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07
1 hr 30 min
Edo-Tokyo Museum
江戸東京博物館
The Edo-Tokyo Museum is a history museum in Tokyo dedicated to the history and culture of the city from the Edo period through to modern times.
- Must see
- Museum
- Tokyo
Country guide
Japan
Around three quarters of Japan is mountain and forest, which pushes almost everyone onto the eastern coastal plains and makes the country far narrower in practi...
Photograph · Midori · CC BY 3.0
47,395
Places
3Cities
Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor
Around three quarters of Japan is mountain and forest, which pushes almost everyone onto the eastern coastal plains and makes the country far narrower in practice than 377,975 km2 suggests. Forty-seven prefectures, eight traditional regions and more than 14,000 smaller islands, and yet a first visit usually runs along a single rail corridor with Tokyo at one end and Kyoto and Osaka at the other. Tokyo is the capital and largest city of a country of almost 123 million people. Hokkaido in the north and Okinawa in the south are different climates rather than day trips, and both need their own week.
Checked 2026-08-25
Cities
Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.
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Tokyo
Photograph · Morio · CC BY-SA 3.0
Tokyo 22,518 places -
Kyoto
Photograph · Martin Falbisoner · CC BY-SA 4.0
Kyoto 13,290 places -
Osaka
Photograph · Martin Falbisoner · CC BY-SA 4.0
Osaka 11,587 places
Practical information
- Language spoken
- Japanese
- National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
- Dialling code
- +81
- International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
- Currency
- Japanese yen (JPY)
- Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
- Emergency number
- 110 police · 119 fire and ambulance
- Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
- Plug type
- Type A · 100 V
- Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
- Tap water
- Safe from the mains
- JNTO states that tap water is safe to drink
Top things to see
Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.
Filter the list
36 places match
Category
Typical visit duration
Interests
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08 1 hr 30 minTokyo Metropolitan Art Museum
東京都美術館
Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum is a public exhibition museum in Ueno Park, Tokyo’s established cultural district. Rather than presenting one fixed permanent collection, it provides gallery space for travelling exhibitions, special shows, and related events.
- Must see
- Museum
- Tokyo
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09 1 hr 30 minMiraikan
日本科学未来館
The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, known locally as Miraikan, is a science museum located in Tokyo's Odaiba district.
- Must see
- Museum
- Tokyo
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10 1 hr 30 minKyoto Municipal Museum of Art
京都市美術館
The Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art is a municipal art museum located in Kyoto, Japan. It was established to preserve and exhibit artworks relevant to the city's cultural heritage.
- Must see
- Museum
- Kyoto
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11 1 hr 30 minNational Art Center
国立新美術館
The National Art Center, Tokyo is a major museum in Roppongi, Minato ward. Its local name is 国立新美術館. The building was designed by architect Kisho Kurokawa and opened in 2007.
- Must see
- Museum
- Tokyo
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12 1 hr 30 minCurrency Museum of the Bank of Japan
日本銀行金融研究所貨幣博物館
The Currency Museum of the Bank of Japan is a focused museum about money, collecting Japanese and international coins, banknotes, and related historical material.
- Must see
- Museum
- Tokyo
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13 1 hr 30 minMuseum of Contemporary Art Tokyo
東京都現代美術館
The Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo is a major public art museum in Tokyo’s Koto ward. Its collection and exhibitions focus on contemporary art from the postwar period to the present, with Japanese and international artists represented.
- High
- Museum
- Tokyo
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14 1 hr 30 minMori Art Museum
森美術館
The Mori Art Museum is a contemporary art museum located in Tokyo, Japan. Its local name is 森美術館. The museum is situated within the Roppongi Hills complex, a major urban development in the Minato ward.
- High
- Museum
- Tokyo
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15 1 hr 30 minNezu Museum
根津美術館
Nezu Museum is a private museum in Tokyo’s Minato ward devoted to pre-modern East Asian art. It grew from the collection of Nezu Kaichiro, a businessman and politician who gathered important Japanese, Chinese, and Korean works.
- High
- Museum
- Tokyo
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16 1 hr 30 minTokyo Photographic Art Museum
東京都写真美術館
The Tokyo Photographic Art Museum, known locally as 東京都写真美術館, is a cultural institution in Tokyo dedicated to the art of photography. It operates under the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's cultural programs.
- High
- Museum
- Tokyo
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17 1 hr 30 minMuseum of Kyoto
京都府京都文化博物館
The Museum of Kyoto introduces the city through its long history as Japan’s imperial capital and a centre of culture, craft, religion, and political life.
- High
- Museum
- Kyoto
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18 1 hr 30 minOsaka Science Museum
大阪市立科学館
The Osaka Science Museum is a hands-on science museum and planetarium located in Osaka, Japan. It is separately ticketed from other attractions. The museum focuses on interactive exhibits designed to engage visitors directly with scientific concepts.
