"Intricately embroidered kimonos, samurai swords, serene-faced Buddha statues, thousand-year-old ceramics: You’ll find it all and more in the Tokyo National Museum, which houses the world’s most comprehensive collection of Japanese art. Surrounded by the winding paths and shrines of Ueno Park, the country’s oldest museum is a must-see for everyone from historians to culture-vultures looking for a crash course. The unparalleled permanent collection contains more than 110,000 artifacts. Thankfully, the curators are sensible enough to space their vast array of treasures out. Each room feels carefully composed rather than cluttered, and special exhibitions rotate constantly, meaning the 4,000-odd works on display from the permanent collection at any given time are never quite the same as at your last visit." - Diana Hubbell
