Tokyo National Museum: A Journey Through Japan's Artistic Heritage

Name: Tokyo National Museum
Address: Taito City, Tokyo, 110-8712, JP
Rating: 4.5

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Tokyo National Museum: A Journey Through Japan's Artistic Heritage

Overview

Established in 1871, the Tokyo National Museum stands as a cornerstone of Japan's cultural history. Located in the picturesque Ueno Park, it is the nation’s oldest and largest museum, showcasing an extensive collection of more than 110,000 artifacts, including 87 National Treasures and 610 Important Cultural Properties. The museum brilliantly combines Japanese art and antiquities from across Asia, exhibited within its distinctive galleries. Visitors can explore the Honkan (Japanese Gallery), which highlights 24 galleries presenting Japanese art from the ancient era to the 19th century, including exhibitions on the Art of Buddhism, the Tea Ceremony, and Samurai attire. The Toyokan (Asian Gallery) features art from various regions, such as Korea and India, while the Heiseikan hall hosts temporary exhibitions. Also, don't miss the Horyu-ji Homotsukan gallery, which displays significant treasures from the Horyu-ji Temple. With a variety of amenities, including an information center, shops, restaurants, and beautiful gardens for outdoor displays, the Tokyo National Museum is a must-visit for lovers of art and history.

Reviews

Kenji Takahashi

Japan

An absolutely phenomenal museum! I expected to spend just an hour here, but ended up staying for almost 3 hours and still didn’t see everything. The wide array of fascinating objects on display is truly awe-inspiring, with everything from ancient Egyptian artifacts to Indian fabrics and Japanese swords. It's easy to lose track of time while wandering through the halls. It can get somewhat busy, but not to the point where you can't see what you want. I also recommend checking out the shop, which offers a fantastic selection of books, including an English section, in addition to the usual trinkets and souvenirs.

Aiko Yamamoto

Japan

A spacious museum with beautiful décor! The building for the Hello Kitty Exhibit is particularly lovely. We visited on a weekend for the exhibit and were surprised by how crowded it was; we queued for about 40 to 50 minutes before we could enter. While the lining up was orderly, the inside was quite chaotic. Despite the confusion, I still enjoyed the exhibit celebrating Hello Kitty. ❤

Yuki Nakamura

Japan

The museum is very large, featuring several buildings and a garden. We spent nearly 4 hours there, and enjoyed the amazing Japanese arts. Don't forget to make some time for the boutique; creating a ukiyo-e print was particularly interesting!

Daichi Sato

Japan

Getting to the museum by train and walking was easy. It's 1000 yen for basic admission, but I recommend paying a bit more to access the special exhibits. The museum is a good size, featuring several different buildings. Depending on your pace and interest in history, you can easily spend 2-3 hours here. Feel free to take as many pictures as you like!

Miho Tanaka

Japan

The displays were wonderful, especially the Japanese Archeology section, which was the highlight of our visit. We almost overlooked it, as it’s located in another building connected to the rear of the main structure. Some areas in the museum need renovation, so be cautious as some sections are uneven. It would be helpful to have more eateries, especially with the thousands attending the nearby Hello Kitty event.