Art Week Tokyo 2026: Free Art Bus, 56 Venues and a 5-House Architecture Tour
Checked 2026-10-10
Everything below is from the official Art Week Tokyo site (artweektokyo.com), checked 10 October 2026. What the site doesn't say, I don't write.
Short answer. Art Week Tokyo runs 4–8 November 2026 across 56 galleries and museums — the most ever. On 6–8 November, 10:00–18:00, a free AWT BUS runs on 6 routes plus an express; get on and off at any stop. Galleries are free; museum exhibitions are paid. Kids: the art walk is free, and workshops are free but need booking. The TOKYO HOUSE TOUR — 5 famous houses from 1966–1983, curated by architect Kazuyo Sejima — is Japanese-only, ¥8,800 per person per house (≈ RM227), and the lottery closes 10 October, 23:59 Japan time = 22:59 in Malaysia.
0. In 3 lines
| If you are… | Do this |
|---|---|
| In Tokyo 6–8 Nov | Ride the free AWT BUS (10:00–18:00). Pick up a free wristband at a bus stop or a participating museum |
| With kids | Join the free art walk; book the free workshops early. Childcare at AWT BAR is paid and needs booking |
| Into architecture | The house tour is Japanese-only. If no one in your group reads Japanese, skip the lottery and see the city from the bus |
A 7-day Japan itinerary for a family of four, December 2026: real budget in RM, 4-person hotels, halal food and prayer on your route (a map sample), and a what-to-book-when calendar (PDF, BM & EN). Sign up & download →
1. What's free, what's paid
| Part | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Galleries | Free | 4–8 Nov |
| AWT BUS | Free | 6–8 Nov, 10:00–18:00, hop on/off at any stop |
| AWT FOCUS ("10 Curators × 10 Projects", 10 venues incl. SCAI THE BATHHOUSE) | Free | 4–8 Nov |
| AWT VIDEO | Free | 4–8 Nov, 10:00–18:00 |
| AWT TALKS | Free | Booking recommended |
| AWT BAR | Free entry | Food and drinks are paid |
| Kids' art walk | Free | — |
| Kids' workshops | Free | Booking required |
| Childcare at AWT BAR | Paid | Booking required |
| Museum exhibitions | Paid | Some give a discount with the AWT wristband |
| TOKYO HOUSE TOUR | ¥8,800 / person / house | Lottery, Japanese only |
2. The free bus: 6 routes
The bus runs 6–8 November only (not 4–5 Nov), 10:00–18:00.
| Route | Area |
|---|---|
| A | North — near the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo |
| B | Kiyosumi-Shirakawa to Kyobashi |
| C | Ginza |
| D | Roppongi and Nishi-Azabu |
| E | Minami-Aoyama, Meguro and Ebisu |
| F | Roppongi to Shinjuku |
| Express | AWT BAR ⇄ AWT VIDEO |
The wristband is your pass. It's free at bus stops and participating museums, and some exhibitions give a discount with it. It only works on the day you get it — pick up a new one each day.
3. TOKYO HOUSE TOUR: 5 houses, 1966–1983
Curated by Kazuyo Sejima (Pritzker Prize). Several sessions on 5–7 November (Thursday to Saturday).
| House | Architect | Year |
|---|---|---|
| House in Daita | Kazunari Sakamoto | 1976 |
| House of Earth | Kazuo Shinohara | 1966 |
| Tower House | Takamitsu Azuma | 1966 |
| House in Koganei | Toyo Ito | 1979 |
| House in Hanakoganei | Toyo Ito | 1983 |
- Price: ¥8,800 per person, per house (≈ RM227 at ECB rate of 9 Oct 2026).
- Language: Japanese only.
- Lottery: apply by 10 October, 23:59 Japan time (22:59 MYT). Results by email on 16 October. The meeting point is sent to winners.
- Not on the official page (so I don't guess): age limits for children, whether you can take photos, the addresses.
4. Traps
- The bus doesn't run 4–5 November. Galleries are open, but plan to walk or take the train those days.
- The wristband is one day only. Yesterday's band won't get today's discount.
- "Free" doesn't cover museums. Budget for the exhibitions you really want; the discount applies only to some.
- Kids' workshops need booking even though they're free — book before you fly.
- The house tour is in Japanese. ¥8,800 a house is a lot if you can't follow the guide.
5. If the kids want more
teamLab Borderless (MORI Building DIGITAL ART MUSEUM) is a separate, paid digital art museum — not part of Art Week Tokyo. From RM98.15 on Klook (rated 4.7, checked 10 Oct 2026). Book a time slot.
Muslim family? The full map (paid): halal food, prayer rooms and mosques in 19 prefectures of Japan, each with its official source — see it here.
Details can change: check artweektokyo.com before you go.
Links in this article may be affiliate links (Trip.com, Klook). The price you pay doesn't change.
Sources
- Art Week Tokyo official site: top page, AWT BUS, tickets, kids' programme, TOKYO HOUSE TOUR event page — checked 10 October 2026
- Exchange rate: ECB reference rate, 9 October 2026 (¥100 = RM2.581)
- Klook price: checked 10 October 2026
Book for this trip
Affiliate links may be used; your price doesn't change.
- Hotels in Tokyo for 2 adults + 2 kids, 5–9 Nov (filter "Free cancellation"): Tokyo family hotels on Trip.com
- teamLab Borderless tickets, from RM98.15 (checked 10 Oct 2026): tickets on Klook
- Free: 7-day Japan itinerary for a family of 4 — get it here
A 7-day Japan itinerary for a family of four, December 2026: real budget in RM, 4-person hotels, halal food and prayer on your route (a map sample), and a what-to-book-when calendar (PDF, BM & EN). Sign up & download →