There are no temples, shrines or medieval castles to visit on this island in the Japanese inland sea (Setouchi), but seven spaces dedicated to contemporary art, bathed in sunshine.
Recently moved from its original location in Tokyo to Kanazawa in the Ishikawa prefecture, the National Crafts Museum is a great asset in the conservati
The Kyoto International Manga Museum invites you to discover or rediscover, far from Western clichés, an art in its own right in Japanese culture: manga.
Since July 14, 2000, you can visit the largest dinosaur museum, if not the world, at least for Japan. Located in Fukui, not far from the traditional city of Kanazawa.
Inaugurated in October 2017 in the Waseda district of the Shinjuku, the Yayoi Kusama Museum celebrates the ever-changing and extraordinary work of the visionary contemporary artist.&n
Ibusuki Naval Air Base Memorial: read a guide to a World War II era memorial dedicated to the young kamikaze pilots who flew suicide missions at the end of the Pacific conflict.
Flight of Dreams & Seattle Terrace at Centrair combines an aviation museum on the Boeing Dreamliner with a mall of Seattle-style shops and restaurants.
teamLab Planets Tokyo is a body-immersive museum in the Toyosu district of Tokyo, offering visitors a physical, full five-sensory experience, including water attractions.
The Geological Museum and Science Square are two adjacent museums in Tsukuba. The Geological Museum has a vast collection of rocks, minerals and fossils.
Mystifying and enchanting, the author of Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away has created a museum with a diverse style of architecture that is quite unique and lavish.
Open since 1972 in the Bunkyo district, the Eisei Bunko museum presents a famous collection of more than 100,000 works, art objects, and historical documents from the former feudal Hosokawa clan.
Located in the Aqua City shopping complex in Odaiba, the SonyExplora Science is a science museum where young and old discover and experience the fundamental principles of light, sound and image tha
While in Nagoya, be sure to visit Tokugawa Art Museum, located in the north-east of the city. You'll discover authentic pieces, from famous katana and kimono to ancient illustrated scrolls...
Awajishima Museum is the largest museum on Awaji Island, located at the base of Sumoto Castle. It has displays devoted to the history and culture of Awaji.
Kanoya Air Base Museum (鹿屋航空基地) in Kagoshima Prefecture has a large collection of aircraft on display including a Kawanishi H8K2 flying boat from World War II.
In the Seto Inland Sea, the small island of Ikuchijima was the birthplace of one of Japan's most famous contemporary painters, Ikuo Hirayama (1930-2009).
The Osaka Municipal Museum of Fine Arts is a historic institution in the capital of Kansai, located in Tennoji Park since 1936. Discover its vast collection during your visit to the city!
The Toyokan (Eastern Antiquities Gallery) is part of Tokyo National Museum in Ueno and holds a superb collection of Asian art from India, China and Korea.
Korokan Ruins Museum was a guest facility in Hakata for diplomatic visitors from mainland Asia. It operated in ancient times and was recently discovered and excavated.
Not far from the center of Tokyo, the Fuji Art Museum offers a beautiful journey from Japanese calligraphy to the French impressionists, through an astonishing and immense collection.
The Pistol Museum (Tanegashima Kaihatsu Sogo Center) in Tanegashima is dedicated to the first arrival of firearms on the island and also have more general exhibits.
The Museum of Maritime Science on the island of Odaiba in Tokyo Bay is a free-entry facility with a small permanent collection, a ship that can be boarded, and several open air exhibits relating to
Mori Building Digital Art Museum Epson TeamLab Borderless is a cutting-edge immersive digital art museum on the artificial island of Odaiba in Tokyo Bay, and offers visitors an ever-changing wonder
Located right in the center of Sapporo, the Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art offers beautiful collections allowing you to discover Japanese art, but also European art, from the 19th century to the pre
Fans of contemporary art and Pop art will be delighted: in Kobe there is a museum entirely dedicated to the work of Japanese artist Tadanori Yokoo, considered the Asian Andy Warhol.
Saga Arashiyama Museum of Arts & Culture, a large modern building and garden in Kyoto, is dedicated to the Hyakunin Isshu - a very famous anthology of classical poems.
