Tokyo National Museum

It is very big with a few buildings and a garden. We stay there for almost 4 hours. There are restaurants inside. Japanese arts are amazing beautiful, leave some time for the boutique. Make yourself a ukiyo-e print, interesting !

Wonderful displays, especially the Japanese Archeology section. We found this section to be the best of what we saw today. Almost missed it, due to it being in another building, connected to the rear of the main building. There are some tired areas in the museum that need renovation. Make sure you step carefully in the main buildings rear, as it is unlevel in several areas. Some extra eateries might be useful too, especially when there are thousands attending the Hello Kitty event nearby.

A spacious museum. Loved the decors & the building for the Hello Kitty Exhibit looks really nice. We went on a weekend for the Hello Kitty Exhibit. We were shocked on how crowded it was. We queued for about 40 to 50 minutes before being able to enter the event building. The lining up process was in order but once inside it was very disorganized. Despite the chaos, still enjoyed the exhibit to celebrate Hello Kitty. ❤

Absolutely phenomenal museum. I was expecting to spend an hour or so here, but instead I spent nearly 3 hours and didn’t see everything. The sheer amount of interesting objects on display is awe inspiring, and the variety is really interesting too. From ancient Egyptian artefacts, to Indian fabrics, to Japanese swords. It truly does melt time away walking through the halls. Can be somewhat busy, but not to the point that you can’t see what you want to see. Would also recommend spending some time in the shop, besides the usual trinkets and souvenirs, they have an amazing selection of books, including an English section.

We spent nearly 3 hrs in just the one main building with a focus on Japanese art (directly in front of you as you pass through the entrance). Plenty to see and read. Yes the signs and labels are in English also. You can also download the audio guide on highlighted items using the QR code after the gate entrance. The museum consists of a number of buildings. There is a restaurant at the side of the Asian collection building. After lunch we visited the Asian collection building and finally the national treasures in a separate building (The Gallery of Horyuji Treasures). There are 6 rooms in this collection. The start of the route is not easy to spot. We only saw it with 15 minutes to closing time after spending most of our time in the digitized work area. All in all we were here until 5pm (!). There are lockers inside the building (100¥ but refundable when you finish) and umbrella racks. Information counter staff speak English also. In this building room 1 starts from 2F. There are several toilets on level 2 also - main one is on basement level. You can participate in making your own coloured lithograph. If you pre purchase your ticket you have up to 2 months to use/activate it. A good place to pass the day if weather isn't conducive for outdoor activities. There is supposed to be free WiFi but it keeps getting disconnected so it was not much use. Ticket is inexpensive. There was a long queue already when we arrived at just after 10am. By the time we got our tickets the queue was even longer even though there are nearly 10 counters consisting of actual staff and ticket machines.

Review specific to the Hello Kitty Exhibit - I arrived at around 9:45 AM and waited for two hours to get in. The exhibit itself was quite short, focusing on different types of merchandise, collaborations, and artworks featuring Hello Kitty. However, it didn't cover the history or origins, which I felt would have made it much more interesting. There was another 30-minute queue for the souvenir shop, where many items were already sold out before noon. Each shopper was limited to 10 minutes in the store, which was packed like sardines, with everyone pushing and jostling. Overall, I'm not sure if this exhibit is truly worth the time unless you have plenty of free time on your hands.

We went for the hello kitty exhibit and I was impressed with the efficiency despite the large crowd. We didn’t have to wait too long and the exhibit was great. They also limit your time in the gift store which helps speed things along and stop it from getting too crowded

It was easy to get here by train and walking. It’s 1000 yen for basic admission but I should have paid the extra yen to go to the special exhibits. It’s a good size museum, consisting of a few different buildings to go through. You can easily spend 2-3 hours here, depending on how fast you’re walking and if you are interested in the history. Feel free to take as many pictures if you want.

Popped in due to a rainy day. Nice place to store Your umbrella before entering. Lots of Historic displays to see here and learn from. Ample seating areas for rest breaks. Smaller bathrooms, but manageable.

