Tokyo National Museum
- Tokyo
- 15 Jun, 2025
The Tokyo National Museum in Ueno-koen Park is Japan’s answer to the British Museum. With its vast collection of art and archaeological objects from Japan and beyond, it’s a treasure not to be missed when visiting Tokyo.
[Tokyo National Museum - image © Florentyna Leow]
Tokyo has no shortage of great museums and art institutions to learn about Japanese art, but if you only have time for one place, make it the Tokyo National Museum in Ueno-koen Park.
It houses the world’s largest collection of Japanese art, ranging from woodblock prints to kimonos to samurai swords and Buddhist masks - to cherry-pick just a few from its holdings of over 110,000 objects. Good English information and audio guides are available, making it a traveler-friendly institution to visit.
[Tokyo National Museum - image © Florentyna Leow]
Spring is a great time to visit, since the museum garden has some lovely cherry blossom views. As a bonus, they typically plan cherry-themed exhibitions to coincide with sakura season. The museum also has outdoor exhibitions, restaurants, and shops, so visitors can take a break from the endless parade of objects on display.
Another good time to visit if you’re strapped for cash is on International Museum Day, which falls on or around 18 May. Waiving its usual entry fee, the Tokyo National Museum opens its doors to the public to celebrate and encourage awareness of the role museums play in societal development. If you do go, expect crowds.
English name:
Tokyo National Museum
Japanese name:
東京国立博物館
English address:
13-9 Uenokoen, Taito-ku, Tokyo, 110-8712
Japanese address:
〒110-8712 東京都台東区上野公園13-9
Opening hours:
9:30am-5pm (last entry 4:30pm)
Closed Monday or the following Tuesday when Monday is a national holiday
Admission:
Adults: 620
College students: 410
High school students and younger, and 70 years old and over: free
Nearest Transport:
Train: 10-minute walk from the Park exit of Ueno Station.
Nearest Hotels:
Check availability and pricing for hotels near Tokyo National
Museum on
Booking.com
or
Agoda.com.
Telephone:
+81-3-5777-8600 (NTT Hello Dial)
Website:Official Website (English)
Near To Here:
Tokyo National Museum is located in Tokyo’s Ueno
district. See our complete list of things to do in
Ueno, including places to eat, nightlife and places
to stay.
Where Is This Place Located?
- Open the Tokyo map
- You will see the list of places on the left hand side. (Click the 3-line icon in the top left corner if not). Scroll down or use the map search (the magnifying glass icon) to find the place you want.
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- If you’re using the map on your phone, open the map and then search for the name of the place. The map will then zoom in on its location.
Tokyo Vacation Checklist
- For a quick overview, see my First Time In Tokyo guide.
- Check if a visa is required for Japan
- Check Tokyo accommodation availability on Booking.com and Agoda.com.
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