ART & HISTORY MUSEUMS

The Kadokawa Culture Museum and new TeamLab exhibit opened on August 1, 2020. The Kadokawa Culture Museum designed by Kuma Kengo is part of a new development called Tokorozawa Sakura Town in Saitama. Kadokawa is one of the largest Japanese publishers in Japan producing books, magazines, anime, and movies. Tokorozawa is located …

Digitized Art is popping up all over Tokyo; from seasonal pop-ups to permanent installations, we’ve got you covered. Do you have one to recommend? Leave a comment below. Digital Harvest Fest in Ginza (Now until Mar 4, 2020) – Harvest vegetables in a virtual farm on the 2nd floor of …

There are hundreds of art museums in the Tokyo area, but here are our favorite family, Tokyo art museums. Very few Japanese art museums have permeant exhibits, but instead rotate exhibits 3-4 times per year. The exhibits ration typically follow the seasons. To help make decision making easier, we update …

teamLab Planets TOKYO (Toyosu) and teamLab Borderless (Odaiba) “experiences” both opened in summer (2018) and are running at least for the next two years. Both installations are the brain children of teamLab and provide a 360 degree immerse light and environment experience. Although both are created by the same company …

The Teien Museum is a perfectly preserved residence, now museum,  from the 1930’s. The museum has been closed for the past seven months due to retrofit for handicap users. The new exhibit is “Decoration never dies, anyway” which runs until February 25th, 2018. The Teien Museum, built in 1933, was …

As moms of six kids aged 3-18 years, we know our Tokyo kids` museums. From history and architecture to science and technology there is a museum listed here for everyone’s interest. Tested by our families to make sure yours will enjoy the day at the museum. Have fun! The below …

Do you know about the Azabu Juban sculpture walk?  If you have ever walked down the main Azabu Juban shopping street, you probably have seen a few sculptures. However, did you know there are 16 sculptures that have been collected and installed in Azabu Juban since 1968. These sculptures are …

The Edo-Tokyo Museum (江戸東京博物館 Edo Tōkyō Hakubutsukan) in Ryogoku is one of our family’s top picks when visitors come to town. Opened in 1993 the permanent exhibitions include; the life-size replica of the Nihonbashi, which was the bridge leading into Edo, the Nakamuraza theatre, and scale models of towns and …

The Kyu Asakura House (旧朝倉家住宅, the literal translation is Old Asakura House) is a gem hidden in central Daikanyama, Shibuya-ku. I stumbled upon it the other day on my way from Ebisu to Nakameguro, and some magical force pulled me inside to discover this Important Cultural Property. If you enjoy …

This one room Drum Museum (Taikokan) in Taito-ku, Tokyo is a drum lovers dream. There are 900 items on rotation and display from all over the world, including Japan. Most of the drums can be played, so come have some fun!. The museum was founded in 1988 by Miyamoto Unosuke …

I highly recommend you visit the Edo-Tokyo Open-air Architectural Museum to see actual homes and businesses from the 1700’s to the early 1900’s preserved in a beautiful park. Unfortunately due to natural disasters, war and redevelopment much of Tokyo historical architecture has been erased, but at the Edo-Tokyo Open-air Architectural …

The Japan Folk Crafts Museum is a must see in Tokyo. Not only due to the crafts it houses but the buildings themselves.   The Japan Folk Crafts Museum is of Mingei style completed in 1936 built by carpenters from Tochigi prefecture. Ceramics, dyed and woven textiles, wood and lacquer, stone …

The Fukagawa-Edo Museum (Koto-ku, Tokyo) is a very hands-on gem of a museum in Tokyo to visit for 1-2 hours. The Fukagawa-Edo Museum is a large hall with about 12 Edo-period houses reconstructed in a village environment. The hall is very compact, and the lighting switches from night to day so you feel …

If you love history and are planning a trip to Yokohama please visit the Japanese Overseas Migration Museum. This museum is a hidden gem. I learned so much about a topic I knew nothing, and there is no cost of admission. Over 25 million Japanese have migrated overseas since the …

In all my years in Japan I have attended Kabuki once and have to admit I found the four hours+ show a tad long for my attention. However, I did love the experience. I recommend to all visitors and residents that they should see Kabuki but try a short act …

The Shitamachi Museum in Ueno was established in 1980 to teach future generations about the culture of the shitamachi. The word shitamachi is composed of the word shita meaning “down” and machi meaning “town”. By touring the Shitamachi Museum, you will gain an understanding of life in the shitamchi pre-WWII. …

The Tobacco & Salt Museum is a great museum for kids in upper elementary to adults to learn about the history, production, and trade of tobacco and salt. The multi-floor modern museum, opened in 2015, is beautifully laid out with multimedia, 3D some hands-on exhibits. The museum is subsidized by …

21-21 Design Sight is a very innovative museum. There is no permanent exhibit but rather original exhibits that rotate every five to six months. I attended the present exhibit “Measuring: This much. That much. How much?” with my son who does not like math so much. He and I had …

If you have a Samurai or history buff in your family, you will enjoy a visit to the boutique Samurai Museum in Shinjuku, Tokyo. The museum although quite small is filled with Samurai artifacts, a live action show on Samurai sword skills and casual photo shoot in costume. A visit …

The Ukiyo-e Ōta Memorial Museum of Art in Harajuku, Tokyo offers an intimate and easy to understand presentation of  Ukiyo-e prints.  This museum does not have a permanent exhibit on display, but rather rotates exhibits monthly from . This March 2015 exhibit is titled “Kawaii ～Cute Girls in Ukiyo-e” which caught …

When one thinks of Roppongi bright lights, nightlife, and shopping come to mind. But in the late 1800s and early 1900s, it was a sleepy residence area that General Nogi and his family set-up their home. You can visit the wooden home (looking into windows from outside), walk through the …

I highly recommend the Suntory Museum Tea Ceremony if you have guests in town or have yet to experience a traditional Japanese tea ceremony yourself. The Suntory Museum offers a great value for visitors. I have yet to find a 1,000 JPY tea ceremony in such a lovely environment.  The …