Mitsuo Aida Museum (Tokyo)

As a brush-and-ink calligrapher and poet, Mitsuo Aida continued to pursue his own words and his own calligraphy, not imitating anyone. As a young man in the period of
upheaval during and following World War II , he established his original style and produced a great number of works while contemplating the preciousness of life.

National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation (Tokyo)

The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation (Miraikan) offers visitors of all ages to interact with its exhibits in order to come away with a greater understanding of the recent scientific discoveries that are changing the way we view the world.

Edo Castle

Edo Castle (Edo-jo) was the home castle of the line of Tokugawa shoguns who ran the Edo government which ruled Japan for roughly 260 years (from the beginning of the 17th century until 1867). It was originally built in 1457 by the daimyo Ota Dokan, who was also well-known as a poet. As it was the castle of the founding shogun of the Edo government (Tokugawa Ieyasu), it became the building that symbolized the prestige of successive shoguns, and was also the center of political power. It was the largest castle in Japan in those days, with the inner compound measuring roughly 8 km in diameter, and the outer compound measuring around 16 km. The castle donjon with a five-tiered fa溝de was an enormously high building with a stone wall measuring 51.5 m from ground level. This was destroyed, however, in the great fire of 1657. It is currently the Imperial Palace of the Emperor of Japan.

Hama-Rikyu Onshi Teien Garden

Hama Rikyu is located near the mouth of the Sumida-gawa, a large river flowing through Tokyo. The garden is divided into two major sections. The southern garden was originally a villa providing accommodation for feudal lords during the 17th to 19th centuries when they stayed in Edo (present day Tokyo). The northern garden was built later on. The southern garden has the Shio-iri-no Niwa (garden with a tidal pond) which is on the sea, and thus its scenery varies with the ebb and flow of the tide. Originally this area was the hunting grounds of the shogun who ruled Japan at that time. Later, in 1654, land was reclaimed from the sea and the villa built there. It was from here that the shogun would go boating in nearby rivers. These days the garden has a jetty used by a waterbus service.

Kiyosumi Garden

Koishikawa Korakuen Garden

Despite being situated right in the heart of Tokyo, Koishikawa Koraku-en is incredibly quiet. The gardens were laid out in 1629 by a feudal lord of that time, as the gardens of his residence in Edo (now Tokyo). Originally in the Kyoto style, they were later redesigned using Chinese techniques. The unusually shaped rocks that remain today are modeled on the garden style of a region of China south of the Yangtze. The gardens are truly an urban oasis, a peaceful haven in the heart of the city.

Kokyo Higashi Gyoen Garden (Imperial Palace East Garden)

The Kokyo Higashi Gyoen Garden (Imperial Palace East Garden) was opened to the public in 1968, covering an area of approximately 210,000 square meters from the Honmaru (Principal compound in a castle complex, where the castle owner spent his daily life and government affairs were carried out), Ninomaru (Second compound located outside of the Honmaru, where the castle owner met with feudal lords) and a part of the Sannomaru (Third compound surrounding the Ninomaru) of Edo Castle. The Honmaru section contains a vast lawn, while the Ninomaru section is maintained as an Edo Period (1603-11867) Japanese garden along with the Musashino copse, and these two sections represent the last remaining Edo Period garden in Japan. The copse, that was about to be destroyed for development in the Tokyo suburbs, was re-planted together with the entire surface soil onto a lawned section of the garden around 20 years ago, using groundbreaking construction techniques.

Kyu-Furukawa-teien Garden

Kyu-Furukawa Teien (Former Furukawa Garden) covers around 30 ha of the former residence of the wealthy Furukawa Ichibei. He built a European-style mansion on a small hill at the northern end, with a cheerful Western-style garden on the slope, and a Japanese garden further down built around a pond. An Englishman, Josiah Conder, designed both the European-style mansion and garden. With the flowerbed placed in the center, the garden is arranged on a three-tiered gently sloping terrace. A flowerbed of a geometrical pattern is laid out on the middle tier. The Japanese garden was designed by Jihei Ogawa, a well-known designer in Kyoto. Deep green bushes at the entrance to the Japanese garden create an atmosphere that is in striking contrast to the brightly-colored Western garden.

