Tokyo Gendai, one of Japan's leading international contemporary art fairs, opens its fourth edition at Pacifico Yokohama, running for three days from Friday, September 11 to Sunday, September 13, 2026. This year's edition brings together a wide range of contemporary art, from works rooted in traditional technique to pieces built around photography and digital media. Alongside exhibits from around 70 galleries from Japan and abroad, the program includes the popular Art Talks discussion series, installations, performances, and other special events throughout the fair. As an international platform bringing together galleries, artists, collectors, curators, and art enthusiasts from around the world, Tokyo Gendai connects Japan's art scene with the global art world.
For the fourth consecutive year, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group ("SMBC Group") serves as Principal Partner, with DIOR as Premium Partner, Perrier-Jouët as Champagne Partner, and POLA as Beauty Partner. Ahead of the public opening, an invitation-only preview and vernissage for guests takes place on Thursday, September 10.
Comments from the Organizers
Eri Takane, Fair Director, Tokyo Gendai
"I am delighted to be able to open the fourth Tokyo Gendai today. We have been able to welcome wonderful galleries, artists, and audiences from Japan and from around the world. This year's venue brings together traditions passed down over many years with new practices, and a rich dialogue is emerging from a wide range of approaches and forms of expression. I want to warmly welcome our exhibitors, visitors, and everyone who supports Tokyo Gendai, and I am looking forward to the conversations, discoveries, and new connections that the coming days will bring."
Magnus Renfrew, Co-Founder, Tokyo Gendai
"We are delighted to welcome exhibitors, collectors, and visitors from around the world to Tokyo Gendai. Since our first edition in 2023, we have aimed to create an important meeting point for the international art scene in Japan, and we are thrilled to see it grow year after year. Japan's art ecosystem continues to build strength, and we are honored that the fair can serve as a platform for the many artists, galleries, and cultural institutions active here today, while also serving as a gateway for visitors from abroad to discover this rich cultural environment."
Exhibition Sectors and Participating Galleries
Tokyo Gendai divides around 69 galleries from Japan and abroad into five main sectors, presenting a wide range of contemporary art across mediums, from internationally established artists to those exploring new forms of expression. Established practices and new approaches intersect throughout the venue, offering visitors a chance to experience the full breadth of contemporary art.
The Galleries sector presents work by multiple artists representing each participating gallery. The Hana 'Flower' sector features presentations by one or more emerging to mid-career artists, while Eda 'Branch' brings together solo and group shows by established artists and figures of art-historical importance, along with curated presentations built around a specific theme. New this year, the Miki 'Trunk' sector is dedicated to works on paper, including photography, drawing, and printmaking. The Tane 'Seed' sector also returns this year, showcasing digital media works including NFTs (non-fungible tokens), animation, video, AR (augmented reality), VR (virtual reality), and games.
Featured Programs
Art Talks
The popular Art Talks discussion series returns for 2026. Guest speakers from across the art world include artist Lauren Quin, artist Emi Kusano, Brooklyn Museum Modern and Contemporary Art Curator Kimberli Gant, architect Jun Aoki, art collector Takeo Obayashi, artist and couture designer Iris van Herpen, and CFCL representative and creative director Yusuke Takahashi. Throughout the fair, these speakers discuss current and timely themes in contemporary art, offering Tokyo Gendai visitors a range of perspectives on the work on view.
Sato 'Meadow'
Sato 'Meadow,' which focuses on large-scale site-specific installations and performances, returns to Tokyo Gendai in 2026. Works spread across the entire venue, extending beyond individual booth displays, and for the first time the fair adds a screening program, presenting video works by artists represented by participating galleries on a large LED screen.
Ne 'Root'
Ne 'Root' presents special exhibits from leading Japanese art and cultural foundations and organizations, each introducing their own activities.
Participating foundations: Odawara Art Foundation's Enoura Observatory, 日本現代美術商協会 (CADAN), 清春芸術村 (公財)吉井財団
Hana Artist Award
Presented to an outstanding artist in the Hana 'Flower' sector, the Hana Artist Award is open to emerging and mid-career artists. This year's jury includes curator and Observer art writer Elisa Carollo, Mori Art Museum Senior Curator Takuichi Tokuyama, and collector Monique Long, who together select one outstanding artist for a presentation that represents the fair. The award is presented with the cooperation of ArtSticker, and the winner receives a special commendation during the fair along with a cash prize of ¥1,000,000.
AMA Artist Award 2026 Winner Exhibition
Los Angeles-based contemporary artist Umar Rashid presents a new work created especially for Tokyo Gendai to mark his win of the 2026 AMA Artist Award. The award is an initiative of Angus Montgomery Arts (AMA), which runs art fairs around the world, and supports early- to mid-career artists based in North America. The winner receives a prize package worth a total of $100,000, including $10,000 in cash, along with exhibition opportunities at India Art Fair and Tokyo Gendai, two of Asia's leading contemporary art fairs.
