Edo-Tokyo Museum in Photos
As a big fan of Tokyo, I love the Edo-Tokyo Museum. The displays cover many hundreds of years of the city’s history. It starts with Ieyasu Tokugawa entering a small fishing village. And it ends with a city that became an economic powerhouse in the late twentieth century. If you are a history lover, this place is a must-see.
You`ll notice the unique architecture while walking to the museum from the station. The inspiration for the design came from Japan’s old elevated grain storehouses. But, it has a very futuristic feel to it. Some say it looks like a giant Gundam robot or something out of Star Wars.
Once you get your ticket, head to the Edo-Tokyo Museum’s sixth floor. That is where the entrance is, and it is fabulous. A replica of the first Nihonbashi Bridge will be in front of you. Walking over that will take you into the main area.
From the middle of the bridge, look down. Under you will be the Nakamura-za kabuki theatre. Once on the other side, you’ll have two zones to explore.
The first one is the Edo Zone. This area deals with the city’s history from medieval times to the early modern. Being a big fan of Japanese history, I favor this one as I love the Tokugawa period. It has everything the Japanese history lover needs. There are swords, armor, replicas of houses, boats, scale models, and bookshops! And the dioramas are amazing, so detailed.
Modern Tokyo is in the second. Exhibits that show the city’s development fill it. They go into great detail about the early and middle parts of the twentieth century. They are from:
- World War 2
- the postwar recovery
- 1964 Olympics
- social changes.
For me, the exhibits from the 1990s were fascinating. It was fun seeing stuff from when I first arrived in the country. There are old computers, games, and school uniforms. They brought back some terrific memories.
There are also special exhibits. The Edo-Tokyo Museum staff changes these every few months. They have been about ghosts, art, literature, and even weapons. An extra ticket used to be needed, but not anymore. I appreciated that when I went!
Book a volunteer guide if you need help finding your way through the exhibits in more detail. The languages available are English, Chinese, French, German, Korean, Spanish, and Russian. Just be aware they are few in number. I haven’t done a full tour with them, but I have seen them working, and they seem knowledgeable.
You can also rent audio headsets. Get them from the first floor’s ticket counter. A refundable deposit is necessary.
The Edo-Tokyo Museum is a great place with much on display. You could spend many, many hours there learning about the city’s history. If you want to get more detailed information, look at its website.
A Brief History of the Museum
The Edo-Tokyo Museum opened in 1993 and was the first to be dedicated to Tokyo. Kiyonori Kikutake, the architect, was responsible for the design. As mentioned earlier, he based it on a traditional rice storehouse (takayuka-shiki style). And for people who love trivia, it is the same height as Edo Castle. 62.2 meters!
Suzuki Shun’ich, a governor of Tokyo in the 1980s, first imagined it. Ryogoku was chosen as the ukiyo-e painter Katsushika Hokusai was born there. Edo culture was born and flourished there. It was a great choice.
What’s at Edo-Tokyo Museum?
What can I say? There is no way I can write a complete list. Everything is about the development of Tokyo. Don’t go expecting a samurai museum. Yes, some swords and armor are there, but that is not the focus.
Photography at the museum
Taking a camera is no problem. The areas in which you can’t use them are marked. But, don’t worry, there aren’t many. Luckily, you can use flashes in some areas. That’s nice unless you are shooting through glass windows.
As for problems, the two big ones are available light and people. Some exhibits can be rather dark. Others will have lights reflected in them, which can be ugly. And on some days, the museum can get quite crowded. That can be annoying in some cases (i.e., you might have to wait a long time to get your picture).
Where is the Edo-Tokyo Musem?
Address: 1 Chome-4-1 Yokoami, Sumida City, Tokyo
Here it is on a Google map:
Closest train stations:
- Ryogoku on the JR Sobu Line (West Exit)
- Ryogoku (this is a different station from the above) on the Toei Oedo Subway line.
Opening hours
Temporarily closed
Admission fees
Temporarily closed
Conclusion
The Edo-Tokyo Museum is fabulous. You should visit it if you are interested in the city or Japanese history. It has enough to keep visitors entertained for hours. And you can get some photos, for your Japan travel memories to take home. Leave questions and comments below.
Rohan Gillett
Rohan has lived in Tokyo for 30+ years. He loves photography and plans to capture the entire city.
For more museum articles, look at:
External related websites:
- Edo-Tokyo Museum (official website)