Museum sights in Tokyo
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Kite Museum
An explosion of eye-popping graphics and blazing colours, this friendly little place features over 2000 kites in its crammed-to-the- ceiling showroom. On the benches at the back you'll find laminated cards detailing the fascinating history of kites in China and Japan. From late spring to early autumn you can even build your own kite with help from an expert (¥300 to ¥600; call at least 24 hours in advance). The museum can be a bit tricky to find – if you get lost on the street, ask for 'Taimeiken'.
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Bashō Museum (Bashō Kinenkan)
Although it now takes just a matter of minutes from the central Nihombashi district, Fukagawa was considered a very remote area of Edo in 1680 when the revered haiku poet Matsuo Bashō arrived here. At this small, plain museum, you can see some scrolls of poetry written by Bashō and those inspired by him, as well as souvenirs of his journeys. There’s no English signage, but nonetheless it’s a unique opportunity to enter his world. There’s a small garden out back, or walk out to the Sumida-gawa and take a left for a lookout where you can view the skyscrapers while contemplating Bashō’s long-lost Edo.
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Nihon Mingei-Kan
Arguably the most important Japanese art movement in the first half of the 20th century was called mingei (folk crafts; see p36). The collection at the lovely Nihon Mingei-kan numbers some 17,000 pieces. Most are from Japan, but there are also pieces from Europe, Africa and other Asian countries. The museum’s pioneers were Yanagi Sōetsu, Hamada Shōji and Kawai Kanjiro, three of the leaders of the mingei movement itself; the impressive building (1936) was Yanagi’s house. In addition to changing exhibits of mingei, the museum also sponsors an annual competition of new works.
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Shitamachi Museum
This museum re-creates life in shitamachi – the plebeian 'lowtown' quarter of old Tokyo – during the 1900s. Exhibits include a sweet shop, the home and business of a copper boilermaker and a tenement house. Docents are on hand to teach games or help you try on the clothes, making for an engaging hands-on visit. There's a list of local onsen (with accompanying photographs) on the 2nd floor of the museum, where you'll also find home furnishing from the 1960s.
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Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo
Dedicated to showcasing modern artists and designers from Japan and abroad, MOT also holds some 3800 pieces in its permanent collection, by the likes of David Hockney and Andy Warhol, and several Japanese artists such as Yokō Tadanori. The building's stunning stone-steel-wood architecture (by Yanagisawa Takahiko) is a work of art in its own right. The museum is in Metropolitan Kiba Park – it takes about 15 minutes on foot to reach the museum from any of the nearby subway stations.
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Showa-kan
Providing an interesting counterpoint to the museum at Yasukuni-jinja up the street, this small museum, encased in a striking tooth-shaped structure, offers insights into the daily lives of those who suffered before, during and after the atrocities of WWII. Curated artefacts, detailed captions and a bottomless computer database of photographs and magazines give the museum an engaging, interactive quality.
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Meguro Parasitological Museum
A fun, offbeat retreat – although it's a bit of a buzz-kill for foodies – this veritable parasite safari will probably encourage you to cut back on your sushi intake. Although there isn't much English signage, you'll still get a kick out of the rows of formaldehyde-preserved critters, which are labelled with their Latin names (don't miss the 8.8m-long tapeworm!). Upstairs, the lab-coat-donning staff also sell various parasite-themed trinkets and T-shirts to guffawing Japanese girls.
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Tepco Electric Energy Museum
Called Denryokukan, the Tepco Electric Energy Museum is the building on Jingū-dōri with the R2D2-shaped silver dome - it's clearly visible from the Hachikō statue. Operated by the Tokyo Electric Power Company, it offers seven floors of knowledge about electricity production and consumption; if you're not fortunate enough to be invited to a Japanese home, the 4th-floor collection will give you a good idea of the state of the art. There are lots of hands-on exhibits, normally a hit with kids.
Signage is almost entirely in Japanese, but there's an excellent English handout on each floor.
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Hatakeyama Collection
Glide through the exhibition space in borrowed slippers while perusing earthenware dedicated to the elaborate yet austere tea ceremony. Ponder the elusive wabi-sabi aesthetic in the grounds, which cloaks the museum with its army of gnarled trees.
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Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum
Gung-ho baseball fans will not want to miss the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum, which chronicles baseball’s rise from a hobby imported by an American teacher in 1872 to the national obsession it’s become. From the establishment of college and professional baseball leagues in 1922 to the Japanese team winning the bronze medal at the 2004 Olympics, this museum walks you through the Japanese incarnation of the sport. Be sure to pick up the comprehensive English-language pamphlet. The entrance to the museum is adjacent to Gate 21 of the Tokyo Dome.
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Museum of Maritime Science (Fune No Kagaku-Kan)
This museum is shipshape, literally. From the outside it looms like an ocean liner by the water’s edge, and inside are four floors of excellent displays related to every aspect of ships; don’t miss the stunningly crafted replicas of Japanese ships, and try the navigation simulator. Outside, the 83.7m ice-breaker Sōya is preserved. The museum is full of activities for kids, including a pool next door used for swimming and demonstrations and instruction of small craft. There’s limited English signage, but an English audio guide is available (¥500).
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Yamatane Museum of Art (Yamatane Bijutsukan)
This exceptional collection of nihonga (Japanese-style paintings) includes some 1800 Japanese works dating from the Meiji Restoration and onwards, of which a small selection is on display at any one time; exhibits change approximately seven or eight times per year. Two names to look for: Hayami Gyoshū (1894–1935), whose Dancing Flames is an important cultural property; and Okumura Togyū (1889–1990), whose Cherry Blossoms at Daigoji Temple is a masterpiece in pastel colours. In 2009 the museum moved to these new surrounds.
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