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Toshima Historical Museum: Ikebukuro
Phone: 03-3980-2351
Ikebukuro / Museum
Open 9am-4pm (last entry). Closed Mondays.
Free admission
Average visit time: 5-15 minutes
A surprisingly detailed diorama of a crowded Ikebukuro market square in the early 20th century is one of the highlights at this tiny history museum. There are also scale models of a 19th-century residential neighborhood, a collection of ancient pottery, and a big Toshima-related library, though there's not much description of anything in English.
Special exhibits provide a glimpse into the past through old photographs of the area (there used to be streetcars!), while magazines and advertisements illustrate the evolution of Japanese graphic arts. The minimal museum shop sells postcards, clear file holders, and furoshiki wrapping cloths.
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