We wanted to learn a little more about the history of Tokyo, so while my family and I were in Japan on vacation we decided to go explore this museum. Although it wasn't specifically all about Tokyo they still had a lot to see and many pieces from Japanese history. I loved their artifacts from Japan, East, and South East Asia (they even had a samurai armor). They also have a large garden with a pond in the back. The entrance fee is 1,000 Yen per person and kids are free. The museum is pretty large with two different buildings. They don't allow pictures taken in some areas. We were there during the week, so we didn't wait long to purchase tickets, although I know that it can get pretty busy during the weekend. Nice museum I'm glad we were able to see it.

Beautiful museum with a ton of great Japanese pieces of art. From armor, swords, scrolls, statues , the works. It's a big piece of history. Not the largest museum, but a nice one.

Had some time to kill and decided to check out a museum in Tokyo. This being the only museum I had time for, I don't have an opinion on how it compares to the others nearby in Ueno but I will say it offered a nice, quiet, interesting, at times majestically beautiful stroll. The Japanese exhibits on display are incredible; the various rooms span two floors and house everything from religious sculptures to samurai weaponry to kimonos and paintings, and supposedly only a fraction of their collection is ever on display at one time. The gift shop is also the perfect place to shop for small souvenirs for family or friends that will fit in a carry-on. One thing to note is that often the only way to tell if photography of a piece is prohibited is by looking for the little red "no photo" marker in the description. Otherwise there will not always be a big sign warning you not to take photos. Hopefully that saves someone from the embarrassment of doing what I did and having a uniformed girl rush up and quietly urge me not to take photos of the random samurai armor I was standing in front of with my phone.

We're not big on going to museums but this particular one was vastly memorable. Things you should know: I. SERVICE There is a ticket gate where you have the option of paying cash or card. WiFi is provided throughout the property. The compound composes of 3 total buildings. We only visited two and spent about 2 hours absorbing all there was to see. You'll also notice a beautiful lilly pad pond and historic display of homes behind the center structure. II. QUALITY Well mapped out and organized in various languages. The building to the right of entry not only included Japanese history but also the history of surrounding Asian countries. It was very rich with quality, priceless items. Our favorite building was the center one. Inside there were samurai swords! Actual hand crafted weapons that have seen battle! The fact that we were staring at weapons of mass destruction.. of conquerors.. now stagnant and harmless.. still amazes me. III. CAPACITY We came and the crowd mainly resides at the ticket machines. You wouldn't run into too severe foot traffic elsewhere unless there was an interactive display.

Had planned to spend just a couple of hours here. I should have known better. The artifacts and displays are top notch and well deserving of placement here. Considering the number of museums around the world that display artifacts, it made me wonder how many artifacts there are in the world. In any case, I very much appreciated the information made available in English. Made me look forward to upcoming visits to Nara and Nagoya that much more. I considered it my intro to Japanese history. The sakura are just starting to bloom and I imagine the entire garden area will be amazing in a week or so.

Great collection of Japanese treasures, including sculptures, paintings, samurai swords and armor, pottery etc... I docked one star mainly because I prefer more modern art myself, so nothing on the exhibits or museum.

Gorgeous museum of Japanese history. Spacious , clean, and easy to navigate. Exhibits are all pristine. Nice signage.

I recently had the chance to visit the Tokyo National Museum, and let me tell you, it was an incredible experience. I'm still in awe of the sheer amount of history and fascinating artifacts they have on display. Honestly, we didn't even have enough time to see everything! This museum is huge, with so many rooms and exhibitions to explore. The first thing that struck me was the beauty of the museum itself. It's a stunning building that really sets the tone for what you're about to experience inside. And let me tell you, it's a treasure trove of history! From ancient sculptures to delicate ceramics, from traditional textiles to exquisite paintings, there's something for everyone here. Each exhibit is curated with so much care and attention to detail, making it a truly immersive experience. The price was really reasonable, especially considering the amount of content you get to see. I mean, this museum is jam-packed with artifacts from various periods of Japanese history. It's worth every penny! One thing to keep in mind is that you'll need a good amount of time to fully appreciate everything the Tokyo National Museum has to offer. It's not the kind of place you can rush through. I'd suggest planning to spend a good chunk of your day here. Take your time, read the descriptions, and let the history sink in. Trust me, it's worth it. Another thing I appreciated was the availability of seating areas throughout the museum. In conclusion, if you're a history buff like me, a visit to the Tokyo National Museum is an absolute must. It's a breathtaking place that showcases the rich cultural heritage of Japan. Just make sure you plan accordingly and give yourself plenty of time to explore. You won't regret it.