On the Noto Peninsula, in Ishikawa Prefecture, the Mawaki Archaeological Park Museum is a vast complex offering reconstruction of remains from the Jomon period, a museum, an experimental village, a
In Nihonbashi, in the heart of the historic district of the Japanese capital, the Mitsui Memorial Museum houses more than 4,000 Japanese and Asian works and art objects; a prestigious collection bu
Located in the north of the capital, the Museum of the Ancient Orient presents a fine collection of ancient objects from the Near East and Central Asia.
The Parliamentary Museum (Kensei Kinenkan) near the National Diet Building in Tokyo is a free museum explaining the history of Japan's parliament and constitution.
Passionate about science and astronomy? The Osaka Science Museum invites young and old to dive into the heart of the mysteries of space for an afternoon.
In Mito, in the prefecture of Ibaraki, the cultural complex Art Tower Mito, inaugurated in 1990, has a theater, a concert hall and a contemporary art gallery.
The Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery, or Kaigakan, is a grandly designed old gallery in Kasumigaoka, Shinjuku, Tokyo, that offers a quaintly propagandist, but memorable, pictorial narrative of the mo
In Inuyama, near Nagoya , the Meiji-mura open-air museum offers you a complete immersion in a pivotal period for the Japanese archipelago, the Meiji era (1868-1912), thanks to some sixty remarkably
Japan Toy Museum, in Himeji, Hyogo, exhibits a massive collection of over 90,000 toys including both traditional and modern toys from Japan and overseas.
In Suzuka, in a setting steeped in history, the Katagami Museum of Ise highlights the traditional craft of the region: katagami, or the age-old art of cutting paper stencils that requires meticulou
Thanks to its imposing structure and its white color which gives it an elegance and an unforgettable identity, Himeji Castle has become one of the most renowned castle to visit in the land
The Advertising Museum, nestled within the Caretta Shiodome Shopping Complex, traces the history of advertising and marketing from the Edo period (1603-1868) to the present day.
Have you always dreamed of learning calligraphy while traveling in Japan? A school in the town of Marugame offers courses to learn the basics of this delicate art.
Few know it, but the municipality of Sakai, located south of Osaka, is home to one of the largest collections in the world of works by the Art Nouveau artist, Alphonse Mucha.
JAL Factory Tour Sky Museum (JAL Sky Museum) at Haneda Airport is the most popular travel spot in Tokyo ahead of Meiji Shrine, Tokyo Tower and Tokyo Skytree.
If you're interested in the history of Japanese costumes and textiles, the Kyoto Costume Museum is a worthwhile visit. Models and dolls dressed in kimonos illustrate history over time.
Kitakyushu Manga Museum & Aru Aru City: Kitakyushu Manga Museum in Aru Aru City is dedicated to manga and manga artists with a connection with Kitakyushu.
Hiroo Oya is the head of a sake factory in the city of Shirakawa. He perpetuates the family know-how and hopes to pass on his love for sake to his son.
Located south of the island of Shikoku, Kochi Castle located in the city of the same name is one of the last 12 authentic Japanese castles with its wooden keep.
A museum and former samurai house, the Hida Folk Archaeological Museum houses both a collection of historical and prehistoric objects from the region, as well as secret passages that wouldn't be ou
With more than 1,000 life-size reproductions of masterpieces of Western art from antiquity to the 20th century, the Otsuka Art Museum is Japan's largest museum.
In the heart of one of the liveliest districts of the Japanese capital, the small historical museum of Shinjuku reveals the tale of this iconic district!
The port city of Wajima in Ishikawa prefecture has established itself as the center of production of very high quality lacquerware; the wajima-nuri. Enter the museum dedicated to them.
Kagoshima City Museum of the Meiji Restoration explores the history of this overthrow of the Tokugawa and the part played by the men and women of Satsuma.
The Zenrin Map Museum in Kitakyushu focuses on historical maps of Japan and explains the history of the company - the largest map-making company in Japan.
At Tokyo's Haneda International Airport, the airline ANA opens the doors of its maintenance center to you. A unique visit closer to the biggest airliners!
In Moriyama, on the shores of Lake Biwa, Sagawa Art Museum displays works by Japanese artists at the crossroads of East and West, including ceramics and bronze sculptures.
The town of Takayama in the Japanese Alps is home to many merchant houses, including that of the Kusakabe family, now transformed into a folk art museum.
Kyushu Railway History Museum in Mijiko, Kitakyushu has a diverse collection of trains including a 9600 steam locomotive and an EF 10 35, an early electric train from 1942.
