If you’re looking for a museum with all sorts of shit in it, and not just some overpriced miserable excuse for an exhibition, this is where you have to visit. This museum is huge. And I don’t mean huge like you can spend hours walking around huge. Huge that you can spend an entire day lost in this history preserving complex, indulging in meals in their restaurants, shopping in their shops and of course, admiring the collections of this and that from the past.
The permanent exhibit covers mainly life in the Edo-Tokyo period, as the museum’s name suggest. Kabuki, Shoguns, economy, class system are some of the multitude of topics covered about life in Edo-Tokyo. Don’t be shy and ask for a FREE volunteer guide upon entry, available in English and many other languages. Note that this service is only available from 10am to 3pm, with my volunteer guide excusing herself promptly halfway through her tour at 345pm.
There are also special exhibits on from time to time where no photography are allowed. A joint ticket to both permanent and the special exhibition costs a reasonable ¥1350. This is very worth it for all you Japanese history buffs. For creatives like me, stand in front of the paintings by the Edo artists and scrutinize the details slowly. Be inspired.