Rikugien Garden

Rikugien is located in a quiet residential area of northern Tokyo. During the 17th to 19th centuries, feudal lords staying in Edo (present day Tokyo) built their residences in this area. Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu, one of the most influential of feudal lords, designed this garden which was completed after seven years in 1695. There are 88 spots in the garden named after famous places in Japan and China and incidents from Chinese history, as well as references to waka (a traditional Japanese poetic form). Paths are mostly flat and easy to walk on, making them ideal for a gentle stroll, with an artificial mountain pass commanding a view of the entire garden.

Shinjuku Gyoen Garden

The garden has a huge area which covers 58.7 hectares in Shinjuku Shintoshin, and it represents a rare format for Japanese landscape gardens, skillfully combining three very different styles; French formal style, Japanese, and British landscape garden styles. The densely growing trees now number more than 20,000, and special varieties never seen in Japan before such as tulip trees, plane trees, and Himalayan cedar trees can be seen here, creating an entirely individual and rare sight with their immense size. The 1,500 cherry blossom trees are a famous sight in spring, and the summer greens, autumn chrysanthemums and autumnal leaves, and winter greenhouse and landscape provide beautiful fresh air and calm, that feels like an oasis in which the thronging noise of Tokyo could be a million miles away.

Edo Tokyo Building Park Museum

The Edo Tokyo Building Park Museum is an outdoor museum of buildings in Edo (now Tokyo) dating from the 17th to the 20th century. Visitors here can enjoy a glimpse of life in old Tokyo, very different from the present-day city of high-rise buildings. The outdoor exhibits are divided into three zones. One zone comprises old private houses with thatched roofs. Another zone comprises buildings of high historical value, such as the mansion of Korekiyo Takahashi, Prime Minister of Japan at the beginning of the 20th century. The downtown area is recreated in the third zone, with old shops, a public bathhouse and taverns lining the street. The history of urban life in Tokyo is also explained in an easy to understand panel format in the exhibition room housing the permanent collection.

Edo Tokyo Hakubutsukan

Edo Tokyo Hakubutsukan (The Edo Tokyo Museum) present information about Tokyo. The political nerve center of Japan for 400 years, Tokyo was formerly known as Edo. The exhibition space is divided into an Edo Zone, Tokyo Zone, and Comprehensive History Zone, and displays around 2,500 items. They include ukiyo-e woodblock prints depicting the manners and customs of earlier times, clothes, and old maps. There are also more than 50 large-scale models. Visitors can learn about various aspects of the city and see how everyday life has changed.

JCII Camera Museum

The Japan Camera and Optical Instruments Inspection and Testing Institute (JCII) Camera Museum was opened to the public in 1989 and systematically presents the history of the development of Japanese cameras. The Giroux Daguerreotype camera, the world's first camera distributed in the market, is the only such camera exhibited in Japan. A variety of famous cameras illustrate the history of development from the first camera mass-produced in Japan to present-day digital cameras. Special exhibitions are held every four months, focusing on the functions of cameras, or the products of specific countries, to show every aspect of cameras for their enthusiasts.

Japanese Sword Museum

Since the introduction of sword-making techniques from the Asian Continent, Japanese swords have been improved throughout Japan's long history of warfare. They were not only traditional weapons but also sometimes regarded as an object of faith or a symbol of power. The Japanese Sword Museum collects and preserves 152 items, including swords such as the ones designated as National Treasures made by Nobuyoshi, Kuniyuki (Rai) and Kuniyuki (Taima), sword fittings, armor, and documents of metal working. Usually, exhibitions such as the "Koto (old sword) and Shinto (new sword) Exhibition" are held and the works of famous swordsmiths from the Heian to Edo Periods (782-1867) are on display. The Archives Room houses about 1,500 historical documents and archives on swords.

Kokuritsu Kagaku Hakubutsukan (National Science Museum)

Kokuritsu Kagaku Hakubutsukan (The National Science Museum) is located in Ueno Koen, a park in Tokyo. As a general science museum, it has collected a wide range of materials and information on the natural sciences and their applications. In the section called The Evolution of Living Things in one of the regular exhibition halls, visitors can trace the history of living things by theme, from the evolution and adaptation of organisms to the development of human beings. Other sections include Meteorites and the Solar System Timekeeper and Fauna and Flora in Japan. The central hall in the basement houses a display of Fourcault's Pendulum, allowing the visitor to experience the sensation of the earth rotating on its axis. An extension to the museum was opened in April 1999, featuring an Experience Corner where visitors can learn more about nature and science through hands-on experience.