I really loved my first visit ever to the Tokyo National Museum. Of course, I regretted not visiting before when I lived in Tokyo, but I finally made the time to visit one of the most famous museums in all of Japan! Although I spent several hours in the museum, I feel like I only viewed a tiny portion of what was available to enjoy. Some of the ancient artifacts were especially interesting with so much time having passed. When I looked at the ancient scrolls, I was amazed that they could survived so much time! I hope to go back one day and explore deeper into the areas I only viewed briefly!

Very nice museum. Museum shop had some very nice pieces. Lots of exhibits, but definitely breadth over depth.

Tokyo National Museum: Did you know this is the 7th largest art museum in the world? Well, did you?? I didn't think so. Now you do, and it holds over 110,000 artifacts. If you want to see it all, God speed. If you're like Jamie W. and me, you want to spare an hour and a half because you have sushi spots to hit afterward, right? The trick was to focus on the Japanese Gallery first, the Honkan, which consists of 23 exhibition rooms highlighted by the second floor where the history of Japanese art can be traced in chronological order. The Toyokan building covers a broader canvas of Asian art, while really ancient temple artifacts can be found in the Gallery of Horyuji Treasures. If you've got an afternoon free and you're a Japanophile, go for it. Tickets are only 620 JPY, and it's just a ten-minute walk from the Ueno Station. RELATED - Traveling in Japan? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: http://bit.ly/2qrUBZo

It may be unfair to give 2 stars since I haven't explored whole exhibits. But I'd like to share my cautionary tale of ¥500 and also my rage of waste of my tax money on presentation of Edo castle. The hype gave me an impression of that some impressive AR masterpiece. It was nothing but something I could come across on YouTube. I'm sure there were blood and sweat being poured into it, but it wasn't worth of ¥500 for its dry, mediocre at the best quality. And they had actual human being narrating along with it(she sounded like a machine). They could've record her voice over it and let it run over and over, instead of making it like matinee shows. They so could cut down on the operation cost especially with this quality. Such a waste of my tax money.

The Tokyo National Museum is located in Ueno park, but its not the only game in town. Within a stone's throw there's also Tokyo Metropolitan Art, National Museum of Nature and Science, National Museum of Western Art, and Ueno Royal Museum. Yikes that is way too much to see in a day, so we opted just for the National Museum. Its a good-sized museum with lots of cool Japanese armor and swords on display, Buddhist-themed statues, and a bunch of masks, which were my favorite. They got masks of gods, demons, and a bunch of Noh masks that convey a whole range of emotions. Resentment, spite, jealousy all each have unique, ugly demon-like faces. The museum is also affordable (about $6 US/per person), and has plenty of places to sit to take a break. The one downside is that there's no direct subway to get here so if you're too tired to walk here you'll need to catch a cab.

Much like London's "Victoria & Albert Museum" and Washington's Smithsonian Museum, Tokyo's National Museum is massive. Cultural classics from Japanese and Asian history and antiquity, including armor, scrolls, wall screens, statues and sculptures, paintings and portraits, plus a ton of swords and daggers. You could easily spend two days examining the exhibits and still not see everything. Don't miss the Garden Terrace, which sadly was closed due to the inclement weather. But I could at least look out the window and it was impressive! And it's free. What's not to love about that?

You may visit the Ueno area in order to take Keisei Skyliner.Please spend your half day in Ueno park and this museum.Of course, there are a lot of museums.This national museum is great.You can learn history of Japan.Japanese are great people in manufacturing, fabrication and craftsmanship. You will see one of the best arts in the world! The museum also has Asian Gallery. You will see many resemblance between Japaese culture and Korean, Chinese, Indian ones.This is a great museum.Please learn and enjoy one of the greatest culture in the world!