The Science Museum of Map and Survey in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture explains the history and work of the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan (GSI).
In June 2016, Yamanashi Prefecture inaugurated its new Mount Fuji World Heritage Center in Kawaguchiko celebrating the environment and the universal heritage value of the sacred mountain of the arc
Yufuin Museums & Art Galleries: what really sets Yufuin in Oita Prefecture apart from many other hot spring onsen towns is its wide range of art galleries and museums running from the high brow
Japan is a country prone to earthquakes and at first glance, this is not very reassuring. However, remember that the vast majority of earthquakes go completely unnoticed!
A must-see museum for lovers of classic and modern art, showcasing several centuries of European art and even architecture thanks to the building's design by Le Corbusier, which made it the first U
The artisans of the former province of Echizen, Fukui Prefecture, have been perpetuating traditional Japanese paper know-how for more than 1,500 years.
Why not make the most of your stay in Kyoto by living side by side with artists of the former imperial capital? With its art gallery and designer rooms, the Anteroom Hotel gives its visitors
The Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum is a food-themed amusement park with a variety of noodle stores offering regional ramen from across Japan is a retro 1950s setting.
Art Tower Mito (ATM) in Mito, Ibaraki Prefecture is a multi-media arts center and performance space incorporating a concert hall, theater and art gallery.
The JCII Camera Museum in Tokyo is a comprehensive museum run by the Japan Camera Industry Institute that covers the history of camera-making in Japan by all Japanese camera manufacturers, and exhi
The Teshima Museum will provide you with the most exceptional contemporary art experience in Japan. The very concept of the museum is unique, and difficult to describe.
The Warabekan Toy & Children's Songs Museum in Tottori is devoted to traditional Japanese toys and games as well as children's songs both modern and traditional.
The Japanese Sword Museum in Ryogoku, east Tokyo, showcases the katana swords of world renowned quality and beauty that were the power behind the samurai warrior class of old.
The Polar Science Museum (南極北極科学館) in Tachikawa, Tokyo is dedicated to informing the public about the Japanese polar research and the activities of the National Institute for Polar Research.
Ome Railway Park, in Ome, Tokyo, an open air railway museum featuring eight original steam locomotives, two electric train cars and the front car of a 1960's Shinkansen.
From November 28th 2017, the Tokaido Hiroshige Art Museum in Shizuoka City will present the "Tokyo Hyaku" exhibition, a modern photographic reinterpretation of the "One Hundred Famous Views of Edo"
The Shoji Ueda Museum of Photography is a futuristic museum in the middle of the Tottori Prefecture countryside displaying the works of the local, internationally celebrated, photographer, Shoji Ue
The Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum (Enpaku) on the Waseda University campus in Tokyo is dedicated to the history of drama and is named after Tsubouchi Shoyo (1859-1935), a writer, dramatist and
Jinpukaku is a grand Western-style mansion right next to the ruins of Tottori Castle, Tottori City, that is a rare example of architecture from Japan's early modernization.
The Old Asakura House (Kyu Asakura Kejutaku) is an imposing traditional Japanese house in Daikanyama, Tokyo, built in the early 20th century, with a serene garden.
The Museum of Fine Arts, Gifu (岐阜県美術館, 岐阜) near Nishi Gifu Station has a core collection of Japanese and Western art and also holds frequent temporary exhibitions.
The Miyazaki Prefectural Museum of Nature & History in Miyazaki, Kyushu includes four historic farmhouses re-assembled here from all over the region in its grounds.
Named the greatest Japanese invention of the twentieth century in a Japanese poll, instant noodles are a cult product in Japan and the rest of the world.
As part of the celebration of its 10th anniversary, the National Arts Center in Tokyo has been putting on exceptional exhibitions since the beginning of the year.
The Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology in Nagoya is an excellent museum located in the original brick buildings of the Toyoda Spinning & Weaving Company.
Tokyo free museums: see a listing of some of Tokyo's numerous free museums including the Advertising Museum, Edo Shitamachi Traditional Crafts Museum and the Fire Museum.
Tokyo's quirky museums: see a listing of the best of several weird and wonderful museums in Tokyo, including the strange Meguro Parasitological Museum and a Sewerage Museum.