Kokuritsu Kagaku Hakubutsukan (National Science Museum)

Kokuritsu Kagaku Hakubutsukan (The National Science Museum) is located in Ueno Koen, a park in Tokyo. As a general science museum, it has collected a wide range of materials and information on the natural sciences and their applications. In the section called The Evolution of Living Things in one of the regular exhibition halls, visitors can trace the history of living things by theme, from the evolution and adaptation of organisms to the development of human beings. Other sections include Meteorites and the Solar System Timekeeper and Fauna and Flora in Japan. The central hall in the basement houses a display of Fourcault's Pendulum, allowing the visitor to experience the sensation of the earth rotating on its axis. An extension to the museum was opened in April 1999, featuring an Experience Corner where visitors can learn more about nature and science through hands-on experience.

Kokuritsu Nogakudo (National Noh Theater)

Japanese Sarugaku (Noh farce) was originally a public entertainment with its beginnings in monomane (imitation), which later divided into Noh plays and Kyogen farce. Noh and Kyogen have developed in tandem. Noh is acted using masks (called omote in Noh terminology), and understated movements and the muffled voice from beneath these masks create a unique and dignified atmosphere. Kyogen meanwhile is performed between items on the Noh program. The comical nature of Kyogen alleviates the tension generated by the Noh play. Both Noh and Kyogen are performed in Nogakudo Theaters. Originally, both Noh and Kyogen were performed outdoors, and thus the stage has a roof. The National Noh Theater incorporates a roofed Noh stage and audience seating in their original forms for Noh and Kyogen performed here.

Museum of Maritime Science

This six-story building plus basement, shaped like a full-sized ocean liner, is completely devoted to ships. The Museum has mainly five areas, and provides the public with information about ocean development (exploring the seas), the history and the mechanisms of ships, ship steering, fishing boats and ports, marine transport, marine leisure activities, and Japanese ships. Visitors can simulate steering a ship using a radio-controlled ship and can also enjoy watching a film, "The Ocean, Ships and People", on a 2-story screen set in the basement of the Marine Theater. Its library collects maritime-related books and its observation room commands panoramic views of Tokyo Bay.

NHK Museum of Broadcasting

The NHK Museum of Broadcasting was opened in 1956 as the world's first museum exclusively exhibiting broadcasting items. Since broadcasting started in Japan, technology has greatly progressed from radio to television, and then later to satellite broadcasting, and High-Definition and digital broadcasting. In the Broadcasting Library, visitors can watch approximately 6,000 old NHK programs previously on-air and can obtain access to pertinent literature and information relating to broadcasting and its history. The machinery is preserved as it actually works, and the visitors can use, for example, a Western Electric Type 373 microphone, a product which is over 80 years old.

National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation (Miraikan)

The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation engages in three activities that link people and cutting-edge science and technology: communication science, fostering personnel, and creating a link. Considering science and technology as a part of our culture, the Museum provides an open forum for all people to think and talk about the roles and possibilities that science and technology can provide for Japan's society. While considering science technology from a broad perspective and dimensions, such as the universe, the earth and human beings, the museum's permanent displays are dedicated to the themes of "The Earth Environment and Frontiers", "Innovation and the Future", "Information Science Technology and Society" and "Life Science and Human Beings". It also provides the public with various opportunities to experience cutting-edge science and technology through hands-on exhibits, as well as workshops and seminars of distinguished researchers.

National Showa Memorial Museum (Showakan)

Showakan is a national memorial museum to commemorate Japanese suffering during and after World War II and to pass on this historical commemoration to later generations. The museum collects, preserves and exhibits historical documents on the life hardships suffered by the Japanese people, especially by the families of the war victims , both during and after the war (in the years of 1935 to 1955), providing younger people with an opportunity to learn about this era in Japan's history. Up to the present date, the museum has collected approximately 18,000 items, including letters, clothes and daily commodities, and displays about 700 of them.

