Tokyo National Museum Museum

Address: 13‑9 Ueno Park, Taito City, Tokyo 110‑8712, Japan (Ueno Park)

Website: https://www.tnm.jp/?lang=en

Hours: Tue-Sun 9:30am-5:00pm (closed Mondays; hours may vary for special exhibitions)

Admission: Adult admission for the permanent collection and main halls typically ¥1,000; special exhibitions may be ticketed

Japan’s oldest and largest museum of art and archaeology, located in Ueno Park in Tokyo; founded in 1872 as the country’s principal national museum. It holds one of the largest collections of Japanese and Asian cultural objects in the country.

The museum’s holdings total well over 100,000 objects and include Buddhist sculpture, paintings, ceramics, calligraphy, archaeological material and samurai armour. Exhibitions are arranged across multiple purpose-built buildings, with both long-term displays and rotating special exhibitions that highlight designated cultural properties.

Established in the early Meiji period to preserve and display national treasures, the institution expanded over the 19th and 20th centuries with additional gallery buildings and specialized display areas for temple treasures. It has long served both as a research institution and a public museum for Japan’s cultural heritage.

Sited in Ueno Park in Taito, Tokyo, it sits among a cluster of major museums and cultural sites and is a short walk from JR Ueno Station and several subway lines.

• Getting there: Located inside Ueno Park, a short walk from JR Ueno Station and several other major museums and the zoo.
• Collection size: Collection exceeds 100,000 objects spanning archaeology, Buddhist sculpture, paintings, ceramics, calligraphy and samurai equipment.

What to See#

• Toyokan / Asian Galleries: Houses several distinct exhibition buildings including galleries for Japanese art, Asian collections and temporary exhibitions; separate spaces also present special temple treasures from Horyu-ji.
• Honkan / Japanese Gallery: Main Japanese art galleries holding painting, sculpture, ceramics and calligraphy with large collections of samurai armour and ritual objects.
• Hyokeikan and Heiseikan: Smaller historic exhibition halls used for changing displays and special exhibitions of archaeology and cultural properties.
• Horyuji Treasures Gallery: Dedicated display of treasures associated with Horyu-ji temple and related Buddhist artifacts.

Tokyo National Museum is located within Ueno Park. The closest major rail point is Ueno Station (JR lines and Tokyo Metro); expect a 5-10 minute walk from the station into the park to the museum entrances. There are also bus stops around Ueno Park that serve visitors.

As with other Ueno attractions, public transport is far more convenient than driving; short-term parking near the park is limited.

• Go right at opening on a weekday to avoid large tour groups that arrive later; midweek mornings are the quietest time to see the main Japanese galleries.
• Enter from JR Ueno Station (Park Exit) or Keisei-Ueno and follow signs into Ueno Park for the most straightforward walk to the museum; buy tickets for major special exhibitions online to skip on-site lines.
• Prioritise the Honkan (Japanese art) galleries early in your visit-many visitors spend time in the high-traffic special exhibitions and miss quieter, excellent displays in the permanent collection and the outdoor displays in the museum grounds.