Museum / Science Museum Spots in Japan

Area

Japan
- Japan
- Hokkaido / Tohoku
  
  Hokkaido
  
  Aomori
  
  Iwate
  
  Miyagi
  
  Akita
  
  Yamagata
  
  Fukushima
- Kanto
  
  Ibaraki
  
  Tochigi
  
  Gunma
  
  Saitama
  
  Chiba
  
  Tokyo
  
  Kanagawa
- Koshinetsu / Hokuriku
  
  Niigata
  
  Toyama
  
  Ishikawa
  
  Fukui
  
  Yamanashi
  
  Nagano
- Tokai
  
  Gifu
  
  Shizuoka
  
  Aichi
  
  Mie
- Kinki
  
  Shiga
  
  Kyoto
  
  Osaka
  
  Hyogo
  
  Nara
  
  Wakayama
- Chugoku
  
  Tottori
  
  Shimane
  
  Okayama
  
  Hiroshima
  
  Yamaguchi
- Shikoku
  
  Tokushima
  
  Kagawa
  
  Ehime
  
  Kochi
- Kyushu / Okinawa
  
  Fukuoka
  
  Saga
  
  Nagasaki
  
  Kumamoto
  
  Oita
  
  Miyazaki
  
  Kagoshima
  
  Okinawa

Category

Leisure / Hobbies

Leisure / Outdoors

Museum / Science Museum

Kobe City Museum

4.0

184 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Hyogo Pref. Koubeshi Chuou-ku Kyoumachi 24

Located in Kobe City, Kobe City Museum was opened in 1982. The building that houses the Museum was originally constructed to serve as the Kobe Branch of the former Yokohama Specie Bank; some extension work was undertaken when it was redeveloped to house the Museum. The building is registered as a National Tangible Cultural Property; it was the last building project completed by the famous architect Sakurai Kotaro. There are around 70,000 items in the Museum’s collections, including National Treasures; the items include archeological finds, works of art imported into Japan from Southeast Asia and Europe during the Edo period and earlier, art related to Kobe, the “Portrait of St. Francis Xavier” and other famous artworks, etc. Besides the Museum’s permanent exhibitions, several thematic exhibitions are held every year.

The museum is amazing if you’re interested in Kobe’s history. The first floor is free. If you don’t speak Japanese well, you won’t have to worry since they have all English subtitles when projecting...
Uji City The Tale of Genji Museum

4.0

146 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Kyoto Ujishi Uji Higashiuchi 45-26

This museum located in Uji City, Kyoto Prefecture collects and displays materials pertaining to the Genji Monogatari (Tale of Genji), the full-length novel by Murasaki Shikibu. Inside, it is divided into video exhibition rooms including the Heian-no-Ma which introduces the world of the Genji Monogatari and the life of Japanese nobles with models and video, and the Uji-no-Ma, which takes the theme of Uji Jujo (The 10 Quires of Uji) in the third part of the Genji Monogatari, which was set in Uji. There are also a teahouse offering Japanese sweets and a shop selling merchandise related to the Genji Monogatari.

This attractive modern museum reveals the ancient and elegant world of the Heian period of Japan through interactive displays, full screen sets and models. The focus? Just one:The Tale of Genji...
Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum

4.5

155 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Hyogo Kobe-shi Chuo-ku Kumochicho 7-5-1

This museum is Takenaka Corporation’s corporate museum located in Chuo Ward, Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture. It is Japan’s only museum that features collections and exhibits on the theme of carpenter tools. The permanent exhibits feature carpenter tools that supported Japan’s construction in the past and introduce the skill and wisdom of the carpenters who wielded them, not to mention the culture surrounding architecture and trees. There are models visitors can touch as well as touch panel picture scrolls, allowing visitors to enjoy the displays using all five senses. Special exhibits focused on architecture and design are opened several times a year.

If you appreciate wood working quality and skills then you will love this museum. Some of the works are so perfect, so beautiful, you can only just admire the level of craftsmanship. To combine these...
Hakodate City Seikan Ferry Memorial Ship “Mashu-maru”

4.0

236 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Hokkaido Hakodateshi Wakamatsuchou 12 - ahead

Hakodate City Seikan Ferry Memorial Ship “Mashu-maru” is where the Mashu-maru is preserved and open to the public in the actual boarding point where it operated until the last day of the Aomori-Hakodate ferry in 1988. In addition to the being able to visit the steering room and the communications room in contemporary state, there are exhibits of actual parts and models in the refurbished front green room, and you can learn about the history and operation of the Aomori-Hakodate ferry through video and audio. This museum is located four minutes’ walk from JR Hakodate Station.