Great to come on a rainy day if you're visiting Tokyo. Large museum showcasing a large selection of artwork from all over Japan as well as an archaeological exhibit. It is spread out over a few buildings Another building has art work from all over Asia, other had excavated art and then there's the special exhibit building. Admission is ¥620 but more for the special exhibits. Worth it and a great rainy day activity. Recommended.

An absolutely excellent museum, with great exhibits. Very affordable, and great discounts for foreign visitors. But beware, there are some exhibits/areas where photography is not allowed. Unfortunately, the museum management didn't make it clear in some cases. Most places had signage that clearly stated no photography. But one place had no indication at all, so I proceeded to take a photo. Then suddenly, one of the workers there came running to me with her arms crossed to form an "X", indicating that there is no photography allowed. I apologized, but was confused as to why I didn't see any sign. I came back to double and triple check. NO FREAKING SIGN! ANYWHERE! Now I was pissed off. She straight bum-rushed me like I did something wrong, but these motherfuckers didn't have any "no photos" signs in that area. Pissed me off. And because of their mistake, I shall share the forbidden photos with you. But anyways, it's still a great place to visit.

If you live in Tokyo, you can not miss it! I see cultural and traditional beauty both inside and outside. It's always crowded. But it's worth it. After visiting here, I usually go to Ameyoko street to fill up my stomach with various dishes.

Enjoyed the museum very much. It could be done by in an hour or two unless you like to spend a long time looking at each thing. There was a little calligraphy station that you could pay 100 yen to draw a Japanese word onto a fan and keep it. The grounds are very pretty and the staff is nice too.

Really great museum. Learned a lot about Japan's history. Pretty great exhibits. A lot of walking involved. Photos are only allowed in certain areas

Worth a few visit if you have a few hours to burn and you're in the neighborhood. Decided to stop by while walking through Ueno Park in search of cherry blossoms. Buying a ticket grants you access to several different buildings of exhibits. Go for the history and national treasures on display. Side note: there's a walkway that connects the main building to the archaeological building. In the middle of the walkway was a seating area with floor to ceiling windows. Whoever designed this is a genius as it gave a relaxing view of the cherry blossoms in the garden blowing away. It felt straight out of an asian drama no joke. Likes - swords, samurai armor, noh masks, kimonos Dislikes - not much really

If you're looking for something to check out in Ueno, I'd skip out on the Nature and Science museum altogether in favor of spending more time here. This is a fantastic museum that has a ton to see. It's also significantly more English friendly, which is a big plus for foreigners. Lots of artifacts dating back from paleolithic pieces to nearly modern day. We really loved looking at the ancient pottery, samurai armor, sword displays, and paintings. Absolutely worth a visit if you're in the Tokyo area!

Beautiful museum full of national treasures. The Tokyo National Museum has an incomparable collection of early Buddhist art, with many wood dibutsu and bronze ceremonial artifacts. Upper floors had beautiful kimonos and samari armor. The museum was uncrowded and only 600 yen for adults.

The Tokyo National Museum is in a park area that really has a collection of museums, including several art museums, a natural history museum, and the Tokyo National Museum. It reminded me of the Smithsonian museums around the National Mall in DC. Even within the confines of the National Museum grounds, there are several buildings with different collections. On the day we visited, we took in a large collection of 6th & 7th century Buddhist art as well as the main collection, which is essentially a 'highlights' tour of 2500 years of Japanese art & culture. Spectacular! Now admittedly, in some ways the collection feels sparse compared to, say, the Palace Museum in Beijing or in Taipei or MOMA in New York. But, it is very Japanese in that fashion. Each piece presented carefully in its own right. There is a little bit of everything: ceramics, calligraphy, paintings, kimonos, swords & armour! Three of the museum buildings have small cafes. The food was quite good and the prices pretty much Tokyo standard. This is a must-see for anyone visiting Tokyo. You can fly through in 2-3 hours or spend a day or two!

Lots to view in this 2 story museum. The special exhibits cost a lot more than the regular entrance exhibits but I didnt feel like we missed anything big by opting for cheaper tickets. We got there right before it opened because the line to buy tickets was getting long on a Sunday.

