Arts and Culture in Tokyo
Tokyo, the capital of the Land of the Rising Sun, is a mixture of ancient Japanese culture and modern technological innovation. Founded as the city of Edo some 400 years ago, it is now the face of Japan and its most populous city with over 8 million residents. While modernity has caught up with the city, it still has not lost sight of its traditional roots, and its fascinating culture serves as a trip back in time.
Edo-Tokyo Museum (Photo by Martin Graney)
Museums
Visitors to this grand old city can get a feel for its beginnings with a trip to the Edo-Tokyo Museum (1-4-1 Yokoami, Sumida-ku, Tokyo 130-0015, +81 3 3626 9974, website). This venue focuses on the city’s history from beginning as a rural village to becoming the seat of the empire. Reconstructions of important structures, such as the Nihonbashi Bridge, the Rokumeikan, and the Choya Newspaper Company building, are displayed in this 30,000-square-meter structure. You can get a glimpse of daily life and experience some of it yourself in this one-of-a-kind exhibit. Traveling through 400 years of city history has never been so real.
Meanwhile, a more comprehensive view of Japanese history can be found at the Tokyo National Museum (13-9 Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo 110-8712, +81 3 5405 8686, website), which houses five exhibition galleries, all focusing on specific areas of Japanese and Asian culture and art. This is the oldest museum in the country, having been opened to the public in 1872. Since then, it has risen to become one of its most prominent museums.
Tokyo National Museum (Photo by i_yudai)
Japan is not only known for its strong traditional heritage, but its leadership in technological advances as well. The National Museum of Nature and Science (7-20 Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo 110-8718, +81 3 5777 8600, website) is a splendid place to begin this scientific journey. Its facilities offer the best of scientific specimens and include the Institute for Nature Study, the Tsukuba Botanical Garden, the Collection Center, and the Shinjuku District, which has an annual open laboratory for the general public. The Center of the History of Japanese Industrial Technology is one of its top attractions, and it should be the destination of choice for those interested in following Japan’s rise to industrial supremacy.
Performing arts
Bankamura (Photo by huzu1959)
Modern art meets traditional Japan in Bunkamura (24-1,Dogenzaka 2-chome Shibuya-ku, +81 3 3477 9111, website). This is Tokyo’s foremost cultural center, and it includes the Orchard Hall, which was built in the tradition of the biggest concert halls in the world and has been a performance venue of the NHK Symphony Orchestra, the Tokyo Ballet, and the Moscow Stanislavsky Ballet. Its Theatre Cocoon is perfect for dramas and musicals, and its Le Cinéma is a top choice for feature films in the city. This all-inclusive cultural approach has made Bunkamura the leading cultural center in the country.
Experience the onsen
O-edo Onsen Monogatari (Photo by buck82)
The onsen (hot springs) is a vital part of traditional Japanese life, and there is a strict sense of etiquette when entering a public onsen bath. These traditions are strictly followed in the O-edo Onsen Monogatari (2-57 Omi, Koto-ku, Tokyo, +81 3 5500 1126). This large venue recreates the settings for a public bath during the time of Edo. Meanwhile, a more old-fashioned onsen bath can be found in the Azabujuban onsen (1-5-22 Azabu-Juban, Minato-ku, +81 3 3404 2610). Any onsen bath follows strict etiquette, and visitors should know that no clothing, swimwear, or jewelry is allowed in the baths. Anyone visiting Tokyo should try this unique experience to gain a sense of one part of Japanese tradition.
Tourist options
The Tourist Information Center and the Welcome Inn Reservation Center (10 Fl., Tokyo Kotsu Kaikan Bldg., 2-10-1 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0006, +81 3 3201 3331, website) is the perfect place to welcome visitors to Tokyo. It has a wide array of tourism options and offers various tours and tourist guides designed for foreigners to enjoy their Japanese experience. It also offers reservations for various hotels in the city, a process that can also be accomplished online. These options certainly make traveling around the city more convenient.
Any visit to the Land of the Rising Sun begins with Tokyo. Its commitment to tradition and its forward-looking approach to modernity make it one of the best spots to take in Japanese culture, and a trip to the city formerly known as Edo is essential for any Japanese journey.
Tourist assistance
Tourist Information Center and the Welcome Inn Reservation Center
- Address: 10 Fl., Tokyo Kotsu Kaikan Bldg., 2-10-1 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0006
- Tel: +81 3 3201 3331
- Opening hours: Daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Destinations
Edo-Tokyo Museum
- Address: 1-4-1 Yokoami, Sumida-ku, Tokyo 130-0015
- Tel: +81 3 3626 9974
- Opening hours: Sunday to Friday 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
- Cost: Adults–¥600; Junior high school and high school students–¥300; College and vocational school student–¥480; Seniors over 65 years old–¥300
Tokyo National Museum
- Address: 13-9 Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo 110-8712
- Tel: +81 3 5405 8686
- Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; until 8 p.m. on Friday from April to December; until 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sunday and national holidays from April to September
- Closed Mondays and December 28th to January 1st
- Cost: Adults–¥600; University students–¥400; free for those under 18 years old and over 70 years old
National Museum of Nature and Science
- Address: 7-20 Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo 110-8718
- Tel: +81 3 5777 8600
- Opening hours: Saturday to Thursday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Closed Monday and December 28th to January 1st
- Cost: Adults–¥600; Free for high school students and younger; Free for senior citizens 65 years old and above
Bunkamura
- Address: 24-1,Dogenzaka 2-chome Shibuya-ku
- Tel: +81 3 3477 9111
O-edo Onsen Monogatari
- Address: 2-57 Omi, Koto-ku, Tokyo
- Tel: +81 3 5500 1126
Azabujuban onsen
- Address: 1-5-22 Azabu-Juban, Minato-ku
- Tel: +81 3 3404 2610
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