As an acclaimed hub of art and culture, Tokyo has no shortage of museums, exhibits and pop-ups covering nearly any topic you can imagine. A day at the museum is a great opportunity to learn something new and expand your horizons. Most museums are pretty affordable. Some even offer discounted tickets. Tokyo, however, is also home to an amazing variety of museums you can explore for free.
Here are our picks for the best free museums to explore on your next day off.
Beni Museum
Located in Aoyama, the Beni Museum offers guests a rare look at the craft skills and history of Japanese cosmetics throughout the years, including beni —a traditional rouge made from the pigment of safflowers. Beni was used on the lips, cheeks and eyes. A staple in women’s daily grooming practices, it was especially popular with geisha and kabuki actors.
The museum is hosted by Isehan Honten, the only remaining beni shop from the Edo period. The exhibit has a variety of displays explaining the arduous process of making beni, and real artifacts from each period for guests to see the evolution of cosmetics and overall Japanese beauty trends. At the end, there is a complimentary beni application service. The museum shop sells a variety of Isehan Honten’s luxurious products.
The Beni Museum is open Tuesday to Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Yebisu Brewery Tokyo
Sapporo is the oldest brand of beer in Japan, first released in 1877. Seibei Nakagawa left Japan at the age of 17 and learned the craft of beer brewing. He became Japan’s first German-trained brewmaster. Sapporo’s sister brand, Yebisu Beer, was established in 1890 and continued to gain domestic and global recognition.
Yebisu Brewery Tokyo is the premier destination for beer lovers to get an up-close look at how Yebisu beer is made. The facility is split into three main themes: history, creativity and socialization. The museum explains the history of Yebisu through old photographs and displays.
It is a great opportunity to see Yebisu being brewed in real time using authentic German equipment. And finally, in the taproom, guests can taste a variety of original Yebisu beers. The taproom is a beautifully designed venue with inviting lighting, tables and chairs to enjoy a drink alone or while mingling.
The self-guided tour is completely free and you can enjoy the exhibits at your own pace. Yebisu the Journey, meanwhile, is a guided tour that includes a sample of Yebisu Brewery Tokyo’s flagship beer, Yebisu Infinity. It costs ¥1,800 for adults. Advance reservations are required. The price for the Yebisu Tour is ¥500.
The museum is open Monday to Friday from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., and on weekends from 11 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Kewpie Mayo Terrace
Mayo Terrace is Kewpie’s very own mayonnaise museum. Kewpie mayonnaise, launched in 1925, was the first ever mayonnaise sold in Japan, and it remains the undisputed king of condiments here. Kewpie uses around 4 billion eggs annually to keep up with demand. The red-capped bottles are now sold in 79 countries worldwide.
The museum has five main areas concentrating on food education and Kewpie’s manufacturing process. Its Mayonnaise Dome is a giant wooden Kewpie bottle that serves as an auditorium explaining how mayonnaise is made. Factory Walk, meanwhile, shows a simulation of how Kewpie’s factories crack thousands of eggs every day and bottle the iconic product.
Kewpie Kitchen is where guests can experiment making and tasting delicious dips and salad dishes using Kewpie mayonnaise. Kewpie Gallery goes over the company’s 100-year history. Children can also enjoy playing on the vegetable-shaped chairs and taking photos with the Kewpie baby at the Salad Hall.
Mayo Terrace is quite popular, so you will need a reservation ticket to enter. Online reservations open up around one month prior to expected visits. The museum is located in Chofu city. It is open on weekdays from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Fujifilm Square and Photo History Museum
Fujifilm has been producing films since 1934 and the Fujica Six IA, the company’s first camera, was released in 1948. Fujifilm Square near Roppongi Station is an amazing venue for photography connoisseurs to learn the history and science behind cameras, and explore exhibits by various artists.
Fujifilm Square opened in 2007 as a showroom dedicated to the development of photography culture. Here you’ll find galleries presenting photos of various genres and techniques. Exhibits are constantly changing, some even on a weekly basis.
The Photo History Museum is inside Fujifilm Square and exhibits over 190 years of photography history. This gives visitors the opportunity to see rare cameras of the past and understand how early technology developed into the cameras of today. Some displays even allow hands-on experiences, such as with a replica Kinora, an early predecessor of the movie camera.
Apart from the exhibits, Fujifilm Square also has the Imaging Service Counter, where guests can try out and purchase the latest Fujifilm products. The counter also offers repairs and printing services.