This is a must see museum for any visitor to Tokyo. You will find an extensive collection of Japanese art, armor, scrolls, sculpture and textiles. The museum is located in Ueno Park along with several other fine museums and shrines. TNM is a world class institution that will delight and educate you. Free Wi-fi access points around the museum. Highly recommend.

If you only have time for one museum in Tokyo- go to this one! Collections are very diverse and expansive, and admission is reasonable. If you have a student ID, be sure to bring it to receive a discounted rate.

I have to admit - I'm an anime fan, so my friends were mortified when I stated that I went to the Tokyo National Museum instead of visiting Akihabara (aka anime fan paradise). Well, sorry, but after reading multiple tour guide books highly touting a visit to this place, I had to check it out. My friends and I arrived around 1 pm, after an early morning flight from Kushiro Airport in Hokkaido. We were pleasantly surprised to see that even with the Saturday crowds in Ueno Park, the museum itself was not at all crowded, with plenty of browsing space and whatnot. We had until 6 pm that day as they had extended weekend hours, so we initially took our time to peruse the National Treasure collection and main galleries. However, by the time 5 rolled around, we were basically just skimming the exhibits, having woefully underestimated the sheer expanse of this campus (they have an Egypt exhibit! WHAT!). Ueno Park itself is a beautiful expanse of greenery - I will definitely be back to check out the Museum of Western Art as well! Entrance fees are 600 yen, as of 10/18/2014.

Tokyo National Museum consists of a group of large buildings of contrasting yet harmonious Western, Japanese, traditional and modern architecture, located in the north end of Ueno Park. The grounds have some very old trees. The trees are labeled with genus and species tags. We were lucky to see a beautiful cherry tree with double blossoms in full bloom. Each building contains exhibits that showcase different parts of the collections. Considering the number of items in the collections, relatively few items were on view when we visited. The Heiseikan building containing Japanese archaeology was closed, a disappointment. We visited after lunch and due to my museum-professional's obsession with looking at every item, we didn't make it to the Toyokan Asian Gallery. Yet what we did see was worthwhile. The Honkan building, straight ahead across the reflecting pool from the ticket gate, exhibits highlights of Japanese art. We picked up an English guide map to the grounds and buildings here. The exhibits included a mix of arts: painted screens, beautifully embroidered clothing, ukiyo-e woodblock prints, military armor (one very old piece was constructed from wooden slats connected by fiber cords), handwritten scrolls, hair ornaments, ceramics. Each room had an introductory label in multiple languages which provided context. Individual items had labels in Japanese and English. The labels provided item name and date made but little else. I was hoping for a more detailed guide in English, or maybe an audio tour but there didn't seem to be one. We also visited the modern building containing Horyuji treasures from the 7th and 8th centuries. The items on exhibit change. We saw rows of small kannon figures, each in its own pedestal case. Most impressive was an ornate metal ban, a ceremonial banner. There was a photocopied guide in English in a wall pocket in each room. This building also had a small cafe.

Free for high schoolers and younger and what a resource growing up. Quiet and cool on this heavy rainy summer day. ========== Returned ten months later. Nice to take a short rest inside with WiFi. Skipped the short line with the Ueno passport.

I'm a travel blogger & I recently just got back from a couples trip to Tokyo (I was there late June to early July). One of the attractions we saw was the Tokyo National Museum and we were pleasantly surprised. It was such a perfect activity for us to do on a slightly rainy day. If you're interested in more about the hotel or are looking for some things to do while in Japan, feel free to check out my blog post! http://www.humpsandpumps.com/single-post/2017/07/22/Bucket-List-Couples-Trip-Tokyo

Googled where is the largest museum in Tokyo and happened to be standing in front of it. Was full of artifacts and very interesting things. Worked out well because the baby was asleep so we went to the Unei zoo which is right next to door.

Tokyo has some of the best museums on the planet, there's so many to choose from it takes a while to sort through them all. Though you should start out with this museum as it houses some very fine pieces. It can get busy but if you go early enough you practically have the whole place to yourself.