Masterpieces of Art and Cats in Ikebukuro Tokyo

Immerse yourself in the wonderful world of the CAT ART Exhibition , where you can admire masterpieces by famous cat painters such as Johannes Ferneko and Leonardo Nya Vinci . The exhibition features more than 60 feline artworks at the Marui department store in Ikebukuro until August 29, 2021.

If you are an art fan, surely you have already realized that these feline replicas have their real historical counterpart; works like the girl with the pearl art, by Johannes Vermeer, but reimagined in feline form and “created” by the fictional painter “Johannes Ferneko.

Actually, all the works in the exhibition are by Yokohama-born artist Shu Yamamoto . Each piece imitates famous works of art in detail, but with cat characters instead of humans.
Yamamoto’s cat project began in 2007, when he was inspired by his children who had made a replica of Vinchent Van Gogh’s “self-portrait.” The drawing followed the style of Van Gogh but the face had been replaced by that of a cat, which eventually led to the birth of the CAT ART project.
Since then, Yamamoto has recreated more than 500 famous works of art with cats, and his exhibition has drawn audiences from all over the world, with shows in Taipei, Utah, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Kaohsiung, Miyagi, and now, Tokyo.

For those who are more observant, several QR codes are hidden on each floor of the place, which when scanned, reveal a part of a CAT ART painting. Once you put all the QR codes together, the painting reveals a secret word that you can use to exchange for an original CAT ART magnet.

CAT ART Exhibition – The World of Shu Yamamoto

Location: Ikebukuro Marui 7th floor
Period: July 22 to August 29, 2021
Hours: 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Facebook: CAT ART by Shu Yamamoto

Admission Cost

Adults and Senior High School Students: 500 yen
Secondary and minors: Free

The best way to travel within Japan is by train, very punctual and convenient, although it can be expensive. To have an even better price, we recommend traveling with the Japan Railways universal pass called JR PASS , which can be purchased on their website. This pass is purchased before traveling to Japan , arriving at the airport or at any train station , you can pick up your pass with proof of purchase .