42. Museum Review: Shinjuku Historical Museum (Shinjuku)

The Shinjuku Historical Museum is a dedicated to the history of Shinjuku Ward. There are artifacts and pottery from archaeological digs, art depicting Shinjuku in the Edo period, writings by famous people born in Shinjuku,... If for no other reason, visit this museum to see the huge model of Shinjuku as a post town in the Edo era. It was fantastic! I was also impressed by the life-sized Edo era store, trolley car, and a re-creation of rooms from a Japanese home.There is also a small garden outside the museum, a historical library, and an auditorium that can be rented by the public when not in use.Unfortunately, there is no English information. Luckily, many of the exhibits are enjoyable and understandable without translation.

Admission: 300 yen, elementary and Jr. high students 100 yen.

Address: San-ei-cho 22, Shinjuku-ku

7 minutes walk from Yotsuya Sanchome or Akebonobashi Station.

Phone: 03-3359-2131

Hours of Operation: 9:00 - 17:00, closed on Mondays.

http://www.shinjukuku-kankou.jp/english/map_index.html

**Free with the Grutt pass 2007 (#37)

41. Garden Review: Kiyosumi Teien (Koto-ku)

The Kiyosumi Gardens were originally the residence of Kinokuniya Bunzaemon, a powerful businessman of the Edo period. In 1721, the estate became the second residence of a feudal lord named Kuze-Yamatonokami. Some of the garden was created at that time. In 1878, it was purchased by the founder of the Mitsubishi Financial Group, Iwasaki Yataro. Mr. Iwasaki expanded the garden and a large pond was created. He wanted a place to host company employees and guests of honor.

Water was drawn from the Sumida River to make the pond, and stones were collected from all over Japan. Some of the stones were placed in the water to form pedestrian bridges, 'ishi-watari'. A lovely 'ryotei', or traditional Japanese restaurant, was made the focal point.

In the back of the garden, there is also a lovely wooded picnic area. In 1932, the garden was donated to the city of Tokyo.

I was very impressed with this garden. There are a number of viewpoints from which no tall buildings can be seen. It is not well known, so it is usually very peaceful. The gardening is immaculate and the stepping stones are enjoyable to walk along. I definitely recommend a visit to this garden. For a pleasant day of sightseeing, start at this garden. Walk down the main street to the Fukagawa Edo Museum. Continue on to MOT, and then take a walk around Kiba Koen. Or wander along some of the waterways that criss-cross Koto-ku.

Admission: 150 yen, 70 yen for those over 65 years old. Children under 12 and Jr. high students living or attending school in Tokyo are free.

Hours of Operation: 9:00 - 17:00

Closed during the New Years holidays

Address: 3-3-9 Kiyosumi, Koto-ku, Tokyo
Phone: 03-3641-5892


Access: 3 minutes walk from Kiyosumi-shirakawa Station of the Toei Oedo Line and Hanzomon Line.

40. Park Review: Kiba Koen (Koto-ku)

Kiba Koen (Park) is a huge and wonderful green oasis hidden among the flat, grid-like concrete streets of Koto-ku. It is not a sightseeing destination, but it is a great place for picnicking, throwing a Frisbee, or just running around in the grass. The park contains tennis courts, a open space for playing sports, a BBQ area, a flower garden, a large grassy lawn, playgrounds, a walking/cycling course,... A large pedestrian bridge breaks the park into two halves. MOT, the Museum of Contemporary Art - Tokyo, is located in the northern end of the park. The Fukagawa Edo Museum and Kiyosumi Garden are also nearby.

Access: 2 minute walk from Kiba Station. Paid parking is available in the southern end of the park, and at MOT.

39. Museum Review: MOT - Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo (Koto-ku)

I have never been a fan of museums with 'contemporary' in their titles because they are usually full of abstract art (of which I am not a fan). I made the decision to visit MOT because of a special exhibition of art by Kazuo Oga, the man behind the stunning animation art in 'Princess Mononoke', 'Howl's Moving Castle', 'Totoro',... It was a good decision.
I was pleasantly surprised by this museum. Located in a part of town not known for its architectural design, this is a beautiful building. Huge white rooms lit by natural skylights are mixed with natural wood and massive stone blocks. I agree with the museum's brochure that says 'the space itself is part of the art'.

