Tokyo · MUSEUMS
21 reviewed
Good museum experiences book out in Tokyo, and the best go first. Ranked here are the 15 that earn it, with current prices and what sets each apart, so you can lock one in before the calendar fills.
teamLab Planets TOKYO is a full-body, interactive digital art museum where your presence changes the artworks, including a famous Water Gallery.
“it was a great experience and the staff were great.”
A guided Tokyo museum tour on samurai and ninjas, with shuriken throwing and samurai dress-up, plus armor and sword exhibits.
“We had such a fantastic time visiting the Samurai Museum with Ken (I think!) as our guide. The visit was super engaging and fun for the kids — they were captivated from start to finish — and we adults also learned a lot along the way. The format was just right: not too short, not too long, and really well balanced. Even though we were part of a big group, Ken managed it perfectly so that everyone felt included and comfortable. Highly recommended!”
Dress as a ninja in Asakusa, learn weapon-throwing skills, play a treasure hunt, and get a photo shoot in a family-friendly Tokyo museum.
“I booked this experience for my 9yo so who is obsessed with ninjas and I wasn’t really enthused about doing this activity. But, I’m not sure who had more fun a great experience and very friendly staff. The museum tour was informative. Would definitely recommend!”
Ghibli Museum, Edo-Tokyo open-air streets, and Hotel Gajoen lunch from Shinjuku. Coach, guided bus commentary, and tickets included.
“I really enjoyed the tour altogether! The architecture museum was amazing and it was so fun getting to explore!”
Tokyo samurai sword and ninja museum in Asakusa: hakama dress-up, iaido lessons, replica sword fight, museum visit, shuriken fun.
“The guide (Santo I think his name was, apologies if I've got his name wrong), made the tour very enjoyable. Enjoyed the sword and shuriken throwing as well as the history. Highly recommend it to anyone thinking of doing it.”
Asakusa’s Samurai Ninja Museum tour pairs a 2-hour katana lesson with armor, ninja shuriken trial, and guided history plus photo scenes.
“Great fun, the museum is interesting and the sword lesson was great, we got to learn a little routine”
Art Aquarium Museum GINZA blends light, music, and scent around goldfish inside Ginza Mitsukoshi. Plan about 1 hour, $17 ticket.
“This was a great addition to my last day in Tokyo. Located inside a department store, it was easy to find. I spent maybe 30 minutes walking around and take pictures. I had tickets midweek and at 1030am so only few other people were present and I was able to take beautiful pictures without interrupting others. The gift store had wonderful souvenirs.”
Hands-on samurai sword training in Asakusa, plus a Samurai and Ninja Museum stop, costume dress-up, and ninja star practice.
“The sword experience was absolutely amazing. Taught by Ryo, the 20+ generation of a samurai family. He was professional, clearly skilled, and very friendly. The initial museum tour was okay, but overrun with people who didn't care to listen and were roudy/disrespectful to the guide. It certainly took away from that part of the experience. The sword experience was a much smaller group of truly interested individuals.”
Ninja training in Tokyo Asakusa: dress in full ninja gear, hunt for treasure, try shuriken and blowgun skills, and get photos in 75 min.
“This was cute. My 5 year old enjoyed it. I think it was a bit overpriced. Guide was great though.”
A focused 2-hour private walk through Tokyo National Museum. See Horyuji, Silk Road treasures, Ukiyo-e, netsuke, plus optional archaeology.
“Yoko has been a great guide! Clear and patient has allowed us to make the best out of our 2 hours visit”
Guided Cup Noodles Museum tour in Yokohama plus a hands-on My Cup Noodles Factory session. Learn Momofuku Ando’s story and build your own cup.
“Andy was a great guide. It would not have been as interesting tour if it had not been for her. She made the history of cup of noodles come to life with lots of background information.”
A one-day Hakone escape from Tokyo: open-air art at the museum, volcanic steam at Owakudani, and Lake Ashi serenity by Hakone Shrine.
“Everything was on time and the ride was smooth. We were able to hit all of the spots with no issues and our guide was really helpful every step of the way. Great way to see Hakone”
Pre-book your Tokyo Fuji Art Museum entry and enjoy rotating special exhibitions at your own pace, with no ticket-line stress.
“It's been quite a while since I've been here, as it's a bit far. The permanent exhibition was wonderful, and I was repeatedly surprised to find a painting by this artist in Japan. Online discount vouchers were a great deal.Auto-translated”
Studio tour, anime museum, and hands-on drawing class in Suginami. Learn how anime is made and try sketching with an English guide.
“My girlfriend is an anime lover, so I booked this anime tour about a month before our trip as a gift for her. We were lucky to have Maya-san as our tour guide. I’ve got to say, it was such a cool experience! The tour was super informative, with tRead more”
A 150-minute private English tour around Ueno’s temples and the Tokyo National Museum, with a great Kiyomizu Kannon-dō view.
“We had an excellent and informative tour around Ueno Park with our guide Ms Mieko. Starting off with the grounds and then later into the National Museum. Mieko explained the history of the current grounds right up to the present day.”
