From Edo to Samurai, Meiji to modern, Tokyo’s rich array of museums can help you uncover Japan’s fascinating history.

In a city as busy, complex and constantly evolving as Tokyo, time spent here is often focused on exploring its inspiring contemporary culture and amazing cuisine. However, if you’re looking to shed some light on Japan’s past, Tokyo’s historical museums may be the place for you.

This season, discover one of the many immersive replicas of traditional Tokyoite homes and workplaces, learn about fascinating Samurai culture or gaze at traditional woodcuts in some of the city’s most interesting historic venues. Here’s a roundup of our favorites!

• 1. Ota Memorial Museum of Art
• 2. Shitamachi Museum
• 3. Samurai Museum
• 4. Edo-Tokyo Museum
• 5. Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum
• 6. Fukagawa Edo Museum
• 7. Tokiwaso Manga Museum
• 8. Tokyo Waterworks Historical Museum
• 9. Shinjuku Historical Museum
• 10. Japanese Sword Museum

1. Ota Memorial Museum of Art

[

](https://cdn.savvytokyo.com/app/uploads/2026/04/pixta_55818926_M.jpg)A great place to learn about ukiyo-e in the heart of Shibuya

A visit to the compact tatami rooms of the Ota Memorial Museum of Art is a must for those interested in ukiyo-e, the traditional Japanese woodblock printmaking that flourished during the Edo period. The Edo era lasted from 1603 to 1868, a period of significant economic prosperity and cultural growth across Japan, particularly in the arts. The museum is dedicated to the artist Ota Seizo, who collected a staggering 12,000 block prints during his lifetime. The prints on display are rotated every two to three months and show around 200 works at a time, so there’s always something interesting on view. The works are well curated, with English labels, and the museum’s central location—a stone’s throw from the colorful streets of Harajuku—adds an interesting contrast to the traditional art on display.

• Price: Varies (See current exhibition for details)

• Open: 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Closed on Mondays.

• Where: 1-10-10 Jingumae, Shibuya, Tokyo

• Closest Station: Meiji-Jingumae

• Website: http://www.ukiyoe-ota-muse.jp/eng

2. Shitamachi Museum

[

](https://cdn.savvytokyo.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Coppersmith_-_Shitamachi_Museum-Ueno_Taito_Tokyo_Japan-_DSC08719.jpg)A glimpse of everyday life in the Meiji Period

For those seeking a little nostalgia, the Shitamachi Museum offers a glimpse of everyday life in Tokyo between the Meiji Restoration in 1868 and the Great Earthquake of 1923. The Meiji Period saw Japanese society transition from a feudal to the more modern identity it enjoys today. Comprising a number of rooms, including a sweet shop, a coppersmith’s workshop, and rows of tenement house apartments, this charming museum explores working and living conditions during this period. Visitors are encouraged to get interactive—children can play with traditional toys, while adults can view old photographs and rummage through the display’s cupboards and drawers. Small but perfectly formed, the Shitamachi Museum is a great place to incorporate into a day trip to Ueno. Ask for an English-speaking guide if needed.

• Price: ¥300 (Adults), ¥100 (Child/Student)

• Open: 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Closed on Mondays.

• Where: 2-1 Ueno-koen, Taito, Tokyo

• Closest Station: Ueno

• **Website: **https://www.taitogeibun.net/shitamachi/

3. Samurai Museum

A museum dedicated to all things samurai culture

Most people have heard of the Samurai culture through Hollywood blockbusters and pop culture, but many may not be fully familiar with its symbolic resonance in Japanese culture and the powerful history it evokes. For over 700 years, from the Kamakura (1185) to the much later Edo period, the Samurai dominated Japanese society both militarily and symbolically. The recently opened Samurai Museum in Shinjuku—a painstakingly curated, carefully designed collection featuring an impressive ensemble of costumes, swords and historical relics—helps visitors discover this fascinating history. With plenty of fun activities, including having your photograph taken in full samurai attire or witnessing a traditional sword battle, this is a great place to visit with the whole family.

• **Price: **¥1,900 (Adults), ¥800 (Under 12), Free (Under 3).

• Open: 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m.

• Where: 5−17−13 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo

• **Closest Station: **Shinjuku

• Website: https://www.samuraimuseum.jp/en/

4. Edo-Tokyo Museum

Reopening in March 2026.

If you have friends visiting or are new to Japan, a visit to the Edo-Tokyo Museum is a great way to understand more about this important period. The museum tracks Tokyo’s development from a medieval town to an urban metropolis via its many artifacts and large-scale models of streets and bridges. The museum gives visitors a comprehensive overview of this 400-year pre-earthquake period through both its permanent collection and special exhibitions throughout the year, alongside a vibrant lecture and workshop program. Its impressive ornate kimono collection is also pretty special, and the free English audio guides will help non-Japanese speakers navigate the displays.

• Price: TBA

• Open: TBA

• Where: 1-4-1 Yokoami, Sumida-ku, Tokyo.

