Exhibitions of interest (September 2026)
Here is a summary of the September exhibitions I'm interested in.
From photography and design to illustration. From Tokyo to Aomori and Okinawa.
I've included things I want to see even if they're far away.
To help plan my days off, I've selected 14 exhibitions this time.
Photography
Shinya Arimoto "Turtle-Dove 3"
TOTEM POLE PHOTO GALLERY (Yotsuya, Tokyo)
September 15 (Tue) – September 27 (Sun), 2026
A new ZINE, "ariphoto selection vol.13," featuring works from this exhibition, will also be available for pre-sale at the venue.
Photography
Takahiro Mizushima "Memoirs of Huandao / Taiwan 2020-2025 / Contact sheets"
Canon Gallery Ginza (Ginza, Tokyo)
September 1 (Tue) – September 5 (Sat), 2026
A GRAPHGATE special exhibition. This photo exhibition features works shot in Taiwan from 2020 to 2025.
※To be held at Canon Gallery Osaka from October 20 (Tue) – October 24 (Sat), 2026.
Photography
Seung-woo Yang, Haruto Hoshi, Brian Sergio "Twilight and Evening Bell"
Zen Foto Gallery (Roppongi, Tokyo)
August 21 (Fri) – September 26 (Sat), 2026
A group exhibition by Seung-woo Yang, Haruto Hoshi, and Brian Sergio. A talk by the three artists and Mark Pearson is scheduled for September 19.
Photography
Masafumi Sanai "Sanai-san"
Fugensha (Meguro, Tokyo)
July 31 (Fri) – September 6 (Sun), 2026
An exhibition commemorating the publication of "Shashin" vol. 9. It features new works that move between "Raisha," which visited Taro Okamoto's studio and various public art installations, and recent works.
Photography
"Reproduced Sensibility - Daido Moriyama"
Tokyo Photographic Art Museum (Ebisu, Tokyo)
September 5 (Sat) – October 18 (Sun), 2026
An exhibition re-evaluating Daido Moriyama's works from the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum's collection, selected from the perspective of students from Nara Women's University's Faculty of Engineering, with the theme of "Reproduced Sensibility." It will be presented both at the venue and in an online space.
Photography / Contemporary Art
"Reconstructing Again - Emerging Japanese Artists vol. 23"
Tokyo Photographic Art Museum (Ebisu, Tokyo)
September 30 (Wed), 2026 – January 17 (Sun), 2027
Featuring five artists: Sayuri Ichida, Taro Karibe, Ari Nomura, Baku Hashimoto, and Asako Fujikura. The exhibition explores how images are reconstructed through memory, materials, AI, and digital technology.
Design
"Ettore Sottsass - When Magic Begins, Design is Born"
Artizon Museum (Kyobashi, Tokyo)
June 23 (Tue) – October 4 (Sun), 2026
A large-scale exhibition of Ettore Sottsass, a leading figure in 20th-century Italian design. From Olivetti to Memphis, it traces the breadth of his design through furniture, products, ceramics, and more.
Illustration / Design
"Mizumaru Anzai and Illustration - There were pictures, and there was I."
Musashino Art University Museum & Library (Kodaira, Tokyo)
September 14 (Mon) – October 25 (Sun), 2026
An exhibition tracing the trajectory of Mizumaru Anzai's expression, with works carefully selected from approximately 13,000 original drawings recently donated. It encompasses not only illustration but also graphic design, posters, manga, book design, and picture books.
Photography
"The Unnamable - A Cross-Section of Contemporary Korean Photography"
Yokohama Civic Art Gallery Azamino (Yokohama, Kanagawa)
August 28 (Fri) – September 6 (Sun), 2026
A project introducing contemporary Korean photography. It presents a cross-section of current Korean photography through the works of multiple Korean photographers. A talk show is also planned.
Printmaking / Contemporary Art
Sachiko Kazama "Houjou Room's千里眼 (Senrigan)"
Hirosaki Museum of Contemporary Art (Hirosaki, Aomori)
June 5 (Fri) – November 15 (Sun), 2026
Sachiko Kazama has depicted the contradictions and unease of Japanese society, such as modernization, nuclear power, and schools, through black monochrome woodblock prints. In addition to recent large-scale woodblock prints, her newly undertaken oil paintings are also being shown for the first time.
Printmaking
"150th Anniversary of Birth: Hiroshi Yoshida Exhibition"
MOA Museum of Art (Atami, Shizuoka)
September 4 (Fri) – October 20 (Tue), 2026
An exhibition showcasing the diverse works of Hiroshi Yoshida, from watercolors and oil paintings depicting landscapes both domestic and international, to woodblock prints he devoted himself to in the latter half of his life.
Art History / Regional Culture
"Flow of Okinawan Art - resonant: The Genealogy of Expressions Resonating Across Time"
Okinawa Prefectural Museum & Art Museum (Naha, Okinawa)
September 19 (Sat), 2026 – March 28 (Sun), 2027
From pre-war to post-war, before and after the reversion to Japan, and to the present day. This exhibition traces the flow of modern and contemporary Okinawan art through the collection of the Okinawa Prefectural Museum & Art Museum.
Illustration / Picture Books
"Nontan's 50th Anniversary: Always Friends!!!" Exhibition
PLAY! MUSEUM (Tachikawa, Tokyo)
July 18 (Sat) – September 27 (Sun), 2026
This exhibition commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Nontan series, featuring approximately 50 original picture book drawings, sketches, and three-dimensional displays. Shun Sasaki was also involved in the design.
Design
Yoshisa Tanaka "ARCHIVE / ACHIEVE"
Ginza Graphic Gallery (Ginza, Tokyo)
September 4 (Fri) – October 21 (Wed), 2026
An exhibition that considers the relationship between design and archives, viewing posters, books, catalogs, VIs, printed materials, and records of the production process as "things to be preserved and passed on." It is organized by referencing materials preserved in companies and universities, including the Ikko Tanaka Archive.
There are exhibitions at large museums, as well as shows at independent galleries run by photographers.
Going to an exhibition might bring new insights from unexpected sources or moments of brilliance.