Full array of must-have and popular cultural facilities in Tokyo
- Japan National Stadium Tour will be added starting May 23.
*Tour dates are irregular. Please check the website in advance.
TOKYO NATIONAL MUSEUM
The Tokyo National Museum (TNM) is the oldest institution of its kind in Japan.
TNM exhibits artworks, archaeological artifacts, and other cultural propeties from Japan and other regions of Asia.
We are further advancing the museum as a “Gateway to Japanese Culture” or “Face of Japan,” a place that provides accessible introductions to Japanese culture together with opportunities to become familiarized with Japanese traditions.
Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
This is the urban oasis with 58.3 hectares, constructed on the site of Daimyo’s mansion in the Edo period. This characteristic garden has well-balanced combination of European style garden and Japanese one. It was once made as a garden for the Imperial Family, however, became a national park later and attracts widespread popularity today.
The Mori Art Museum
Located on the 53rd floor of Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, this is an international contemporary art museum. It holds special exhibitions of art, architecture, and design with a unique perspective. It is open until late at night, which is a part of its appeal.
Miraikan – The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation
This national museum of science provides visitors with an advanced science and technology experience. Through a variety of exhibitions and other programs, you can experience ongoing science and technology on different scales, from simple questions to the latest technologies, the global environment, the exploration of the universe, and the mysteries of life.
The Japanese Sword Museum
This museum was founded to disseminate Japanese sword culture. In addition to Japanese swords, which are said “Arms were enhanced to artistic crafts,” the collection includes armors and ancient records. Many national treasures and important cultural properties are also housed there.
Meiji Jingu Museum
This is a popular spot among domestic and international tourists. The museum is located approximately 200 meters from the Harajuku Gate of Meiji Jingu where Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken were enshrined and exhibits the items associated with them.
The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo
Located near the Imperial Palace, this is the first national museum in Japan. The museum houses one of the largest collections of Japanese art from the Meiji period to the present with more than 13,000 masterpieces in various genres. In spring, you can enjoy beautiful scenery of cherry blossoms in the Imperial Palace from the museum.
THE SUMIDA HOKUSAI MUSEUM
The museum features Katsushika Hokusai, Japanese ukiyo-e artist. You can follow Hokusai’s history of art works, which were arduously created up to his 90s. The novel design by Sejima Kazuyo is also highlight in the museum.
SUNTORY MUSEUM of ART
The museum is located in Tokyo Midtown, Roppongi. It houses a collection of approximately 3,000 art works, including national treasures and important cultural properties and holds the thematic exhibitions for Japanese arts, such as paintings, ceramics, lacquerware, and glassware.
Hama-rikyu Gardens
The garden is a typical Daimyo garden of the Edo period, which has a pond created by drawing seawater and using ebbs and flows of tide. The beautiful contrast between the surrounding skyscrapers and the pond in the garden is a quite a sight.
Rikugien Gardens
This is one of the two major gardens of the Edo period together with Koishikawa Korakuen. The highlight is Shidarezakura (weeping cherry tree). It produces a full branch of light pink flowers around the end of March. The cherry tree is reminiscent of a cascading waterfall and the scenery is beyond description.
Ueno Zoological Gardens
Opened in 1882, this is the first zoo in Japan. While located in the center of Tokyo, this urban-type zoo has sustained the nature and its scenery. Along with popular pandas, approximately 350 different species and 3,000 animals are reared in the zoo.
21_21 DESIGN SIGHT
Directed by three leading designers in Japan, Miyake Issey, Satoh Taku, and Fukasawa Naoto, this is the research center for design, the place to think about design, and the field for manufacturing.
Yamatane Museum of Art
This is the first museum in Japan to specialize in Nihonga. The collection encompasses approximately 1,800 works mainly in Japanese-style paintings, including ancient pictures, ukiyo-e, oil paintings and 6 important cultural properties. The museum displays 5 to 6 exhibitions throughout the year.
Mitsui Memorial Museum
This museum is directly connected to the station. Its collection includes approximately 4,000 fine arts and crafts and over 130,000 postage stamps in Japan and Asia, which were collected by the Mitsui family with a history of 350 years since the Edo period.
TOKYO PHOTOGRAPHIC ART MUSEUM
This is one of the few museums in the world that specialize in photography and moving images. The museum annually holds more than 20 exhibitions including solo exhibitions of prominent artists in Japan and abroad in its three galleries.
TOKYO METROPOLITAN TEIEN ART MUSEUM
This is the art museum in which you can enjoy exhibitions and a lush green garden that make use of the Former Residence of Prince Asaka in Art Deco style and its space. The residence is one of the national important cultural properties.
THE SHOTO MUSEUM OF ART
The calm and quiet museum is located in a residential district of Shibuya. Featuring the thematic exhibitions of various genres, the museum also provides some activities to support art education. It has a reputation for its unique perspective and high-quality exhibitions.
National Museum Of Nature And Science
This is the only comprehensive science museum on history for nature and science technology in Japan. Preserving more than four million of collections, the museum also exhibits many valuable documents, which are unique to Japan.
Edo-Tokyo Open Air Artitectual Museum
This is the open-air museum that relocates 30 historical buildings of great cultural value and restores, preserves, and exhibits them. The museum with rich nature also holds seasonal events and exhibitions to make use of the buildings.
Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery
The Gallery in front of the avenue lined with Ginkgo trees in Meiji Jingu Gaien exhibits the 80 masterpieces that show the revolution of Meiji Restoration, achieved mainly by the Meiji emperor and his brave figures and historic scenes. This gallery is the symbol of Jingu Gaien and is a valuable cultural asset along with its architecture.
Tokyo Sea Life Park
The aquarium exhibits a huge tank of bluefin tunas, which has realized the world’s first schooling of pelagic fish, penguins swimming around in one of the largest habitats in Japan, and other numerous species of creatures. The park, adjacent to the aquarium, has the Ferris wheel, the artificial beach, and the Birds Sanctuary so that the whole family can enjoy them.
Jindai Botanical Gardens
This is the only botanical park in Tokyo, which is divided into 30 blocks according to the types of plants, such as Rose Garden, Azalea Garden, Plum Garden, and Bush clover Garden. You can enjoy the plants themselves and beauty of flowers in all seasons.
Yumenoshima Tropical Greenhouse Dome
This botanical garden has a collection of tropical and subtropical plants.The large greenhouse is designed to resemble a tropical rainforest, and consists of three sections: Dome A, with a large waterfall and water plants; Dome B, with fruit trees and tropical village; and Dome C, with a collection of rare species from the Ogasawara Islands. Residual heat from the waste incineration plant is used as energy for air conditioning in the garden.
Kyu-Iwasaki-tei Gardens
While the garden was built as the main residence of the Iwasaki family who was a founder of Mitsubishi in 1896, the Western and the Japanese style houses still exist. The Western style house was designed by the British architect Josiah Conder. You can see the sophisticated Japanese style architecture of the time from the Japanese house, and in particular, its large hall.
Mukojima-Hyakkaen Gardens
The garden was created by top writers and artists in the Edo period, which is popular, has many followers for all four seasons, and has a touch of elegance.
Kiyosumi Gardens
This is a stroll garden with the woods and the pond representing the Meiji era, in which the method for landscaping of Daimyo gardens of the Edo period was modernized. About 10 cherry trees are planted and the garden offers a quiet place to enjoy the cherry blossoms away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
