Tokiwa-sō Manga Museum

Osamu Tezuka, known today as the “Godfather of Manga,” moved to Tokyo in 1952 to further his career. However, he was forced out of his first apartment because the landlord complained about constant visits by editors. The following year, he found another apartment at what was then the edge of Tokyo owned by Hiroyasu Katō, the son of a manga publisher. Soon, other mangaka (manga artists) also began moving into the Tokiwa-sō apartment complex, which acquired the nickname "Manga-sō" ("Manga Manor"). At its peak, up to eight mangaka lived in the building, including such well-known names as Fujiko Fujio and Shotaro Ishinomori.

An austere wooden building, Tokiwa-sō had no baths or hot water, with residents instead going to public sentō (bath houses). Work here became very collaborative, with younger mangaka assisting their older counterparts on projects. (That system continues to this day.) With an elite screening process required to board there, Tokiwa-sō soon became renowned in the manga world, including among fans who came to visit.

 As is typical of many Japanese buildings, it was demolished after just 30 years in 1982. However, a faithful replica has been built several blocks away, opening as a museum in 2020. The second floor is recreated to show how the apartments, restroom, and kitchen originally were. The first floor is home to exhibits on the building's history as well as a manga library featuring works by authors who lived there.

Outside the museum is a monument with a scale replica of Tokiwa-sō as well as self-portraits of the artists who lived there. The original site is now the headquarters of Nihon Kajo Publishing, where there is another memorial to the apartment.