Tokyo Fire Museum in Photos
Step into the heart of Tokyo’s fiery past and modern firefighting marvels at the Tokyo Fire Museum. History, technology, and unique photo ops are all for free! It’s a photography playground, from vintage fire engines to a retired helicopter. A treasure trove of stories about this city’s battles awaits you. Grab your camera and take a short ride on the Marunouchi Metro line. Let’s discover why this museum deserves a spot on your itinerary.
The museum is easy to find. It’s next to the Yotsuya-Sanchome subway station. And pick up an English-language headset that will tell you more about the exhibits as you move around. Then you can explore, starting with the helicopter in the foyer. It is big and red and flew many hours for the Tokyo Fire Department before retirement.
There is the basement. Big exhibits fill it. Six fire engines from the United States, France, and Germany are there. Some date to the 1920s, but a couple are modern. Any future firefighter will be sure to love them.
One thing you need to know is that the building houses an actual fire station! So, you won’t be able to enter some floors (i.e., the second). And there are some you won’t need like the conference/event rooms and libraries. That leaves the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and tenth floors for you to explore.
Firefighting in the modern age is the topic of the third floor. It is the most exciting one. There are static displays of some cool and exciting modern equipment and gear. Before the pandemic, kids could climb over a lot of the stuff on the floor. But due to safety concerns, it is not possible now.
The fourth and fifth floors are all about history. They have great static displays and focus on the Meiji, Taisho, and early Showa periods. There are also pictures of the Fire Department at early-twentieth-century disasters. These include the Great Kanto Earthquake and the Shirokiya Department Store fire.
I especially liked the fifth floor. It had the firefighting equipment and uniforms of Japan’s feudal era. One piece of history I enjoyed was the matoi. Edo (Tokyo’s old name) was made of wood, so it was prone to fire. Many independent firefighting units sprang up to combat them.
As each was independent, they needed unit symbols. Those were the matoi. Made of wood, they were of unique design and weighed about twenty kilograms. At fires, a unit member would wave it overhead to signify they were in attendance.
The sixth floor has audio-visual displays and a helicopter on the roof. The French-built machine was in service from the 1960s until the 1980s. You can climb into it, but it is closed during high winds.
If you need a rest, the tenth floor will help you out. There are drink machines, tables, and chairs. It has large windows, from which you can see Tokyo Skytree, Shinjuku, and on a fine day, Mount Fuji.
What can you photograph at the Fire Museum?
- Fire trucks
- Firefighting equipment
- Helicopters (2 real and one for kids)
- Mount Fuji (visible from the tenth floor in fine weather)
Photography tips for the museum
- Some parts of the Fire Museum are rather dark. You’ll need high ISO.
- It’s a Japanese museum, so most things are in Japanese. But, there are plaques with explanations in English.
- Tripods aren’t allowed.
Other photo spots in the area
- Meiji Jingu Gaien (a park-like area. It has an art museum, stadium, and ginkgo trees!)
- Shinjuku Gyoen
- Toyokawa Inari Tokyo Betsuin (the fox temple).
Where is the Fire Museum?
Address: Yotsuya 3-10, Shinjuku City, Tokyo
It is in the Yotsuya Fire Station!
Here it is on a Google map:
Closest subway station:
Yotsuya-Sanchome which is on the Marunouchi Metro line. Its exit connects to the museum. You won’t be walking far.
Opening hours
9 am to 5 pm (last admission at 4:30 pm)
The museum is closed from December 29 to January 3
It closes every Monday with two exceptions:
- If it is a national holiday, the museum will be open and close the following day.
- If Monday falls on September 1 (Disaster Prevention Day), October 1st (Tokyo Citizen’s Day, or Disaster Prevention and Volunteer Day (January 17th), the museum will open.
Admission costs
None
Conclusion
If you are a firefighting fan, Tokyo’s Fire Museum is for you. You’ll get some great photos of unique engines. And there is much to learn about the city’s long history with its fight against fire. Please leave questions and comments below.
Fire Museum photo gear:
- Camera Body: Fujifilm X-T3
- Lenses: Fujifilm XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS and XF 16-55mm F2.8 R LM WR
Rohan Gillett
Rohan has lived in Tokyo for 30+ years. He loves photography and okonomiyaki. His camera will capture the entire city one day.
For more museum articles, look at these:
External related websites:
- Fire Museum (official website)
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