This attraction is closed! Like almost everything in Hakodate and Hokkaido. Government doesnt have to wonder why no tourists are coming. If you close all tourist sites what should we do?? Sad...
Nagasaki Confucian Shrine and Historical Museum of China

4.0

202 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Nagasaki Pref. Nagasakishi Ouramachi 10-36

The museum was built in 1983 with the aim of promoting cultural exchange and friendship between China and Japan. Museum displays are changed every two to three years, with important articles from the collections of museums throughout China on permanent display. The adjoining Confucian Shrine was built in 1893 through cooperation between the Chinese Qing government and people of Chinese heritage residing in Japan and is an extremely rare example of authentic Chinese mausoleum architecture in the country. A three-minute walk from the O-Uratenshudoshita stop on the tramway.

This was one of the best places we visited. The temple isnt huge, but its beautiful though there is a bit of clutter in some places as they were doing some minor construction. There are scores of...
Misawa Aviation & Science Museum, Aomori

4.5

176 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Aomori Pref. Misawashi Misawa Kitayama 158

This is an aero science hall located in a corner of “Misawa Sky Park” neighboring Misawa airport. It was opened in August 2003 with the theme of “Aviation” and the “Sky.” On the first floor of the building, a YS-11, used as a Japan Air Commuter, is displayed unchanged since its time of active service. In addition, outside the Museum, a replica of Miss Veedol is on display in the Sky Park. Visitors can enjoy seeing, touching and learning about aviation history. The second floor is a science museum with hands-on exhibits, consisting of a corner where experiences and experiments can be done, and the third floor has an observation deck overlooking Misawa airfield.

A beautiful museum with both outdoor and exhibition. My husband and I enjoyed especially Honda Jet, which is amazing. There are a lot of experiences you actually participate in.
ASO VOLCANO MUSEUM

3.5

144 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Kumamoto Pref. Asoshi Akamizu 1930-1

This three-story museum in Aso City is dedicated to Mt. Aso, an active volcano. The second floor's permanent exhibit features panel displays of the area's geology and the current conditions of the volcano. The third floor has video facilities showcasing Aso's natural environment and the area's folk culture. The museum lets visitors view the craters in real time, helpful when access is restricted due to bad weather or volcanic activity. Head to the first floor for the gift shop and a restaurant serving light fare.

I visited this after the snow storm. The view is really amazing both along the way to this and around this place FB:กินเที่ยวไม่ซ้ำ จำที่ไม่ได้ Google map:กินเที่ยวไม่ซ้ำ จำที่ไม่ได้
Sendai City Museum

4.0

160 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Miyagi Pref. Sendaishi Aoba-ku Kawauchi 26 (Sendai castle Sannomaru trace)

This museum primarily displays items related to the history and culture of the Sendai Clan, based on materials donated from the Date family. The trademark golden crescent moon crested helmet is a piece of the black lacquer five-layered body armor (an important cultural property) used by Lord Masamune Date, which is housed here along with the 8-meter-wide large painting of the ''Tempo Kuniezu Mutsu-no-Kuni Sendai-ryo.'' Also on display are many treasured archives related to the national treasures of the envoys to Europe during the Keicho Era, which are UNESCO World Heritages. Special exhibits and other scheduled exhibits are also held 3-4 times a year.

This is a small but interesting museum, largely focusing on the history of Sendai and how it came to be. A lot of the displays have English translations which is handy. You can also get an audio...
The Railway Museum

Leisure / Hobbies

Saitama Pref. Saitamashi Omiya-ku Onarichou 3-47

The Railway Museum is located near Tetsudo Hakubutsukan Station in Onaricho, Omiya Ward, Saitama City. Built to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the founding of JR East, The Railway Museum undertakes preservation and research work in relation to both Japanese and international railways. Using exhibits of real railway locomotives from different eras, as well as train-driving simulators etc., the Museum enables visitors to learn about both the history of railways and the latest rail technology.
Japan Coast Guard Museum Yokohama

4.0

201 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Kanagawa Pref. Yokohamashi Naka-ku Shinkou 1-2-1

About an eight-minute walk from either the Bashamichi Station or the Nihon-odori Station on the Minatomirai Line, this free museum presents the current status of the coastal waters around Japan, and the materials on the importance of marine security. Inside the museum visitors are introduced via a panel display to the job of the Japan Coast Guard, its patrol boats and airplanes. Preserved and on exhibit is a spy ship that was self-exploded and sunk, along with a small watercraft and weapons that were recovered from 90 meters under the sea after the December 22, 2001 case of the Kyushu Southwest Seawaters Incident.

