Museum sights in Japan
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Kyoto International Manga Museum
This fine museum has a collection of some 300,000 manga (Japanese comic books). Located in an old elementary school building, the museum is the perfect introduction to the art of manga. While most of the manga and displays are in Japanese, the collection of translated works is growing.
In addition to the galleries that show both the historical development of manga and original artwork done in manga style, there are beginners' workshops and portrait drawings on weekends. Visitors with children will appreciate the children's library and the occasional performances of kami-shibai (humorous traditional Japanese sliding-picture shows), not to mention the Astroturf lawn where th…
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Hakone Open-Air Museum
Once you’ve arrived at Hakone-Yumoto Station, you might want to stop in at the Hakone Tourist Information Centre in front before you start exploring. It’s possible to board the delightful two-car mountain train that slowly winds through the forest to Gōra. Between Odawara and Gōra on the toy-train Hakone-Tōzan Line is the Hakone Open-Air Museum. This art museum is a short walk from Chōkoku-no-mori Station, just before Gōra. As well as paintings, the museum has a 70,000-sq-metre outdoor sculpture park that features works by artists such as Auguste Rodin and Henry Moore. The outdoor bronzes are particularly lovely in the winter under a light blanket of snow.
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Matsue History Museum
Matsue's new museum, which was opened in March 2011, has various displays and articles relating to the clan history of Matsue and its castle.
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Tokyo National Museum (Tokyo Kokuritsu Hakubutsukan)
If you visit only one museum in Tokyo, make it this one. The Tokyo National Museum’s grand buildings hold the world’s largest collection of Japanese art, and you could easily spend many hours perusing the galleries here. The building dates from 1939, and is in the imperial style, which fuses Western and Japanese architectural motifs. The museum has four galleries, the most important of which is the Honkan (Main Gallery). For an introduction to Japanese art history from Jōmon to Edo in one fell swoop, head to the 2nd floor. Other galleries include ancient pottery, religious sculpture, arms and armour, exquisite lacquerware and calligraphy. The Gallery of Hōryū-ji Trea…
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Tezuka Osamu Memorial Museum
While it's a bit of a hike from downtown Kōbe, the Tezuka Osamu Memorial Museum is a must for serious fans of Japanese manga (comic books). Located in the town of Takarazuka (a short train ride from Kōbe's Sannomiya Station), it celebrates the life and work of Tezuka Osamu, the father of Japanese animation and manga, and a man of such legendary output that his last words were rumoured to be 'I'm begging you, let me work!'.
Tezuka's creations include Tetsuwan Atomu (Astro Boy) and Black Jack and Rion Kōtei (Jungle Emperor Leo, which Disney adapted to make the film The Lion King). The museum details Tezuka's life and has several of his childhood drawings and diagrams fro…
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Yamashita-kōen area
Moored alongside a seaside park in the Yamashita-kōen area you'll find the Hikawa Maru (641-4362; adult/child ¥800/400; ;09:30-18:00 conditions permitting), a retired luxury 1930 passenger liner (one of the staterooms was used by Charlie Chaplin).
IAcross the street from the Hikawa Maru, the Silk Museum (641-0841; 1 Yamashita-kōen-dōri; adult/child/student/senior ¥500/100/200/300; ;09:00-16:30 Tue-Sun) pays tribute to Yokohama's history as a silk trading port. Nearby, Yokohama Archives of History (201-2100; 3 Nihon Ōdōri; adult/child ¥200/100; ;09:30-17:00 Tue-Sun) chronicles the city (displays in English) from the opening of Japan to the mid-20th century; it's inside t…
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Tokyo National Museum
If you visit only one museum in Tokyo, make it this one. Considered the Louvre of Japan, the Tokyo National Museum's grand buildings hold the world's largest collection of Japanese art, and you could easily spend half a day perusing the galleries here. The building dates from 1939 and is in the imperial style, which fuses Western and Japanese architectural motifs.
There are four galleries, the most important of which is the Honkan (Main Gallery). For an introduction to Japanese art history from Jōmon to Edo in one fell swoop, head to the 2nd floor to find the Highlights of Japanese Art exhibition (and be sure to snag one of the detailed brochures). Other galleries include …
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National Museum of Western Art (Kokuritsu Seiyō Bijutsukan)
This museum has its roots in French impressionism, but runs the gamut from medieval Madonna and Child images to 20th-century abstract expressionist painting. All the big names are here, particularly Manet, Rodin, Miró and the Dutch Masters. It also hosts wildly popular temporary exhibits on loan from such stalwarts as the Museo del Prado in Madrid. The main building was designed by Le Corbusier in the late 1950s and is now on UNESCO’s World Heritage list; a couple of additions have been made since. Much of the original collection was amassed by Matsukata Kōjiro (1865–1950), president of a shipbuilding company and later a politician. He would travel frequently to Europe on…
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Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Museum
The Nada-ku area of Kōbe is one of Japan's major sake-brewing centres and the dominant brewer here is the famous Hakutsuru company. The Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Museum provides a fascinating look into traditional sake-making methods. There is not much in the way of English explanations, but the free English pamphlet should get you started. Free sake tasting is possible after you tour the facilities (ask at the counter).
