Museums in Japan

Learn about the indigenous people of Japan's northernmost islands.

This lesser-visited gallery in a corner of the Tokyo National Museum complex is an architectural beauty dedicated to the ancient treasures of Hōryū-ji.

The strange “kaiju” of Lake Imba that allegedly killed over a dozen men with a single strike of lightning.

A museum housed in a stunning Rockefeller-funded medical institute building from the 1930s.

This futuristic-looking museum was built for the centennial of Japan's most innovative toilet.

A collection of nostalgic items from the Showa era with an exhibit on the local ghost story of the Snow Woman.

This prehistoric site is home to the largest shell midden cluster in Japan.

No one knows why this family’s graves stayed on the national museum's premises after all other tombstones were relocated.

A nouveau-riche hilltop “palace” that once provided lodging to more than a hundred fishermen.

The remains of a prehistoric settlement with a museum showcasing fascinating archaeological finds next to modern artworks.

This dazzling three-story shop showcases the art and history of music boxes, a popular novelty in Japan.

This museum celebrates the history of Japanese advertising, from feudal business tricks to modern T.V. commercials.

A small museum in a ward on the east side of Tokyo showcases the works of one of Japan's greatest ukiyo-e artists.

This airy five-floor library and museum houses thousands of books and rotating exhibits on Japanese monsters and anime.

This abandoned, spaceship-like building is home to a museum so unpopular that it has been put on hiatus for over two decades.

Home to thousands of dolls from around the world, including the "blue-eyed dolls" that came to Japan as American ambassadors.