Paper Museum

The Paper Museum was opened in 1950 in Oji, Kita-ku, Tokyo, where the first western-style paper manufacturer, the Oji Paper Manufacturing Company, was established. Based on the Company's original collection, the museum preserves and exhibits a wide range of paper and paper-related items and also conducts educational activities. In its three exhibit rooms, visitors can learn about the paper manufacturing industry and the history of paper around the world, and can participate in workshops in paper making. Its library has approximately 8,000 books and other documents on paper, and these are open for public use.

Sumo Museum

The Sumo Museum collects and preserves a wide range of materials relating to the history of sumo wrestling. The museum possesses 3,700 sumo Nishiki-e (multi-colored woodblock prints), 500 sumo dolls, Banzuke (official ranking list), and Kesho-mawashi (a silk belt with a heavily embroidered large apron with thick tassels worn by upper ranked wrestlers). The exhibits change six times each year. The museum also functions as a research center, continuously studying and reviewing sumo history as an integral part of Japanese culture. The museum was first opened in September 1954, when the Kuramae Kokugikan was completed, and was relocated to its current location in the Ryogoku Kokugikan in January 1985.

The Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

The Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, the first of its kind in Japan, was established in June, 1959, and was relocated to the Tokyo Dome in 1988. Bronze relief portraits of all Hall of Famers (honored for their great contributions to the development of baseball) are displayed, along with a wealth of information on the history of baseball, both professional and amateur. The collection includes about 30,000 memorable baseball materials, such as memorabilia and photos. Approximately 2,000 of these materials are constantly on exhibit. The museum's library has about 50,000 books on baseball and other sports.

The Traditional Performing Arts Information Centre (of the National Theatre of Japan)

The Traditional Performing Arts Information Centre was opened next to the National Theatre of Japan in March, 2003. The first floor displays historical documents such as Kabuki manuscripts called "Dogucho" and multi-colored woodblock prints known as "Nishiki-e" and digital exhibits with images and sounds. On the second floor, there are about 230,000 books on performing arts and 5,000 of them are open to the public. To provide the public with an opportunity to become more familiar with Japanese traditional and contemporary performing arts, a Cultural Digital Library System is now being developed under the auspices of the government. The museum also exhibits on the Internet images which have never previously been accessible for public display.

Tobacco and Salt Museum

The Tobacco and Salt Museum was opened in 1978 to collect materials and conduct studies about tobacco and salt, and to widely introduce their history and influence on Japanese culture. The permanent exhibition systematically shows the cultural and industrial history of these products and the special exhibition focuses on ukiyo-e woodblock prints and smoking pipes and utensils. The Museum contains approximately 1,500 ukiyo-e prints on tobacco, 400 tobacco boxes and bags, and 700 tobacco trays. These are not only valuable as historical materials for the study of the culture of smoking in Japan, but also precious as art objects.

Tokyo Kokuritsu Hakubutsukan (Tokyo National Museum)

Tokyo Kokuritsu Hakubutsukan (The Tokyo National Museum) collects and exhibits important cultural items from Japan and other countries in the Far East, and currently houses a huge collection of 89,000 items, including almost 100 designated National Treasures and over 500 Important Cultural Properties. The building itself is of historical significance, and has also been called the museum of art museums and museum architecture. The Main Hall exhibits Japanese art and archaeological relics by category, as well as items of craftwork. The Far East Hall displays artworks and archaeological relics from Asia, Egypt and other parts of the world. The Horyu-ji Treasure Hall houses some 300 treasures from the famous temple in Nara, dating from the 7th and 8th centuries. Special exhibitions on particular themes are also held from time to time, as well as exhibitions of items from other fields.

Tokyo Kokuritsu Kindai Bijutsukan (The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo) Film Center

Tokyo Kokuritsu Kindai Bijutsukan (The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo) Film Center was inaugurated in 1952 as the film division of the National Modern Art Museum, and opened to the public in 1970. The building was renovated in 1995. The center collects and preserves film data and information on both Japanese and overseas films, and is also engaged in the restoration of damaged films. The center holds scheduled screenings on various themes, and its library, housing a collection of movie-related literature, is open to the public. Film information is also displayed in the exhibition room.