Take the Hanshin line eight stops east from Sannomiya (¥180, seven minutes if you switch train at Mikage, 15 minutes if you take the Hanshin honsen train; express trains do not stop) and get off at Hanshin Sumiyoshi Station. Exit the station, walk south to …
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Ukiyo-e Ōta Memorial Art Museum
This cosy museum, which asks that you trade your shoes for a pair of slippers at the door, has an excellent collection of ukiyo-e (wood-block prints). The original collector, Ōta Seizo, former head of the Toho Life Insurance Company, began to buy ukiyo-e when he realised that many important examples of Japanese wood-block prints belonged to foreign museums, making it impossible for Japanese to view many of the genre’s masterworks. The museum usually displays no more than a few dozen works at a time from its collection of over 10,000 prints, including those by masters of the art such as Hokusai and Hiroshige. Note that the museum closes between the 27th and the end of eac…
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Kantō Earthquake Memorial Museum
This museum presents sombre exhibits about the 1923 earthquake that destroyed more than 70% of the city and killed more than 50,000 people. Maps chart the course of the devastating fires, while cases display glassware, eyeglasses, binoculars, tools and other objects convoluted by heat. There is also a harrowing collection of photographs and paintings of the aftermath. The museum has generalised to cover other disasters to strike Tokyo prefecture, including WWII air raids and the volcanic eruption on one of the prefecture’s southern islands. The museum sits in Yokoami-kōen (Yokoami Park), with other memorial buildings and a garden dedicated to quake victims. A pleasant …
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Saigō Nanshū Kenshō-kan
Displays at the Saigō Nanshū Kenshō-kan tell of Saigō Takamori and the failed rebellion. Although the Great Saigō had played a leading part in the Meiji Restoration in 1868, in 1877 he had second thoughts about the curtailment of samurai power and status, and this led to the ill-fated Satsuma Rebellion. Kumamoto's magnificent castle was burnt down during the rebellion but when defeat became inevitable, Saigō retreated to Kagoshima and committed seppuku (ritual suicide by disembowelment).
Despite his mixed status as both a hero and villain of the Restoration, Saigō is still a towering figure in the history of Japan. His square-headed features and bulky stature are in…
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Kokuritsu Kagaku Hakubutsukan (National Science Museum)
This large, sprawling, multistorey museum dedicated to the pursuit of science is packed with delights, especially if you're travelling with the little ones. Displays (eg of the forest or animals of the savannah) are imaginatively presented, some allowing kids to climb up, down, around and even within.
Other displays explain concepts of physics and mechanics by showing just how mystical things like magnets do what they do. Also, don't miss the giant, life-sized replica of blue whale that soars over the entrance to the museum. And of course, there are dinosaurs, dinosaurs and more dinosaurs…
There is English signage throughout, though it's not nearly as extensive as the Ja…
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National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation
Kids will love the engaging exhibits at this science museum, where most displays have excellent explanations in English and friendly staff can fill in the blanks. There are the spectacular planetarium (buy tickets for a show upon arrival), opportunities to interact with robots, and tonnes of exhibits about space, medicine and the environment.
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Museum of Kyoto
This museum is worth visiting if a special exhibition is on. The regular exhibits, which include models of ancient Kyoto, audiovisual presentations and a small gallery dedicated to Kyoto's film industry, are not worth a special visit. On the 1st floor, the Roji Tempō is a reconstructed Edo-period merchant area showing 10 types of exterior latticework (this section can be entered free; some of the shops sell souvenirs and serve local dishes). The museum has English-speaking volunteer tour guides. The museum is a three-minute walk southeast of the Karasuma-Oike stop on the Karasuma and Tōzai subway lines.
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Takayama Yatai Kaikan
A rotating selection of four of the 23 multitiered yatai (floats) used in the Takayama Matsuri can be seen at Takayama Yatai Kaikan. These spectacular creations, some dating from the 17th century, are prized for their flamboyant carvings, metalwork and lacquerwork. A famous feature of some floats is karakuri, mechanical puppets that perform amazing tricks and acrobatics courtesy of eight accomplished puppeteers using 36 strings. A video gives a sense of the festival.