The TUS Museum of Science is a free-entry museum specializing in recording and calculating technology, annexed to the Tokyo University of Science in the Kagurazaka district of Shinjuku ward, Tokyo.
Shimokitazawa is a small, very atmospheric fashion district in west Tokyo, crammed with vintage clothing stores, cafes, and music and stage performance spots.
The Bizen Osafune Japanese Sword Museum in Okayama displays a collection of samurai swords. The museum also has demonstrations of traditional Japanese sword-making.
The Historical Museum of Waterworks & Sewerage in Nagoya is an interesting free museum on the history of water management in the city from Edo times until the present day.
The Children's Peace Monument in Hiroshima pays tribute to Sadako Sasaki, a young girl who died as a result of the atomic bombing, and to all the children who perished in the tragedy.
The Skull Museum in Amagasaki in Hyogo Prefecture is dedicated purely to the human skull. The Skull Museum is the brainchild of Dr. Keiji Kawamoto, a local brain surgeon and professor.
The Nawa Insect Museum in Gifu Park in Gifu is Japan's largest insect museum with a fascinating collection of over 300,000 specimens from 12,000 species.
The Anpanman Children's Museum in Mall in Fukuoka is a fun place to take young children, situated in Riverain Mall along with the Fukuoka Asian Art Museum (FAAM).
The Fire Museum in Yotsuya Fire Station in Shinjuku, Tokyo details the work and equipment of the Tokyo fire department from the Edo period to the present day.
The Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum is a collection of historic buildings, mainly from the Tokyo area, brought to a new location for preservation.
Kyoto University Museum (KUM) is the oldest university museum in Japan and has a valuable, eclectic collection spanning humanities, natural history and engineering.
The Namikawa Cloisonné Museum in the Okazaki district of Kyoto is the Meiji Period house, studio and garden of the cloisonné master Namikawa Yasuyuki (1845-1927).
The Hideyoshi and Kiyomasa Memorial Museum in Nakamura Park in Nagoya displays weapons, personal effects and documents of Hideyoshi Toyotomi and Kato Kiyomasa.
The Japan Stationery Museum (Nihon Bungu Shiryokan) is a small repository of things to do with writing, in the Yanagibashi district of Taito ward, Tokyo.
Okayama city, in Okayama Prefecture in south west Japan, has a number of excellent museums including Okayama Prefectural Museum, Yumeiji Art Museum, Orient Museum, Okayama Prefectural Museum of Art
The Hokusai Museum in Tokyo's Sumida ward presents the life and works of one of Japan's most famous artists, Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849), in an ultra-modern gallery.
Scai the Bathhouse has been an art presence in Yanaka since 1993, but is unique in having been a part of the Yanaka landscape for many decades before that.
Famous for its living wall 60 meters high, ACROS Fukuoka is a jewel of modern architercture. It's a concert venue, conference hall, shopping arcade and an art gallery.
The Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts in Tennoji, Osaka has a large international collection with the majority of exhibits oriental works connected with Buddhism.
The Saigo Takamori Headquarters Museum in Nobeoka, Miyazaki Prefecture recalls Saigo's defeat at the Battle of Wadagoe and his escape over Mt. Enodake.
The Kobe Earthquake Memorial Museum a part of the Disaster Reduction and Human Renovation Institution commemorates the events of the 1995 Kobe Earthquake.
Kobe Maritime Museum opened in 1987 and celebrates the history of Kobe as a port and center of ship-building from its earliest beginnings to the present day.
The National Museum of Ethnology (Minpaku) in Expo Park, Osaka has a massive collection of materials collected from Japan and from all regions of the world.
The Kyoto Municipal Museum of School History is housed in a former school and introduces the history of Japanese education from the Edo Period to the present day.
The Japan Kanji Museum & Library in Gion, Kyoto has interactive and fun displays on the history and development of Chinese characters (kanji) in Japan.
Mie Prefecture Kumano Kodo Center near Owase introduces the history, culture, flora, fauna and the singular weather of the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage routes through Mie Prefecture.
The Akita Akarenga Red Brick Folk Museum in Akita City occupies an elegant old red brick bank building over a century old and showcases the architecture, art and crafts of Akita prefecture.
Kagoshima city and Kagoshima prefecture in south west Kyushu have several fine museums reflecting the city's importance in the modern history of Japan.
The Gifu-Kakamigahara Air & Space Museum in Gifu is a large aviation and space museum located in Kakamigahara displaying over 30 original Japanese aircraft.
