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Kite Museum is flying high in Tokyo
Tokyo’s Kite Museum has kites of all shapes and sizes. There are about sixty on display and another 3500 in storage. They come from Australia, China, the United States, and other countries. Lovers of the sport will enjoy it.
The person behind the museum was Japan’s first Cordon Bleu-style chef, Shingo Modegi. He first built it not far from where it stands today. It was above his restaurant! Times changed, and it moved a few blocks to near the Mitsukoshi department store.
The interior of the new building is bright and beautiful. It is very spacious. You have lots of room to move around in. It is a massive improvement over their last building.
There are historical, animal, and insect kites. The only limit to the designs is the imagination – so many different shapes and sizes. Some even performed real jobs, like the air gunnery kites that the U.S. military used during World War 2. Others are so tiny that they are barely larger than a postage stamp. You’ll even see a few rare types.
The museum has one problem. It is the plaques. Everything is in Japanese. But the subject material is self-explanatory, so it shouldn’t cause too many problems.
What is at the museum?
Kites, kites, kites and more kites!
Photography tips
- The museum is bright and spacious. You won’t need to worry about settings much.
- Most of the exhibits are behind glass. You’ll have to deal with a lot of reflections.
Where is the Kite Museum?
It is near Mitsukoshimae station in Nihonbashi. You’ll find it near the Mitsukoshi Department Store. The following subway lines go there:
- Tokyo Metro Ginza
- Tokyo Metro Hanzomon
Leave via exit B6 and make your way to the NS Building. The museum is on the 2nd floor. Click here to see it on Google Maps.
Official address: 1−8−3 Nihonbashimuromachi, Chuo City, Tokyo
Opening hours
The Kite Museum is open from 11 am to 5 pm, Monday to Saturday. It is closed on Sundays and public holidays.
Admission costs
Photo spots near the Kite Museum
- Masashige Kusunoki (samurai statue)
- Tokyo Station (with its beautiful ceilings)
Wrapping up
If you are a kite fan, the Kite Museum is great, and taking photos is no problem. It will be a quick look for others and then move on to the next place. And if you want to take something home with you, they have quite an extensive range of kites for sale.
Many Japanese enjoy kite flying, and you can often see them around the city. A few weeks before I published this article, I photographed some at Kasai Rinkai Park. One day, I will visit a festival for them. If you have any questions or comments, you can leave them below.