Aida Mitsuo Museum

This is a museum dedicated to Mitsuo Aida (1924-1991), a calligrapher-poet. While contemplating the preciousness of life, he established his original style and produced a great number of works. The collection includes approximately 450 calligraphy works such as "Au (encounter)" and "Inochi Ippai (filled with life)," his masterpiece; 70-80 of his works are constantly exhibited.

Ghibli Museum, Mitaka

The Ghibli Museum is located in the Mitaka Inokashira Park, Tokyo, owned by Hayao Miyazaki, Japan's preeminent creator of animated films (anime). It is comprised of five rooms containing the permanent collection, which presents the world of Studio Ghibli and the process of filmmaking including the principles of animation. Its special exhibition changes annually and features specific writers, their works and production studios. Containing 2 stories and a basement, with a colorful appearance, the Museum provides a hands-on experience of Miyazaki films.

Hara Museum of Contemporary Art

Founded under the auspices of the Foundation Arc-en-Ciel, the Hara Museum of Contemporary Art collects and exhibits the world's best works of contemporary art. Beginning with Andy Warhol and Jasper Johns, its collection comprises about 850 works by artists from around the world, focusing on pop art and abstract expressionism since the 1950's. In order to promote international exchanges in art, the Museum holds exhibitions in close cooperation with foreign artists and museums. Its three-story Bauhaus-style building was originally designed as a personal residence, and then converted to a museum with sculptures and other objects dispersed in the spacious gardens.

Idemitsu Museum

Sazo Idemitsu, founder of Japanese petroleum company Idemitsu Kosan, collected art for more than 70 years. The Idemitsu Museum was established in 1966 for the purpose of displaying these works to the public. Items housed in the museum include: thousand year-old Yamato-e paintings (painting on Japanese themes); old Chinese paintings; genre paintings depicting people's everyday lives, which were in great vogue from the latter half of the 16th century to the 17th century; ukiyo-e woodblock prints, which became very popular; and paintings depicting mainly intellectuals, a style that came to the fore from the mid-18th century. Also included are old works of calligraphy and ceramics from Japan and China. Many of these items have been designated either National Treasures or Important Cultural Properties by the Japanese government.

Kokuritsu Seiyo Bijutsukan (The National Museum of Western Art)

Kokuritsu Seiyo Bijutsukan was established to house works of French art collected over many years by Kojiro Matsukata, the son of Japanese prime minister Masayoshi Matsukata, and to exhibit these works of art to the general public. Known as the Matsukata Collection, these works were placed under the control of the French government after World War II, and werereturned to Japan in 1959. The design of this museum is the work of the French architect Le Corbusier. Along with 53 sculptures by Rodin, including The Thinker, the exhibits here also feature works by Courbet, Monet, Renoir and Gauguin, offering insights into the history of Western art from the Renaissance to the mid-20th century.

Mori Arts Center Gallery/Mori Art Museum

The Mori Arts Center Gallery was established in 2003 as a cultural complex on the upper floors of Roppongi Hills Mori Tower. Instead of maintaining a permanent collection, the Gallery stages exhibitions, research projects, pubic programs and other genre-straddling activities focused on contemporary art. It was designed by Richard Gluckman, a famous architect of museums and galleries such as the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, and the Guggenheim Museum in Berlin.

Suntory Museum of Art

The Suntory Museum of Art excels in collecting and exhibiting Japan's time-honored arts and crafts under the theme of "Beauty in Everyday Life." Its collection consists of over 3,000 articles closely connected to Japanese life; paintings, ceramics, lacquerware, glass, and dyed fabrics. Ceramics are the most important collection in the Museum, and are arranged to trace the history of Japanese ceramics. Moreover, the glass collection covers a wide range of fields: Japanese glass in the Edo Period (1603-1867), European glass in the Art Nouveau period, especially the works of Emile Galle, and Qianlong glass of Qing Dynasty China.

The National Art Center, Tokyo

Established in January 2007, the National Art Center, Tokyo, has a total of 14,000 square meters of exhibition space, the largest in Japan. Instead of maintaining a permanent collection, it focuses on serving as a venue for various art exhibitions and is the first of its kind in the world. In addition to holding more than 10 exhibitions at a time, the Center also promotes educational activities, as well as collects and disseminates information and data about art. This unique and innovative art exhibition facility was designed by Kisho Kurokawa, who also designed the new Kuala Lumpur Airport and the Exhibition Wing of the Van Gogh Museum.