Its FREE. Located right behind the Red Brick Warehouse. Hosted by the Japanese Coast Guard, there is an exhibit of the December 2001 North Korean Spy incident where the Japanese Coast Guard...
Nagasaki Museum of History and Culture

4.5

195 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Nagasaki Pref. Nagasakishi Tateyama 1-1-1

Jointly built by the prefecture and city of Nagasaki in 2005, the museum presents the history of Nagasaki with a focus on its history of international exchange. Exhibits include writings and artwork from countries and regions with which Nagasaki was closely connected to such as China, Korea, and the Netherlands. The museum’s collection also includes historical materials from the Nagasaki Magistrate’s Office deemed Important Cultural Properties and which have also served as sources for numerous historical novels and Japanese period dramas. A 10-minute walk from JR Nagasaki Station.

It’s fine. Within the “permanent exhibition,” very little is explained in English, and the audio guide is badly narrated by some American millennial - unlistenable. The “recorded plays” in the...
Takayama Showa Museum

4.5

136 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Gifu Pref. Takayamashi Shimoichinomachi 6

"Takayama Showakan is an indoor museum with displays that recreate the retro townscape of the late 1950s and early 1960s. It is located near the Yasukawa Intersection along National Route 158, which bisects the entertainment district of the city of Takayama. Aspects of the life and culture of that era are faithfully portrayed, including old-style candy stores and hostess bars. Looking at the actual advertising boards from that era, visitors feel as if they have traveled back in time. Another feature of this museum is that visitors can touch and handle actual artifacts of the period and ride vehicles that are placed along the ""street."" Of course, photography is allowed. Materials concerned with pro wrestling and World War II give visitors a full sense of what life was like back then."

Dont miss this gem if you are in Takayama. It made our little family of 4 step back in time. You can touch objects, enter recreated rooms and shops and get lost in the past for a bit. If you have...
Otaru City General Museum Main Building

4.0

142 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Hokkaido Otarushi Temiya 1-3-6

A museum opened in July 2007 which looks at the history and natural environment of Otaru City as well as science, technology, and the history of transportation on the island of Hokkaido. The museum is divided into two facilities—the Main Building and the Canal Museum. The Main Building has a permanent exhibit which presents the history of railroads in Hokkaido, including 50 preserved examples of major railway vehicles used on the island such as the Shizuka steam locomotive. The Main Building also has a planetarium and science exhibits and conducts simple experiments and short craft classes on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. In the summer, the Iron Horse, a steam engine built in the United States in 1909, is operated outside the museum, and visitors can ride the train for free.

This museum is only about trains. The museum was just ok, very little English info. I did really enjoy the train cars on display outside. Especially the snow plow trains. Its worth a visit.
Mitusbishi Minatomirai Industrial Museum

4.0

182 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Kanagawa Pref. Yokohamashi Nishi-ku Minatomirai 3-3-1 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Yokohama Building

Mitsubishi Minatomirai Industrial Museum established in 1994 is a place you can learn about the present and future of science technologies which there is little opportunity to experience in daily life through fun hands-on displays. It introduces the most advanced technology using the real thing or large-scale models. It is divided into six zones: aerospace, ocean, transportation, daily life discovery, environment/energy and technology quest zones. It is about 10 minutes’ walk from Sakuragicho Station on the JR and the Yokohama Municipal Subway Line.

When I think of Mitsubishi, I imaged airplanes, cars, rockets, ships, nuclear power, and part of the Japanese military complex. This museum really was a lot smaller than I expected and most of the...
Ashio Copper Mine

4.0

130 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Tochigi Pref. Nikkoushi Ashiomachitsudou 9-2

The Ashio Copper Mine in Nikko City, Tochigi Prefecture was once the mining capital of Japan. It supplied the nation’s copper industry for about 400 years until closure. A portion of the mine is open to visitors, and a trolley train lets you tour the inside and learn about the mining industry through the ages, the history of the mines, and the mining process.