• Closest Station: Ryogoku

• Website: https://www.edo-tokyo-museum.or.jp/en/

5. Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum

[

](https://cdn.savvytokyo.com/app/uploads/2026/04/pixta_83984167_M.jpg)A vast open-air historical “theme park”

Based in Koganei city in Western Tokyo is the Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum, a vast open-air historical “theme park” dedicated to exhibiting old historical buildings of cultural value that cannot be preserved in their original locations. Many of those buildings were lost to fires and air raids since the Edo period but were reconstructed at this location in their original shapes. Here, you can see old private residences, public baths, various shops and recreation facilities, including a bar and a tea room, which show how people have lived in Japan since the Edo period. Visitors can freely explore the facilities’ interiors, where time appears to have stopped centuries ago.

• Price: ¥400 (Adults), ¥320 (College), ¥200 (Students). Free for primary school and younger children

• Open: 9:30 a.m.- 5:30 p.m. (April-Sept), 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (October-March). Closed on Mondays.

• Where: 3-7-1 Sakuracho, Koganei-shi, Tokyo (inside Koganei Park)

• Closest Station: Hana-Koganei

• Website: http://www.tatemonoen.jp/english/

6. Fukagawa Edo Museum

[

](https://cdn.savvytokyo.com/app/uploads/2026/04/pixta_118146883_M.jpg)A hidden gem in East Tokyo

Travel east towards Koto Ward and you’ll come across this hidden gem of a museum. The Fukagawa Edo Museum houses a replica of the neighborhood from 1840 (around the end of the Tokugawa Period). Complete with seasonal sound effects and decorations, walk through the town and feel like you have traveled back in time. There are volunteer guides on the premises who are more than happy to guide you through the different displays. Afterwards, check out the hall that goes into more detail about the Fukugawa neighborhood, complete with statistics and graphs.

• Price: ¥400 (Adults), ¥50 (primary school children and below)

• Open: 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Closed on Mondays

• Where: 1-3-28 Shirakawa, Koto, Tokyo

• Closest Station: Kiyosumi-shirakawa

• Website: https://www.kcf.or.jp/fukagawa/

7. Tokiwaso Manga Museum

[

](https://cdn.savvytokyo.com/app/uploads/2026/04/pixta_112044558_M.jpg)Go back to 1950s Tokyo

Tokiwaso was once an iconic two-storey apartment building that housed many talented manga (comic) artists, including Tezuka Osamu (creator of Astro Boy) and Terada Hiroo (creator of Sebango 0). It became the spot for up-and-coming artists to live out their mangaka (comic artist) dreams and a place for friendly rivalry. Though the original building was demolished, fans came together and reconstructed it as a manga museum. Today, it’s a place to learn more about manga and anime culture through the lens of these famous artists.

• Open: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Closed on Mondays

• Where: 3-9-22 Minaminagasaki, Toshima, Tokyo

• Closest Station: Ochiai-minami-nagasaki

• Website: https://www.tokiwasomm.jp/

8. Tokyo Waterworks Historical Museum

[

](https://cdn.savvytokyo.com/app/uploads/2026/04/pixta_78035828_M.jpg)Go with the flow

Learn about Tokyo’s rich history through its waterways at this free museum. Tracing back to the city’s founding (then called Edo) under Tokugawa Ieyasu, learn about the ancient techniques used to purify water and redirect it to the city’s citizens. Follow along and learn about how the city’s waterworks have changed and improved through the 17th century to the present day. It’s a unique take on the city’s history, and one that continues to improve the lives of Tokyo’s population even today.

• Price: Free

• Open: 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.

• Where: 2-7-1 Hongo, Bunkyo City, Tokyo

• Closest Station: Suidobashi

• Website: https://www.suidorekishi.jp/

9. Shinjuku Historical Museum

[

](https://cdn.savvytokyo.com/app/uploads/2026/04/pixta_104699134_M.jpg)Before all the neon lights

At the Shinjuku Historical Museum, get a deeper understanding of how the area was before all the flashing lights and skyscrapers. The permanent exhibit features artifacts and trivia about key literary figures associated with the city ward, such as Natsume Soseki (author of Kokoro and I Am a Cat). Browse through each era from the Jomon Period to the Edo Period and Meiji Period sections. Check out the life-sized replica buildings of a former pasty shop and even a streetcar.

• Price: ¥300 (Adults), ¥100 (primary school children and below).

• Open: 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

• Where: 12-16 Yotsuya Saneicho, Shinjuku City, Tokyo

• Closest Station: Yotsuya

• Website: https://www.regasu-shinjuku.or.jp/rekihaku/

10. Japanese Sword Museum

[

](https://cdn.savvytokyo.com/app/uploads/2026/04/1280px-Japanese_Sword_Museum-3.jpg)A museum dedicated to Japanese sword making.

This small but well-curated museum highlights the art of Japanese swordmaking. Beyond weapons, Japanese swords have been used as symbols of faith, authority and art. Each sword represents the samurai spirit. The shape and curvature of each sword sheds light on the needs, trends and the context of that era. Made to be unbreakable, unbendable and extremely sharp, walk away from your museum visit with a newfound appreciation for the craftsmanship and generations of history that go behind making one of these most unmistakable symbols of Japanese culture.

• Price: ¥1,000 (Adults), ¥500 (High school and college students), Free (primary school children and below).

• Open: 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Closed on Mondays

• Where: 1-12-9 Yokoami, Sumida City, Tokyo

• Closest Station: Ryogoku

• Website: https://www.touken.or.jp/museum/

For a guide to Tokyo’s most unusual museums, see this article.

*What’s your favorite museum in Tokyo? Share with us in the comments! *