Tokyo Kokuritsu Kindai Bijutsukan (The National Museum of Modern Art)

Tokyo Kokuritsu Kindai Bijutsukan (The National Museum of Modern Art) is situated right in the heart of Tokyo, amid the tranquil greenery of the Imperial Palace grounds and the park Kitanomaru Koen. Through its exhibits, this art museum attempts to keep people abreast of developments in modern art in Japan, within the context of trends in modern art around the world. Included in the collection here are some thirty works by Ryuzaburo Umehara, one of the most prominent artists of Western painting in Japan. This artist donated self-portraits from his early period, Chinese landscapes and portraits from his intermediate period, and from his latter period, Nude and other works. The museum also possesses many pieces by other leading Japanese painters, including Taikan Yokoyama and Ryusei Kishida.

Tokyo Kokuritsu Kindai Bijutsukan Kogeikan (Museum of Modern Art Technical Art Hall)

The building of the Tokyo Kokuritsu Kindai Bijutsukan Kogeikan dates back to 1943. It was originally constructed as a government building housing the headquarters of the Imperial Guards, who were responsible for the security of the Imperial Palace. It has been preserved as a valuable example of the history of Japanese Western-style architecture, and designated an Important Cultural Property by the Japanese government. To turn it into a museum, the outer walls and central staircase were restored and the interior renovated to provide exhibition space. Permanent exhibits include ceramics, lacquerware, dyed cloth, metalwork, wood and bamboo works and industrial design artifacts. The museum has collected about 1,500 items from Japan and the rest of the world, mainly in the past 50 years. Among these, 100 items are on permanent display.

Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography

The Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography specializes in still and moving images and contains 18,000 photographs, 2,300 image documents and 16,000 books about photography. The Museum is the first of its kind in Japan. In addition to Exhibition Galleries of still and moving images, it also has its Library, Atelier, Image Permanence Laboratory for research about the science of preservation, and Hall to show films. Its collection contains not only the works of the best Japanese photographers, but also a number of photographs by foreign artists such as Gustave Le Gray, Ansel Adams and W. Eugene Smith.

Tokyo-to Gendai Bijutsukan

Tokyo-to Gendai Bijutsukan (The Tokyo Contemporary Art Museum) houses a collection of around 3,800 works tracing the history of contemporary art. The museum's definition of modern art is post-1945 fine art produced by new creative activities reflecting international trends. The collection includes avant-garde works from Japan and other nations. These help visitors understand contemporary art in an international perspective. The permanent exhibition includes over one hundred pieces from the collection, including works by Andy Warhol and Tadanori Yokoo, to help visitors appreciate trends in contemporary art. The museum also arranges unique programs, including large international exhibitions.

Hie-jinja Shrine

The Hie-jinja Shrine was established in 1478 by the regional lord, Ota Dokan, to enshrine the apportioned spirit of the Kawagoe Sannou-sha Shrine as the guardian deity of the land of Edo (today's Tokyo), while he ruled it and built Edo Castle. In 1659, it was moved to the current location in the Akasaka district, south of the Imperial Palace. The shrine holds the Sanno Matsuri (festival). Along with the Kanda Matsuri, it was one of the Tenka [World's Greatest] Matsuri, which the shogun attended during the Tokugawa period, and is now counted as one of the three largest festivals in Japan, together with the Gion Matsuri in Kyoto and the Tenjin Matsuri in Osaka. The Hie Shrine preserves many important treasures, such as the "Itomaki-no-Tachi" (long sword with lacing on the scabbard) by Ichimonji Norimune (national treasure) and a sword by Bishu Osafune Nagamitsu that was owned by Emperor Meiji.

