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attraction · Tokyo
A Thousand Yen for the Best Collection of Japanese Art in the World
Review of Tokyo National Museum
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Share your experienceThe Tokyo National Museum charges 1,000 yen for adults and 500 yen for university students for its collection exhibitions, and admits under-18s and over-70s free. It opens at 9:30 a.m. and closes at 5:00 p.m., with later Friday and Saturday hours. A thousand yen is roughly the price of a bowl of ramen, and it buys the largest and best collection of Japanese art anywhere: swords, screens, ceramics, Buddhist sculpture, and the National Treasure gallery in the Honkan, which rotates so that no two visits are quite the same. The Horyuji Treasures building, a Taniguchi design of quiet concrete and glass, holds seventh-century objects in near darkness and is the part most visitors miss because it sits to the side of the main courtyard.
What was great
The best Japanese collection on earth for a thousand yen. Free for under-18s and over-70s. Rotating National Treasures mean repeat visits are rewarded. The Horyuji Treasures building is superb and usually near empty.
What nearly ruined the trip
Special exhibitions are ticketed separately and often carry the queues. The site is large and spread across several buildings, so a full visit means a lot of walking. English labelling is good in the Honkan and thinner elsewhere.
Value for money
★★★★★ BargainSafety
★★★★★ Felt safeMore from Tokyo
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