Tokyo National Museum

The Tokyo National Museum (東京国立博物館, Tōkyō Kokuritsu Hakubutsukan), located in the heart of Ueno Park, is Japan’s oldest and most prestigious museum, founded in 1872. It houses an extraordinary collection of over 100,000 cultural artifacts, including nearly 100 officially designated National Treasures and hundreds of Important Cultural Properties. The museum complex consists of six distinct buildings, each focusing on a different aspect of Japanese and Asian art and archaeology. Visitors can admire a vast range of historical treasures—from ancient Buddhist sculptures and classical ceramics to ornate samurai armor, calligraphy, lacquerware, and rare illustrated scrolls. In addition to its permanent collections, the museum hosts temporary exhibitions that feature loaned masterpieces from both domestic and international institutions, offering a dynamic cultural experience that evolves throughout the year.

Each building within the museum grounds offers a unique perspective. The Honkan (Japanese Gallery) presents the chronological development of Japanese art, spanning prehistoric times to the modern era. The Toyokan focuses on Asian art from regions such as China, Korea, and Southeast Asia, while the Hyokeikan, built in a grand Western architectural style, is itself a historic cultural property often used for special exhibitions. The Horyuji Homotsukan houses a revered collection of early Buddhist artifacts donated by the Horyuji Temple in Nara, and the Kuroda Memorial Hall honors the life and work of painter Kuroda Seiki, a pioneer of modern Western-style art in Japan. Visitors can also enjoy the seasonal beauty of the museum's traditional Japanese garden, open to the public in spring and autumn, where several teahouses offer a peaceful retreat amid the artistry and history that define the museum’s grounds.