Established in 2009, this rather specialized ethnological museum focuses on unique textiles, graphics and product designs with a traditional Japanese aesthetic. One highlight is Chuzaburo Tanaka's massive collection of "boro" patchwork-style...

This excellent museum is devoted to the history of Tokyo, formerly known as Edo. Entering the museum via escalator from the third-floor plaza below is an inspiring experience - the massive structure seems to hover several stories over the plaza like...

Pre-modern art from Japan, China, and other Asian countries is the focus of the collection here, with some 7000 items including painting and sculpture, calligraphy, ceramics and lacquerware. The stunning building was designed by architect Kengo...

To get a real hands-on grasp of what life must have been like back in the dark days before instant noodles, the Shitamachi Museum is the place to go. Shitamachi ("low city") is the name for the low-lying parts of town that Tokyo's hoi polloi once...

The museum holds a collection of 12,000 woodblock prints, and the selection on display changes monthly. Note that the museum is often closed for a few days a month while they change the exhibitions.

When you think about it, drums haven't changed much over the years. They have certainly diversified - think of the thousands of forms used today - but the basic principle isn't that different from the drums played by our ancestors thousands of years...

If you are looking for a tranquil relic of old Tokyo, the Japan Folk Crafts Museum (Nihon Mingei-kan) is for you. This tiny but enchanting museum, hidden away in peaceful Komaba, displays folk crafts (mingei) from all over Japan. The founder,...

This small, difficult-to-find museum will be of great interest to Japanese sword enthusiasts and collectors, although the lack of English-language descriptions might limit its appeal among the general public. The facility is run by the Society for...

Located on the banks of the Sumida River, this tiny museum is dedicated to the life and works of the poet Matsuo Basho, who elevated the haiku form to a major literary genre. Basho lived in a thatched cottage somewhere in the nearby area from 1680...

This massive open-air museum features preserved and reconstructed examples of Tokyo's Edo-era architecture. Besides merchants' mansions and crowded shops, there's also a mausoleum and a bathhouse. The visitor's center was once a pavilion of the...

Earthquakes. Landslides. Typhoons. Faulty wiring. Japan has its share of danger. But fear not: the fire department is here to help. To learn exactly how they help, visit Tokyo's Fire Museum, where the history of Fire and Rescue in Japan - from...

This historical museum run by the Tokyo Bureau of Waterworks has surprisingly interesting exhibitions on the history of the public water supply in the capital, spread out over two spacious floors. Upstairs you can get a glimpse into daily life...

Antique ceramics and items related to the tea ceremony are the focus of this small facility. Everything is from the private collection of rich industrialist and tea-ceremony devotee Issei Hatakeyama, including 33 pieces that have been designated as...

This tiny specialty art gallery probably isn't worth a special trip across town, but if you happen to be in the neighborhood and you have an interest in woodblock prints it could be worth checking out. Exhibitions change monthly, generally focusing...

Tomo Kikuchi has assembled one of the best collections of contemporary Japanese ceramic art in the world, including works by many recognized master potters, and her collection is still growing with the addition of newly added pieces each year. ...

The lovely gardens here include sections with three distinct styles - English landscape gardens, French formal gardens, and Japanese traditional gardens. There are several ponds, and a couple of teahouses where you can stop for green tea and sweets...