyond Infinity. Others hold paintings and sculptures, while there are also temporary and changing exhibitions. The best thing about this museum is its reduced entry policy. Whereas everywhere else in the world you usually have to queue for a long time to then get a mere minute or so in her Infinity Rooms and have to fight off others to see her work up close, this museum has a strictly limited visitors’ admittance of 200 per day, with issued timeslots. So do book ahead. 

Didn’t get a slot for the day? Head to MOMAT, the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, which has examples in their permanent collection. Or, if you have a bit of time, take a 90-minute bus ride outside Tokyo to the Kurkku Fields, a foodie destination where you can learn to farm and cook; stay overnight to attend workshops and generally have food-related fun. More to the point: the farm also has a couple of quirky polka-dotted Kusama installations in their grounds. 

How to get there: Thai Airways flies from Bangkok to Narita and Haneda airports.

Matsumoto

Matsumoto City Museum of Art

Matsumoto is where Kusama was born in 1929, and where her journey began. At Matsumoto City Museum of Art, you can learn the story of a young Kusama, who was plagued by hallucinations of polka dots, and eventually transformed her visions into art that would go on to have worldwide appeal. In fact, the entire museum is a shrine to Kusama, from the dots on the outside of the building and her naïve flower sculptures in the garden, to an apartment designed by her, and, of course, her famous pumpkins. Even the city at large is brimming with pride for its most famous artist, from dots on public transport, vending machines, to billboards, and installations everywhere. 

How to get there: A fast two-hour train ride on the JR Shinano Express takes you from Nagoya Airport to Matsumoto Station.

Naoshima

Setouchi Triennale

One destination not to be missed when in Japan is Naoshima, an island entirely dedicated to art installations. And one of the main attractions is Kusama’s yellow pumpkin standing by the Seto Inland Sea, set against an amazingly beautiful backdrop of the ocean and other islands on the horizon. The yellow pumpkin had been swept away by a typhoon in 2021 but is now securely back in place. There is also a smaller, more unusual red and black pumpkin on the island. If you are a fan of planning ahead, the Setouchi Triennale, a contemporary art festival spread across 12 islands takes place every three years, next in 2025, and usually takes place over three sets of dates over the year.

How to get there: Getting to Naoshima takes 50 minutes by bullet train from Osaka to Okayama City, from where you need to take the 20-minute ferry to the island. There are also day trip options by private car with a tour guide direct from your hotel in Osaka. 

Fukuoka

Fukuoka Art Museum

The Fukuoka Art Museum located in Ohori Park next to the Japanese Garden, is a small, two-story high museum dedicated to contemporary and pre-modern art. The international section has works by artists such as Roy Lichtenstein, Salvador Dali, Marc Chagall, Andy Warhol and others on show, while there is also a section for contemporary Japanese artists. To see Kusama’s contribution, in the shape of one of her iconic yellow and black dotted pumpkins, you don’t even have to enter the museum, as it sits proudly outside of the entrance, free to view.

How to get there: It’s a two and a half hour ride from Osaka to Fukuoka on the JR Sanyo Shinkansen. Alternatively, you can fly to Fukuoka from Bangkok on Thai Airways.

Ready to follow Yayoi Kusama across Japan? Fly there with Thai Airways!