The temporary exhibition gallery was also much larger than I expected. There were hundreds of examples of Kazuo Oga's art, spread out over two entire floors. In addition, there were films, places to take your photo with blown up copies of some of his work, a Totoro origami workshop,... I thought it was well worth the 1,100 yen exhibition fee.
With everyone viewing Oga's work, the permanent collection gallery was practically empty. Along with the standard abstract work that I do not really appreciate, there were a number of very interesting exhibits and displays that I did find very interesting. And, the museum has a number of pieces by famous foreign artists (Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein,...)

Currently the star attraction is a monstrous (and monster filled) work called 'Myth of Tomorrow' by Taro Okamoto. A very bizarre abstract, the sheer size of the piece was impressive. There are also many outdoor sculptures in the museum grounds.

In addition to the museum exhibitions; there is a restaurant, cafe, museum shop, art library, Internet cafe, and AV Gallery.

I would recommend a visit to this museum, even if your only purpose is to check out the architecture. Visit on a day the weather is nice and have a picnic in just outside in Kiba Koen (park).

**Advice concerning special exhibitions at any Japanese museums: Do not, under any circumstances, visit a special exhibition right when it opens or right before it closes. Also, don't visit on a Sunday or national holiday. Even Saturdays are mobbed. I arrived 15 minutes after the museum opened on a Thursday, there were already hundreds of people crammed into the exhibit, all of them lined up to look at each and every piece. As it was early, I just skipped the first two rooms and things thinned out. Unfortunately, this only works if you arrive just after the museum opens.

Hours of Operation: 10:00 - 18:00 (last entry at 17:30).

Closed on Mondays (the next day if Monday is a national holiday).

Admission for the permanent collection: Adults - 500 yen, University students - 400 yen, High school and adults over 65 - 250 yen. Jr. high students and younger are free.

There are discounts for groups over 20.

Address: Metropolitan Kiba Park, 4-1-1 Miyoshi, Koto-ku 135-0022

Phone: 03-5245-4111

Access: There are a number of subways stops nearby (Kiyosumi-shirakawa, Kiba, Kikukawa,...). There are also buses from Tokyo and Kinshicho Stations, and paid parking is available.

Website: http://www.mot-art-museum.jp/

**Free entry to the permanent collection with the Grutt Pass 2007 (#41).

**Grutt Pass also has a discount coupon for special exhibitions.

38. Museum Review: Basho Museum (Koto-ku)

Matsuo Basho is one of Japan's most famous poets; he is credited with establishing the present form of haiku, and for helping haiku become accepted as a major literary genre.

A small museum was opened in 1981 to exhibit artifacts related to Basho and to other writers of haiku. The museum was built on land that once held a cottage that Basho used as the base for his journeys around Japan.

Unfortunately, to enjoy this museum, you must be able to read Japanese fluently. Most of the displays are haiku, but there are no English translations.
There is a small garden outside the museum. If you are in the neighborhood, walk up through it to the riverside, then take a short walk to the left. There is a nice memorial to Basho with good views of the Sumida River and some of the river's famous bridges.

Hours of Operation: 9:30 - 17:00. Closed on Mondays and from Dec. 28 to Jan. 4.

Address: Tokiwa 1-6-3, Koto-ku. About 7 minutes walk from Morishita Station on the Oedo Shinjuku Line.