Curator Symposium
The Curator Symposium, first held in 2025 to strong reception, returns for Tokyo Gendai 2026. Held on the morning of Friday, September 11, the event brings together curators active across Japan along with curators and representatives of museums and cultural institutions from overseas. This year's symposium features Brooklyn Museum Modern and Contemporary Art Curator Kimberli Gant and Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo Curator Hikari Odaka. Designed as a small-group setting for exchanging ideas, the symposium encourages dialogue and the sharing of knowledge among specialists across regions and fields, and aims to foster future collaboration, while also offering opportunities to connect with the Japanese and international galleries exhibiting at Tokyo Gendai.
VIP Program
Throughout Tokyo Gendai, the fair welcomes collectors from around the world with a range of tours, activations, and special events. A small-group guided tour of the Setouchi region, where contemporary art meets the natural landscape, visits Benesse Art Site Naoshima, spread across the islands of Naoshima, Inujima, and Teshima. A special-access program also visits Odawara Art Foundation's Enoura Observatory, designed by contemporary artist Hiroshi Sugimoto, where visitors can take in a space blending art, architecture, and landscape along the Odawara coastline.
During the fair, leading Japanese galleries, museums, and cultural institutions hold a range of programs, including special events, exhibitions, activations, and receptions. These include the Mori Art Museum's "Ron Mueck" exhibition, The National Art Center, Tokyo's "ルーヴル美術館展 ルネサンス" exhibition, and the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo's Hiroshi Sugimoto "絶滅写真" exhibition, as well as a special tour of UESHIMA MUSEUM and an evening reception at TERRADA ART COMPLEX in Tennozu, Tokyo, held during TENNOZ ART WEEK 2026.
Tokyo Gendai Overview
Dates: September 11 (Fri) to 13 (Sun), 2026
*An invitation-only preview and vernissage takes place on Thursday, September 10.
Venue: Pacifico Yokohama (Yokohama International Peace Conference Center), Exhibition Hall C/D
1-1-1 Minatomirai, Nishi-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 220-0012
Tickets:
General Admission: ¥5,000
Vernissage: ¥30,000
Friday Evening Ticket: ¥3,000
University Student: ¥1,500
Junior High/High School Student, Visitors with Disabilities: ¥1,000
Ticket Sales: Available through ArtSticker and e+ (eplus)
Vernissage Benefits (invitation-only special preview, limited to 50 tickets):
- Admission to the Vernissage on September 10 (Thu), 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM
- Unlimited re-entry during the general run, September 11 (Fri) to September 13 (Sun)
- Priority entry at opening time during the general run, September 11 (Fri) to September 13 (Sun)
- One complimentary glass of Perrier-Jouët champagne
- Includes a Tokyo Gendai Art Pass (a free-admission pass for Soho House Tokyo and select exhibitions held in Tokyo during the fair period)
More details on the Vernissage benefits are available here.
*Except for the Vernissage ticket, all tickets are valid for one day only during the fair.
*For General Admission, Vernissage, and Friday Evening tickets, up to two children of elementary school age or younger are admitted free per accompanying adult. Children must be accompanied by a ticket-holding guardian.
*A student ID is required for the student ticket.
*For the ticket for visitors with disabilities, one accompanying companion is admitted free of charge per certificate holder, upon presentation of a disability certificate.
*All prices include tax.
Participating Galleries
Official Partners
Principal Partner: SMBC Group
Official Premium Partner: DIOR
Official Champagne Partner: Perrier-Jouët
Official Beauty Partner: POLA
Official Fair Partner: LALIQUE, LED TOKYO
Official Supporting Partner: TERRADA, The Breakthrough Company GO, ArtSticker, NOT A HOTEL, Soho House
Official Media Partner: Hearst Fujingaho, Nikkei Inc.
Official Food & Beverage Partner: MAISON CINQUANTECINQ
Official Lounge Partner: Vitra
Official Hotel Partner: The Westin Yokohama
About Tokyo Gendai
Tokyo Gendai is a world-class fair that brings together internationally renowned contemporary art galleries to exhibit and sell artwork. First held in July 2023, the fair goes beyond the sale of artwork, connecting Japan's art scene with the world as a platform that brings together a wide-ranging art community of galleries, artists, collectors, and audiences, fostering new perspectives and the exchange of ideas. Alongside gallery exhibitions, the fair also presents public programs such as special exhibitions, art talks, and installations, together with invitation-only programs including opening events held in partnership with museums across Japan and visits to artist studios, offering a multifaceted art experience.
Official Website: https://tokyogendai.com/ja/
Official X: https://twitter.com/tokyogendai/
Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tokyogendai/
Official Instagram: http://instagram.com/tokyogendai/