The Ashio Copper Mine is a theme park where visitors can comprehensively learn about the Ashio Copper Mine, which was once one of the largest copper mines in Japan. There are many such facilities...
Honda Collection Hall

4.5

74 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Tochigi ken Haga-gun Mogi-cho Hayama 120-1

"The Honda Collection Hall is a museum of Honda products located within the Twin Ring Motegi racetrack, around 30 minutes' drive from the Mito-Kita Smart Interchange on the Joban Expressway. The main focus is on Honda's motorcycles and cars; the second floor exhibits present the history of Honda's commercial products, while the third floor charts the development of Honda's involvement in motor sport. The first floor has the ""ASIMO Super Live"" zone, where visitors can see a functioning ASIMO robot. Special exhibitions are held throughout the year, and the ""Pit Workshop,"" housed in a separate building, has a range of experience-type activities that visitors can enjoy, including vehicle assembly and part-changing activities."

Honda is one of the most prolific brands in the automotive world, both for street vehicles and racing ones, so if you are into cars and motorbikes, you absolutely must visit this museum. The first...
Kobe Maritime Museum and Kawasaki Good Times World

3.5

97 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Hyogo Pref. Koubeshi Chuou-ku Hatobachou 2-2

"The Kobe Maritime Museum, which features a large roof with a white space frame structure evoking the image of sails of a sailing ship running across the ocean and sea waves, opened in 1987 as the ""commemorative project of the 120th anniversary of the opening of the modern Port of Kobe"" under the concept of ""Kobe, starting from the sea and the port, sails for the future"". Visitors can experience the structure of ships, the fascination of cruise ships, port facilities, and the history and future of the sea, ships, and ports. The ""past"", ""present"", and ""future"" of the sea, ships, and ports are introduced in an easy-to-understand manner through the real objects, diorama models, videos, and graphics, etc., showing how ports and cities have changed with the times. Attached to the museum is the ""Kawasaki Good Times World"" that opened in 2006. It is a corporate museum of Kawasaki Heavy Industries Group, which has been working together with the Port of Kobe since the opening of the port."

Went there to visit. This is truly a place to enrich your knowledge of ports, ships and technology. When we passed by it at night, it looks very beautiful.
Hakone Ekiden Museum

3.5

135 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Kanagawa Pref. Ashigarashimogunhakonemachi Hakone 167

A museum located in Hakone Town, Ashigarashimo County, Kanagawa Prefecture operated by the Fujiya Hotel Chain which exhibits materials related to the Hakone Ekiden, a relay marathon held near New Year’s and a much-anticipated seasonal event in Japan. In addition to introducing the history of the Hakone Ekiden, the museum displays rare pictures and moving images taken during every event, from the very first Hakone Ekiden to the most recent; items used by famous runners; Hakone yosegizaiku mosaic woodwork trophies; and little-known details which resulted in the victory or defeat of certain teams. There’s also a theater where visitors can re-experience the thrills of past events, and a special exhibition area. Nearest bus stations: “Hakone-machi” on the Izu Hakone Bus or “Hakone-machi-ko” on the Hakone Tozan Bus / Tokai Bus routes.

友人と話ながら見学していたら、突然大きな声で話しに割り込んできて、話し始めるおじさんがいてこわい。2度と行きたくないです。
Usuitouge Tetsudo Bunka Mura

4.0

135 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Gunma Pref. Annakashi Matsuidamachiyokokawa 407-16

This is a railroad theme park located in Annaka City’s Matsuida Town established on the site of the former JR Yokokawa Locomotive Depot rail yard. The main attraction is the locomotive engineer experience in which visitors can drive a real 108-ton electric locomotive (reservation required). Inside the park is a Railway Museum where visitors can learn about the history of the now-abandoned Usui Line and the Railway Display Hall which houses more than 30 valuable train cars. Visitors can ride a steam locomotive that goes around the park, a miniature steam locomotive and a trolley train, making this park popular among both children and railroad fans alike.

Just a great place to visit. Come early and see a lot. Best days are with clear weather. Due to COVID-19, the visitors has reduced.
Rakujuen

4.0

181 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Shizuoka Pref. Mishimashi Ichibanchou 19-3

This is a park around a three-minute walk from JR Mishima Station, on a site run by Mishima City and originally used as a villa for Prince Komatsu Akihito that was built in 1890. Surrounded by rich forest the park is home to 160 varieties of trees and plants and, depending on the season, 30 species of birds as well. The garden surrounding Ohama Pond is designated as a Natural Monument of Japan and a Place of Scenic Beauty. It is a popular park for families, with its Norimono Hiroba area featuring a merry-go-round and miniature train, and the Dobutsu Hiroba (“Animal Area”) where one can enjoy petting small creatures. Admission is required for the park.

The highlight is the old historical building with a large pond in front. The view is quite nice. You can only go into the building by guided tour (every hour). As this place turned into a place where...