The Yatai Kaikan is on the grounds of the stately hillside shrine Sakurayama Hachiman-gū; the shrine's main buildings are behind the Yatai Kaikan. Dedicated to the protection of Takayama, the shrine also ov…
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National Film Center
Under the auspices of the National Museum of Modern Art, the National Film Centre is an archive of films, books, periodicals, posters and other ancillary materials related to Japanese film. There are two or three screenings almost every day of the year – most films are in Japanese only, but the ¥500 admission price can't be beaten. On the 7th floor you'll find a permanent exhibit dedicated to the history of Japanese cinema. Excellent English captions provide interesting historical insight, and the collection of retro posters and video clips offer at least an hour's worth of fun. If the location of this museum seems a bit random (lost in a modern business district), know t…
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Tokugawa Art Museum
A must for anyone with even a passing interest in Japanese culture and history, this museum has a 10,000-plus piece collection that includes National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties that once belonged to the shōgunal family: furnishings, arms and armour, tea-ceremony implements, calligraphy, painted scrolls, lacquerware, and masks and costumes from nō theatre. A priceless 12th-century scroll depicting The Tale of Genji is locked away except for a short stint in late November; the rest of the year, visitors must remain content with a video.
The museum is three minutes' walk from the Tokugawaen-Shindeki bus stop, east of Nagoya-jō.
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Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum
Although the Teien museum hosts regular art exhibitions – like Meissen porcelain, or pottery by important Japanese artists – its appeal lies principally in the building itself: it's an art deco structure built in 1933, designed by French architect Henri Rapin. The interior details remain alluring, including etched tile trim, light fixtures sculpted to look like peaches and pumpkins, and the 'perfume fountain', sort of an early aromatherapy device. The house was originally home to Prince Asaka (1887–1981), Emperor Hirohito's uncle, who was pardoned for his part in the Rape of Nanjing. It became a museum in 1983; admission fees vary.
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Sompo Japan Museum of Art
The private museum of the Sompo Japan insurance company concentrates heavily on the lithography, sculpture and painting of Tōgō Seiji (1897–1980), whose subjects, most often women, resemble luminescent anime figures set against backdrops that hover between cubist and art deco. Tōgō was closely associated with the Sompo Japan’s forerunner, Yasuda Fire & Marine Insurance Company, and donated many of his works to the museum. The museum also caused a stir in the 1980s bubble, when it purchased Van Gogh’s Sunflowers for ¥5 billion; there are also a limited number of works by Gauguin, Cézanne and Van Gogh. The museum’s 42nd floor location has excellent views.
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Nara National Museum
The Nara National Museum is devoted to Buddhist art and is divided into two sections, housed in different buildings. Built in 1894, the Nara Buddhist Sculpture Hall & Ritual Bronzes Gallery, contains a fine collection of butsu-zō (statues of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas). The Buddhist images here are divided into categories, each with an excellent English explanation, making this an excellent introduction to Mahayana Buddhist iconography. The newer East and West wings, a short walk away, contain the permanent collections (sculptures, paintings and calligraphy) and are used for special exhibitions.
A special exhibition featuring the treasures of the Shōsō-in Hall, which hold…
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Tobacco & Salt Museum
For years, smokers have found solace in Tokyo’s cafes and bars, and for much of that time the government was in the business of supplying them through a tobacco monopoly. That company has since been privatised to Japan Tobacco Inc, which is the owner of this museum, a shrine to the bitter leaf, complete with pipes, paraphernalia and wood-block prints. Downstairs is a homage to Japanese modes of salt production, which until recently was conducted by cumbersome harvests from a reluctant sea. Among the exhibits is a grey, crystalline salt cylinder whose circumference could match that of a small whale. English signage is sadly limited, though the visual power of the exhibits …
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Bridgestone Museum of Art
Tokyo has a love affair with all things French, so it shouldn't come as too much of a surprise that French impressionist art looms large in the civic imagination. The Bridgestone Tyre Company's collection, which was previously kept as a private collection by Bridgestone founder Ishibashi Shōjiro, features all the big names – Renoir, Ingres, Monet, Matisse, Picasso – and an interesting selection of works by Japanese impressionists as well.
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Edo-Tokyo Museum
A soaring replica of Nihonbashi (Tokyo's first bridge, still alive and kickin' in its namesake neighbourhood, though hardly noticeable due to its unfortunate position under a concrete highway) immediately sets the tone at this larger-than-life homage to bygone eras. Carefully crafted exhibits document heaps of fascinating facts about life in Tokyo before it evolved into its modern avatar. Exhibits range from examples of actual Edo infrastructure – a wooden sewage pipe, for one – to exquisite scale models of markets and shops, including such meticulous details as period costumes and stray cats scavenging fish scraps. If you plan on having a thorough look around, figure aro…
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Meguro Museum of Art, Tokyo
Half local, half global, one part of this museum exhibits the work of Meguro artists, while the other is dedicated to international fine art and craft exhibits (think the work of Charles and Ray Eames). The building is a delight – it’s airy, spacious and well lit compared with many other Tokyo art museums, which can want for space – and there’s a coffee shop with pleasant views of the grounds. Take the west exit of Meguro Station, walk straight ahead down Meguro-dōri and turn right just after crossing Meguro River (Meguro-gawa). Walk along the river and the museum is on your left, past the tennis court and swimming pool.
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