The 10 Best Museums in Kanto, Japan

November 6, 2021 Terina Blouin

Discover the best top things to do in Kanto, Japan including The Hakone Open-Air Museum, Ghibli Museum Mitaka, National Museum of Japanese History, Gunma Natural Museum, Oya History Museum, Nihon Minkaen Japan Open Air Folk House Museum, Kasama Nichido Museum of Art, Hoki Museum, Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Natural History, The Omiya Bonsai Art Museum Saitama.
Restaurants in Kanto

1. The Hakone Open-Air Museum

1121 Ninotaira, Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun 250-0493 Kanagawa Prefecture +81 460-82-1161 http://www.hakone-oam.or.jp/
Excellent
65%
Good
28%
Satisfactory
5%
Poor
1%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 2,729 reviews

The Hakone Open-Air Museum

Art blends with nature at this huge outdoor sculpture park, where works by both Japanese and Western artists are framed by trees, grass and mountains.

Reviewed By rodrigolaniado - Shanghai, China

It was truly amazing It was my first open air museum and won’t be the last The sculptures are incredible and go perfectly with the impecable gardens Also you have plenty Picasso art which gives a good contrast with the outside exposures

2. Ghibli Museum Mitaka

1-1-83 Shimorenjaku, Mitaka 181-0013 Tokyo Prefecture +81 570-055-777 [email protected] http://www.ghibli-museum.jp/
Excellent
58%
Good
28%
Satisfactory
10%
Poor
3%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 1,898 reviews

Ghibli Museum Mitaka

The brainchild of award-winning Japanese animation director Hayao Miyazaki, this museum includes a theater showing film excerpts, a whimsical children's play zone, a rooftop garden, and exhibits related to his movies, including Spirited Away.

Reviewed By Janis857

Amazing museum for Ghibli fans. Not overwhelming - works its way into your heart, just like their productions. Relies on triggering your recall of things Ghibli that you love. I also enjoyed their presentation of the rooms and desks where the drawings were created, and the equipment used to create the moving animation. Must get tickets in advance, and line up early - aim for 10AM opening time tickets, and get in line by 9:30.. Easy 17 minute train ride on JR Chuo Line Rapid to Mitaka from Shinjuku station in Tokyo and then walk thru park to the museum -- or ride the quick, local Community Bus , stop 9 at south exit of JR Mitaka station. There is real attention to making exhibits accessible to small children. The cheerful cafe has a menu with hotdog type food - aimed for kids. After visit, recommend eating lunch at a great French restaurant - Fuyotei- located at edge of park.

3. National Museum of Japanese History

117 Jonaicho, Sakura 285-0017 Chiba Prefecture +81 43-486-0123 http://www.rekihaku.ac.jp/index.html
Excellent
53%
Good
39%
Satisfactory
6%
Poor
1%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 180 reviews

National Museum of Japanese History

4. Gunma Natural Museum

1674-1 Kamikuroiwa, Tomioka 370-2345 Gunma Prefecture +81 274-60-1200 http://www.gmnh.pref.gunma.jp/
Excellent
69%
Good
28%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 75 reviews

Gunma Natural Museum

5. Oya History Museum

909 Oyamachi, Utsunomiya 321-0345 Tochigi Prefecture +81 28-652-1232 http://www.oya909.co.jp/
Excellent
55%
Good
36%
Satisfactory
8%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 587 reviews

Oya History Museum

Reviewed By Shigeabbott - Abbottstown, United States

We had no idea how jaw dropping this place was! You are able to talk through a part of a stone mine. It makes you feel you are on another planet or something. Don’t forget to take a sweater or light jacket because it’s chilly all year around. I didn’t see any handicap accommodations and you will have to climb down and up many steps-just like when you visit a good size caves or caverns. Very limited information in English, which didn’t make much sense. But you can get what they’re trying to tell you. There is a small information area but again all in Japanese. My non-Japanese speaking teens were able to get main information by reading English signs posted here and there. They were very amused by huge tour buses driving through small areas between carved boulders in the mountain.

6. Nihon Minkaen Japan Open Air Folk House Museum

7-1-1 Masugata,Tama-ku, Kawasaki 214-0032 Kanagawa Prefecture +81 44-922-2181 http://www.nihonminkaen.jp/
Excellent
45%
Good
45%
Satisfactory
9%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 205 reviews

Nihon Minkaen Japan Open Air Folk House Museum

Reviewed By HJW09 - Foix, France

A real hidden gem well worth seeking out, accessible and good English printed guide. The preserved houses are really fascinating and so informative about how the people lived as well as being beautiful to look at in this lovely wooded landscape. It was set up to preserve the vernacular houses for future generations and has added some craft instruction sessions and special seasonal events e,g, annual Kabuki Theatre in November. We did the traditional Indigo Dyeing Workshop which was excellently presented and great fun to do with a lovely tie dyed piece to take home. Food in restaurant was copious and good quality . Definitely worth a visit .

7. Kasama Nichido Museum of Art

978-4 Kasama, Kasama 309-1611 Ibaraki Prefecture +81 296-72-2160 http://www.nichido-museum.or.jp/
Excellent
52%
Good
31%
Satisfactory
17%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 48 reviews

Kasama Nichido Museum of Art

8. Hoki Museum

3-15 Asumigaoka Higashi, Midori-ku, Chiba 267-0067 Chiba Prefecture +81 43-205-1500 http://www.hoki-museum.jp/top.html
Excellent
46%
Good
43%
Satisfactory
10%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 151 reviews

Hoki Museum

9. Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Natural History

499 Iryuda, Odawara 250-0031 Kanagawa Prefecture +81 465-21-1515 http://nh.kanagawa-museum.jp/
Excellent
41%
Good
49%
Satisfactory
8%
Poor
1%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 160 reviews

Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Natural History

10. The Omiya Bonsai Art Museum Saitama

2-24-3 Toro-cho, Kita-ku, Saitama 331-0804 Saitama Prefecture +81 48-780-2091 http://www.bonsai-art-museum.jp/ja/
Excellent
48%
Good
41%
Satisfactory
10%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 183 reviews

The Omiya Bonsai Art Museum Saitama

Omiya Bonsai Art Museum is the most historical public museum of Bonsai in the world. Bonsai is one of the most aesthetic Japanese traditional arts and one of the must-see attractions in Japan! Here you can appreciate our collection of more than 120 Bonsai masterpieces and bonsai-related artifacts such as bonsai pots, miniature landscape stones called Suiseki, literature, woodblock prints, etc. In addition, about 70 pots of bonsai varying with the seasons are displayed in the garden. Taken care of delicately and continuously by Bonsai masters, Bonsai exudes its fascinating glamour. We are looking forward to seeing you explore the elegance and the secrets of this unique living art at Omiya Bonsai Art Museum! ** 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM March-October/ 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM November-February/ Closed December 29 – January 3./ **The opening hours are subject to change due to the COVID-19 state of emergency.

Reviewed By Eric_Greeney

This bonsai museum gives you a thorough introduction to the art of the bonsai. Different species and styles of the trees and aspects in their nursing and display are presented throughout the museum that has several sections. The tour ends in a courtyard with most impressive collection of large bonsai trees that are at least 200 years old, the oldest ones even 1000 years old! Taking photos is not allowed in all areas, but permitted at least in parts of the open air collection. Saitama is a bit far away from the central Tokyo, but reasonably easy to reach by train. If you have several days to spend in Tokyo and have interest in the art of the bonsai, Saitama has also several bonsai nurseries you might be interested in. All in all, this museum is a heaven for any bonsai tree enthusiast!

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