Fujifilm has even ventured into cosmetics. Astalift utilizes research and technology that Fujifilm has compounded over many years to create cosmetics, supplements and hair care products. Try out products and receive advice from beauty consultants at the Fujifilm Healthcare Shop.
Fujifilm Square is open every day between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.
Suginami Animation Museum
One of Tokyo’s 23 wards, Suginami, which includes popular areas such as Kichijoji and Ogikubo, has played an important role in anime history. It’s home to well over 100 animation studios, including A-1 Pictures, known for Sword Art Online and Uta no Prince-sama, and Mappa Co., known for Yuri!!! On Ice and the final season of Attack on Titan.
The Tokyo Polytechnic University Suginami Animation Museum offers an in-depth look at how anime is created. It covers every facet of the production process, from storyboarding to frame animation, coloring and voice acting. Visitors can apply the animation principles they learn in the exhibit by making simple hand-drawn animations at the third floor workshop.
Trace templates or create your own characters and watch them come to life. The museum also offers limited-time special exhibitions and screenings at the anime theater. The anime library, meanwhile, is a great resource for research or nostalgic reviews of timeless classics.
English guidance devices are available. The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The last entry is at 5:30 p.m.
Oi Ocha Museum
Oi Ocha is one of Japan’s best-selling bottled teas. In fact, it’s so popular that, in 2019, it was recognized by Guinness World Records as the top-selling natural and healthy ready-to-drink green tea.
The Oi Ocha Museum highlights the history, science and production process of Ito En’s flagship product.
“From the era when tea was sold by weight in specialty stores, to the convenience of tea bags, and now to canned and bottled tea available anytime and anywhere, we want to convey the reasons behind these evolving ways of enjoying tea,” said Director Takehide Obara.
The museum also offers some bonus paid activities, such as a matcha-making experience and the opportunity to create your very own Oi Ocha bottle. Of course, you can relax and taste various teas and sweet treats at the museum café. It carries a selection of Japanese teas from multiple different prefectures for you to compare.
The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The last entry is at 4:30 p.m.
The Ad Museum Tokyo
Tokyo is a major hub for advertising. With so much media being produced and consumed on a daily basis, the Ad Museum Tokyo aims to be a bright and open space to dive into ads as not only a marketing tool, but as a platform for creativity and expression.
The permanent exhibition shows the history of advertising in Japan through over 330,000 documents and artifacts from the Edo era all the way to the modern age. The special exhibitions showcase various domestic and international campaigns and awards. The library is open to visitors who want to further explore advertising projects in the museum’s collection.
The Ad Museum is open Tuesday to Saturday, from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Bandai Head Office Museum
Bandai is the manufacturer behind some of the most beloved toys this country has ever produced. The iconic Tamagotchi digital pets, the impressive Gundam models, the magical Sailor Moon transformation wands and the popular One Piece card game to name a few. It also produces the addictive Gashapon capsule toys and Ichiban Kuji lotteries.
The head office is located in Taito city and offers a free exhibit to relive all your childhood memories. The exhibition space covers the company’s history. It also displays a wide range of toys from the Showa era to the latest releases. It’s a fascinating look at the evolution of toys. At the entrance of the office, you’ll find several life-sized figures of popular characters such as Doraemon, Goku, Ultraman, Anpanman and Cinnamoroll for you to pose with.
The museum is open Monday to Friday, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The last entry is at 4:30 p.m.
The Seiko Museum Ginza
The history of Seiko — which, translated into English, means “exquisite,” or “success” — began in 1881, when 21-year-old Kintaro Hattori opened his first shop selling and repairing watches in central Tokyo. For more than 140 years, Seiko watches have stood for quality and luxury.
The Seiko Museum Ginza opened to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Seiko. Its exhibits are dedicated to archiving Seiko’s products over the years, but also the wider history of timepieces in general, from sundials to wadokei mechanical clocks.
The museum consists of five floors exploring different themes, and a newly opened Grand Seiko Museum on the sixth floor. The various galleries analyze the importance of time-keeping and precision measuring, such as in sports and outer space exploration.
You can also check out the numerous Seiko specialty stores near the museum. In order to avoid overcrowding, reservations are required to visit. There are seven reservation time slots per day, but no limit on the length of your stay.
A free guided tour is held every Thursday, which is only offered in Japanese. Reservation slots are open from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Closing time is at 6 p.m. Please check the reservation page for available dates.