Phone: 03-3631-1448

**Free entry with Grutt Pass 2007 (#40)

37. Garden Review: Kyu-Yasuda Garden (Sumida-ku)

In the late 1600's, the Kyu-Yasuda Garden was a feudal lord's residence. The pond was famous because it was fed by the Sumida River. With the Sumida's proximity to the ocean, the water level in the pond rose and fell with the tides (although still fed by the Sumida, the water level no longer fluxuates in the garden).
Later the land was owned by Zenjiro Yasuda who granted it to the public after his death in 1922. Unfortunately it was destroyed by the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, but was renovated afterwards and opened as a park in 1927. Post WWII development polluted the Sumida River and the grounds of the garden were greatly affected, but they were restored again in 1971. Unlike most of the gardens around Tokyo, Kyu Yasuda Garden is a public park and admission is free. That said, I wouldn't recommend going out of my way to visit it. It is nice, but it is small and not so special. However, if you are visiting the Edo-Tokyo Museum or going to a Sumo tournament and you want to eat a picnic lunch outdoors, this is the spot.

Address: 12 Yokoami, Sumida-ku (Just behind Ryogoku Station).

Open everyday 9:30 - 16:30. Closed Dec 29 - Jan 1.

36. Museum Review: Edo-Tokyo Museum (Sumida-ku)

If you've ever traveled by boat up the Sumida River to Asakusa, you probably caught a glimpse of this huge, strange-looking museum. The building is actually modeled after a traditional warehouse with elevated floors. If you haven't visited it yet, make sure that you do!

The Edo-Tokyo Museum, as the name indictes, is all about the history and culture of Tokyo (once called 'Edo'). The exhibitions are excellent, and most are labeled in English. Many even have lengthy explanations.

What makes this museum so special is that it combines regular exhibits with lots of life-sized recreations; elaborate models, and a number of 'hands-on' exhibits.

Upon purchasing your ticket outside on the main (3rd floor) terrace, take the escalators up to the 5th floor. As soon as you enter the permanent exhibition space, you must walk across a replica of the original Nihonbashi (bridge). Looking down from the bridge, visitors can see life-sized replicas of a traditional Japanese theater and one of Tokyo's first Western style buildings. It is all quite impressive.

Across the bridge is 'The Edo Zone', with miniture recreations of Edo Castle and the city plan of Edo (and, of course, much more). Downstairs, 'The Edo Zone' continues with topics like: commerce, culture, daily living, amusement quarters,...

Also downstairs is 'The Tokyo Zone' which focuses on the changes that the city underwent during the 1900's - topics include: the industrial revolution, the Great Kanto Earthquake, Air raids and black markets,...

Keep an eye out for special exhibitions as well. If it is on the 5th floor, there is no extra charge. But if it is on the first floor, visitors must pay extra.

There are a number of restaurants and cafes within the museum grounds, but re-entry to the museum on the day of purchase is also ok (but make sure you get a 're-entry' ticket before you exit). I recommend trying one of the local 'chanko-nabe' restaurants nearby. The food of Sumo wrestlers, it is a very hearty and delicious stew. Many places offer a lunch serving for around 1000 yen.

If you are interested in a guide, portable English audio equipment is free (with a 1000 yen refundable deposit) or try one of the volunteer English guides. It is best to call ahead and make a reservation or they might not be available.

If I had to recommend only one museum to foreigners visiting Tokyo, this would be my choice. Even for those with short stays, it is a great way to familiarize oneself with this great city. For those with a bit of time, expect to spend at least half a day here.

Hours of Operation: 9:30 - 17:30, Saturday 9:30 - 19:30.
Closed on Mondays except during Sumo tournaments in the Kokugi-kan. When Monday is a holiday, closed the next day. Also closed from December 28 to January 1.

Admission: Adults: 600 yen, University students: 480 yen, Jr. high and high school students: 300 yen, and adults over 65: 300 yen. *There are discounts for groups of 20 or more.

**Elementary school children and younger are free. Jr. high & high school students who are residents of Tokyo are also free.

Address: 1-4-1 Yokoami, Sumida-ku 130-0015. Just outside Ryogoku Station.
Paid parking is available.

Phone: 03-3626-9974

Website: http://www.edo-tokyo-museum.or.jp/

**Free entry with Grutt Pass 2007 (#39), + discount ticket for special exhibitions.