Nagoya City Art Museum

Spend some quiet time studying the masterpieces on show at Nagoya City Art Museum. This striking modern building houses a selection of contemporary pieces by renowned artists spread. Examine the otherworldly works of some of the most gifted modernists from Japan and Europe.

The Nagoya City Art Museum was opened in 1988 and designed by the talented modernist architect Kisho Kurokawa. Note the plainness of the bone-white façade and the use of industrial and geometric architectural forms.

The museum's collection is spread over three floors. Find quirky surrealist and abstract artworks that reflect the building's modernist appearance. In the downstairs basement a permanent collection includes art by Kansuke Yamamoto, whose works exhibit the nonsensical and cynical minimalism of the dada art movement. Featured alongside these are the abstract panel paintings of Sean Scully and sculptures by Alexander Calder, who is known for his kinetic mobiles.

On the ground floor and upper floor, enjoy a range of temporary exhibits that rotate throughout the year. These galleries often host famous touring European collections, such as those of Van Gogh or Rembrandt, as well as showcasing the work of local artists. Exhibits can range from flower arrangement displays to collections of elementary school paintings.

Take a break from the galleries and sip a beverage at the coffee shop on the ground floor. Browse the gift shop for art-themed souvenirs and admire the pretty aesthetic of the sunken garden.

Afterward, stroll through Shirakawa Park, which surrounds the museum. A landscape of fountains, stone arrangements and greenery makes this area a great place to sit and relax. In the northern part of the park is the Nagoya City Science Museum, also worth a visit. Go there to see a projection of the aurora borealis in one of the world's largest planetariums.

The Nagoya City Art Museum is located in downtown Nagoya, in the southeast corner of Shirakawa Park. No parking is available on-site, so consider coming here by subway instead. The museum is open daily and there is an admission fee.