Located in the residential district of Bentencho in Tokyo, the building jars with its surroundings. But what else would one expect from the den of an artist who has always swum against the tide of convention?

The name Yayoi Kusama conjures up images of an orange square and polka-dot patterned outfits. But she is also an internationally-renowned artist with a fascination for pumpkins (which she turns into psychedelic entities), and peas, due to their infinite variety. She is ultimately, and above all, an avant-garde figure who has accepted the mental illness that lies at the heart of the creative process.

Opened in the autumn of 2017, the private Yayoi Kusama Museum displays, over its five floors, the artist’s works of various media, including sculptures, paintings and installations (Infinity Mirror Room), as well as a reading space where visitors can look at her collection of exhibition catalogues. But be warned: built like a gigantic white block, the Yayoi Kusama Museum is like an impenetrable tower. Due to its limited capacity, the tickets must be purchased in advance from the museum’s website. Tickets go on sale at 10am (Japan Time) on the first day of each month for the entry in the month after next. Avant-garde has to be earned.