Yokohama Port Museum & Nippon Maru Sailing Ship: a sailing ship that can be boarded and walked around, with a museum beside it that introduces Yokohama Port from its beginnings to the present d
The Mitsubishi Minato Mirai Industrial Museum in Yokohama introduces industrial technology to young people in fun, memorable, hands-on ways, and caters to English speakers too.
The Mitsuo Aida Museum is tucked away inside the Tokyo International Forum, a multi-purpose exhibition center in Marunouchi, dedicated to the works of this master of Japanese calligraphy.
Toshiba Science Museum, near Kawasaki Station, is a free museum that both showcases Toshiba's latest technologies and looks back at the history of the company, its founders and its products.
The Marugame Genichiro-Inokuma Museum of Contemporary Art (MIMOCA) houses a collection of art by Genichiro Inokuma (1902-1993) in a building designed by Yoshio Taniguchi.
Shikoku Mura in Yashima near Takamatsu is an open-air museum displaying over thirty traditional buildings brought from all over Shikoku and surrounding islands.
Voted as the most beautiful garden in Japan by a US magazine, Adachi Museum of Art has since gained enormous popularity and people come from all over Japan to admire it.
The Yamazaki Mazak Museum of Art in Nagoya opened in 2010 and has an outstanding collection of French art from the 18th-20th centuries including painting, furniture and decorative glass art.
The Sato Memorial Art Museum in the grounds of Toyama Castle exhibits the personal collection of Sato Sukukoro and is dedicated to the Japanese tea ceremony and its artifacts.
Nara Centennial Hall was designed by Japanese architect Arata Isozaki and completed in 1999 to celebrate the centennial of the modern municipality of Nara.
The National Film Archive of Japan (NFAJ), formerly the National Film Center in Kyobashi, Tokyo has a permanent collection on the history of Japanese film-making plus special exhibitions and movie
Originally designed in 1933 to commemorate the coronation of Emperor Hirohito ceremony (1901-1989), this museum offers a permanent collection of two thousand one hundred pieces of art, including m
The Museum of Naval History is located on Etajima Island in Hiroshima Prefecture and is set among historic buildings on the campus of the First Service School of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense For
The Hiroshima City Transportation Museum aka Numaji Transportation Museum in Hiroshima is a fun trip out for parents and their children to ride the Crazy Bikes and see a huge panorama of a futurist
The JMSDF Kure Museum in Kure, Hiroshima charts the minesweeping activities of the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force and includes a visit to the interior of a decommissioned Japanese submarine,
The Showa Museum of Art in Irinaka, Nagoya houses the tea ceremony related collection of Kozo Goto (1881-1977) and includes the garden of his former residence.
Nagasaki museums: see a listing of museums and art galleries in Nagasaki city and Nagasaki Prefecture including Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum and Dejima.
Read a guide to the Nagasaki Prefectural Museum of Art, designed by Kengo Kuma, dedicated to contemporary art and with the largest collection of Spanish art in Japan.
How do the people of Miyajima live? The history of the island and its development seems to be a mystery to the visitors who travel the scenic landscapes of this island paradise.
Sakichi Toyoda Memorial House: located in Shizuoka Prefecture, the Sakichi Toyoda Memorial House, is a reconstruction of the birth place of the great inventor and founder of Toyota Corp.
A few minutes from Omotesando, the street showcasing international brands which has become a shopping mecca, you can find the private Nezu Museum, focusing on a more intimate and sensitive relatio
A problem of distance. If contemporary art suffers from a reputation of being difficult to access, the museum dedicated to it in the Japanese capital suffers from the same illness.
All year round, inside Hachiman-gu Sakurayama Shrine, Takayama Yatai Kaikan Exhibition Hall with high ceilings, presents four of the eleven yatai, the three-floor floats, which parade during the f
For several centuries, the region of Kanazawa has been one of the most important centers of handicrafts for Japanese art. Enter this museum and discover the wonders of human techniques.
In medieval Japan, each province was ruled by a feudal lord, or daimyo. At the end of the sixteenth century, these leaders were seized by madness and many of them built magnificent castles.
TEZUKA Osamu (1926-1989), the father of modern manga and pioneer of anime, has left some one hundred and fifty thousand comic strips, long and short films and hundreds of episodes of