Ikegami-Honmon-ji Temple

The temple of Ikegami-Honmon-ji was established where Nichiren, a distinguished saint in Buddhist history, died in 1282. Ikegami-Honmon-ji is a very important temple for devotees of the Nichiren sect across the country. As a prominent temple in the Kanto area, it is also famed for the many well-known figures in Japanese history entombed there. Within the temple grounds stands a five-storied pagoda -- the oldest in the Kanto area -- built early in the 17th century. The pagoda was constructed in the Momoyama style of architecture, featuring the glorious artistic style of the mid-16th century. Pagodas from this era are a rarity in Japan, and this is considered a valuable building. Around 13 October, the day Nichiren departed, many people visit the temple, and on the evening of 12 October, in particular, up to 350,000 people form a queue to visit Honmon-ji to pray. The temple is also known for cherry blossoms in the springtime, when it attracts many visitors.

Kan'ei-ji Temple

The temple of Kan'ei-ji was founded in 1625 by a bishop named Tenkai Sojo to serve the Tokugawa clan, then rulers of Japan. The temple originally functioned as a prayer hall to protect the Ki-mon ("Demon's Gate") of Edo Castle, but later became the temple of the Tokugawa family in which the family held Buddhist services. Under the protection of the Tokugawa family, at its peak the temple housed 68 buildings of various sizes. Most of these, however, were destroyed by fire in subsequent civil wars. The temple also contained an enormous image of the Buddha which was destroyed by the great Kanto earthquake that hit Tokyo in 1923, and only the face remains enshrined today. In the graveyard at the back of the temple is a mausoleum enshrining six shoguns of the Tokugawa family. The mausoleum is made of bronze, 3 m in height, and has been designated an Important Cultural Property by the Japanese government.

Kanda-jinja Shrine

Kanda-jinja is also known as Kanda-myojin. The shrine was built in the year 730 around what is presently Shomonzuka, in the Otemachi area of Chiyoda-ku. Two hundred years later, the spirit of Taira-no-Masakado, who started an uprising against the government of this region, was enshrined here.In 1590, Tokugawa Ieyasu, lord of the region, decided to establish his government at Edo, and began building a great city. The shrine was then moved to its present location in 1616, and the deity of the shrine became the guardian deity of Ki-mon ("Demon Gate") of Edo Castle. The people of Edo were familiar with this deity as the guardian of the entire city.

Meiji-jingu Shrine

Meiji-jingu was founded in 1921 to enshrine the Emperor and Empress Meiji, Japan's first sovereign following the demise of rule by the samurai class. Most of the major buildings of the shrine were burned down in 1945 due to air raids during World War II, but thanks to donations from Japan and abroad, all were reconstructed in 1958. With many large trees still growing in its grounds, Meiji-jingu is a precious wooded area in the heart of the city. The area is also home to many birds and insects, and together with the extensive Yoyogi Koen (the park beside the shrine), it is a soothing oasis in the middle of Tokyo.

Nezu-jinja Shrine

The Nezu-jinja Shrine is said to have been established over 1,900 years ago by the legendary priest Yamato Takeru no Mikoto in Sendagi with Susano'o no Mikoto as the chief deity. In the Edo Period (1600-1867), the 5th shogun Tsunayoshi relocated it from Sendagi to Nezu to commemorate the adoption of Ienobu as his successor and the 6th shogun Ienobu chose it as the guardian deity. The Gongen-style architectures (typical of modern shrines) of Honden (main sanctuary), Haiden (worship hall), Heiden (offering hall), Karamon (Chinese-style gate), Romon (two-story gate) and Sukibei (lattice-windowed wall) are designated as nationally Important Cultural Properties.

Senso-ji Temple

Located in Asakusa, part of Taito-ku, Tokyo, Senso-ji was -- according to legend -- founded with the enshrining of a statue of the Kannon-Bosatsu (goddess of mercy) caught in the net of a fisherman on the Sumida-gawa in the spring of 628. Members of the shogunate, based in Kamakura in present-day Kanagawa Prefecture in the latter half of the 12th century, were devout worshippers here. The temple retained official support under the Tokugawa shogunate which took power in the 17th century in Edo (present-day Tokyo). Most of the buildings were destroyed by fire during air raids in World War II. Subsequent donations by people from all over the country. however, made it possible to reconstruct the Kannon-do, the Kaminari-mon (the main front gate) and other parts of the temple complex. Today, Senso-ji attracts many visitors from all over Japan and abroad as one of the most famous sightseeing spots in Tokyo. Nearby is another popular attraction -- the shrine Asakusa-jinja. The Sanja Matsuri ("Festival of Three Shrines"), held in May every year is known as one of the major festivals of Edo.