- High
- Museum
- Osaka
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19 1 hr 30 minFukagawa Edo Museum
江東区深川江戸資料館
Fukagawa Edo Museum is a focused history museum in Koto Ward that recreates everyday life in the Fukagawa district during the late Edo period.
- High
- Museum
- Tokyo
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20 1 hr 30 minOsaka Museum of History
大阪歴史博物館
The Osaka Museum of History is the city's history museum, at 4-1-32 Otemae in Chuo-ku, immediately south-west of Osaka Castle Park.
- High
- Museum
- Osaka
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21 1 hr 30 minNational Museum of Art
国立国際美術館
The National Museum of Art, Osaka is a modern art museum located on Nakanoshima, an island in central Osaka. The museum is a national institution housing a government collection.
- High
- Museum
- Osaka
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22 1 hr 30 minSumida Hokusai Museum
すみだ北斎美術館
Sumida Hokusai Museum is a municipal art museum in Tokyo’s Sumida ward, devoted to Katsushika Hokusai and his connection with the district.
- High
- Museum
- Tokyo
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23 1 hr 30 minteamLab Planets TOKYO DMM.com
チームラボ プラネッツ
teamLab Planets TOKYO is a digital art museum operated by the art collective teamLab in the Toyosu district of Tokyo. The immersive installation invites visitors to walk barefoot through various spaces where digital artworks respond to human presence.
- High
- Museum
- Tokyo
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24 1 hr 30 minKyoto Railway Museum
京都鉄道博物館
The Kyoto Railway Museum is a railway museum located in Kyoto, Japan. It is dedicated to the history and technology of Japanese railways.
- High
- Museum
- Kyoto
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25 1 hr 30 minNakanoshima Museum of Art
大阪中之島美術館
Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka is a modern and contemporary art museum located on Nakanoshima, a central sandbank between the Dojima and Tosabori rivers. The museum opened as a major independently entered institution with its own collection and exhibition programme.
- High
- Museum
- Osaka
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26 1 hr 30 minHosomi Museum
細見美術館
Hosomi Museum is a private art museum located in Kyoto, Japan. It houses a significant collection of Japanese and East Asian art, with particular strength in works from the pre-modern period.
- High
- Museum
- Kyoto
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27 1 hr 30 minFire Museum
東京消防庁消防防災資料センター消防博物館
Tokyo’s Fire Museum is dedicated to firefighting history, equipment and the civic role of emergency services. Operated by the Tokyo Fire Department, it occupies a multi-storey complex connected with an active fire station.
- High
- Museum
- Tokyo
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28 1 hr 30 minOsaka Museum of Housing and Living
大阪くらしの今昔館
The Osaka Museum of Housing and Living is a municipal museum in Osaka, Japan. It presents the history of urban life and housing in Osaka from the Edo period through the early Showa era.
- High
- Museum
- Osaka
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29 1 hr 30 minOsaka City Sewerage Science Museum
大阪市下水道科学館
Osaka City Sewerage Science Museum is a public educational museum devoted to urban wastewater management. Its subject connects engineering, public health, environmental responsibility, and the practical systems that allow a dense city to function.
- High
- Museum
- Osaka
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30 1 hr 30 minTokyo Toy Museum
Tokyo Toy Museum, known locally as 東京おもちゃ美術館, is a specialist cultural venue centred on toys, play, craftsmanship and design.
- High
- Museum
- Tokyo
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31 1 hr 30 minJapan Folk Art Museum
日本工芸館
Japan Folk Art Museum, known locally as 日本工芸館, is an Osaka museum devoted to traditional Japanese crafts and folk art.
- High
- Museum
- Osaka
Common questions
How long should a first trip to Japan be?
Ten to fourteen days supports four or five days in Tokyo, three or four in Kyoto, and two or three in Osaka. Add Nara or Himeji only after those bases have enough time, and avoid turning every rail stop into a hotel change.
What entry documents are needed for Japan?
Japan's visa exemption or visa requirement depends on passport and travel purpose. Confirm the current rule through Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the embassy responsible for the traveller's residence.
What is the best way to travel around Japan?
The Tokaido Shinkansen links Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, while local rail and buses cover city travel. An IC card simplifies many local journeys but does not replace every reserved long-distance ticket, and luggage forwarding can reduce friction between bases.
When is a practical time to visit Japan?
March to May and October to November are broad options for the main-island route, with blossom and autumn periods creating concentrated demand. Confirm regional weather and reservations for the exact cities rather than assuming one national season behaves uniformly.
What money and payment basics apply in Japan?
Japan uses the yen (JPY). Electronic payment is common but not universal, so carry some yen for smaller businesses, ticket machines, or rural transport without assuming that one stored-value card works for every purchase.
What practical safety details should I save for Japan?
Japan's emergency numbers are 110 for police and 119 for fire or ambulance. Type A sockets operate at 100 V, which is lower than in the other wave-A countries, and mains tap water is recorded as safe.