Tsukiji Honganji Temple

The original Tsukiji Honganji Temple, with an Indian-style exterior, was built in 1617 near Asakusa, but was burnt down in a huge fire that swept through Edo (Tokyo) in 1657. The Temple was then rebuilt on the present site, but destroyed again by the Great Tokyo Earthquake of 1923. The current main building was built in 1934.The main building possesses a distinctive ambience not found in other Japanese temples, due to its variety of architectural styles. The design of the stone exterior was based on an ancient Indian style and combines Buddhist, Hindu and Islamic architectural styles in a complex manner. The columns and wide stairs of the Temple moreover are reminiscent of Greek and Roman architectural styles. Inside, Buddhist statues are placed on the altar in the same way as a Japanese temple, creating a solemn air. And at the back of the main building is a pipe organ made in the former West Germany. The main building, which fuses a myriad of cultures, is a building of great artistic value.

Yushima Tenman-gu Shrine

Yushima Tenman-gu is located in Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo. The shrine is thought to have been founded in 458, and later, in 1355, enshrined the spirit of Sugawara Michizane, who had been banished from Kyoto to Kyushu and died in disgrace. The shrine received powerful protection from the 17th century onward in particular, when Japan was governed by the shogunate based in Edo (present Tokyo). An eminent scholar and calligrapher, Sugawara Michizane was worshipped as a god of learning, bring a constant stream of visitors with scholarly or literary hopes to the shrine. Even now, many students visit the shrine seeking blessings for their success in entrance examinations.

Zojo-ji Temple

Zojo-ji was built in 1393 in the Kaizuka area of Edo (the present Kioi-cho area of Chiyoda-ku). In 1590, the future shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu moved to this area which he took as his new domain. After that, Zojo-ji and Kan'ei-ji in Ueno became the two temples where memorial services were held for the family of the Tokugawa shoguns.The vast temple precinct, which has an area of 85,000 sq m, contains the cemetery of six generations of the Tokugawa shoguns. Formerly there were 3,000 priests regularly at this great temple. Sangedatsu-mon (gate), which was built in 1622, is the only remaining structure which indicates the former greatness of Zojo-ji. It is designated by the national government as an Important Cultural Property.

Murayama Oshima-tsumugi (pongee)

This is a type of tsumugi textile woven in and around the city of Musashi-Murayama, Tokyo. The fabric is modeled on the Oshima-tsumugi weaving of Kagoshima Prefecture, the birthplace of Tsumugi, and is characterized by splashed pattern threads dyed using a technique called itajime, in which threads are fastened on a board for dyeing. In about 1920, Murayama Oshima-tsumugi was created as a woven textile by combining the cotton Murayama-kongasuri and silk Sunagawa-futo-ori techniques and is mainly used for making kimonos. Murayama Oshima-tsumugi was designated a traditional craft in 1970.

Tokyo hand-dyed yuzen

Yuzen is a type of dyed textile unique to Japan and used for kimonos. Yuzen was first produced around 300 years ago in Kyoto by the dye artist Miyazaki Yuzensai, and became popular in Edo (now Tokyo) by the first half of the 19th century, due to the influence of pattern artisans who moved from Kyoto, passing down the techniques of hand-dyed yuzen to ukiyo-e artists in Edo. Yuzen production requires clean water, and initially was based at the estuary of the Kanda-gawa, moving gradually upstream and finally to Nerima-ku in Tokyo. What distinguishes Tokyo hand-dyed yuzen is the fact that a single artisan carries out the entire process in one continuous operation from design concept to finishing touches. Tokyo hand-dyed yuzen was designated a traditional craft in 1980.

Tokyo-some-komon

Komon is a fine patterned dye effect created by printing. Viewed from a distance the fabric appears plain, but closer inspection reveals tiny geometrical patterns. Komon fabric began to be widely produced in the 17th century. The feudal lords governing various parts of the country gathered in Edo (now Tokyo), and Edo gradually became the production center for dyeing their kamishimo ceremonial attire. Komon dyeing subsequently became popular among the general public, however in recent years the technique has been applied mainly to kimono and haori, exclusively for women. Tokyo-some-komon dyeing was designated a traditional craft in 1976.