Edo-Tokyo Museum: Interactive History Exhibits in Ryogoku

The Edo-Tokyo Museum Reopened on March 31, 2026

The Edo-Tokyo Museum, located right next to the Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo Hall, offers an immersive journey through Tokyo’s history since the Edo period (1603–1868).

Breaking away from the stiff atmosphere of traditional museums, this facility is packed with hands-on exhibits, making it a must-visit for anyone looking to dive deep into Japanese culture.

After a four-year renovation, the museum officially reopened its doors on March 31, 2026.

Read on as we explore the latest updates, focusing on the two highlights of the permanent exhibition hall: the Edo Zone and the Tokyo Zone.

• Table of Contents
• Tickets and Access for the Edo-Tokyo Museum
• Edo Zone: Experience Old Edo
• See the Various Faces of Edo
• Touch and Feel the Real Edo
• Tokyo Zone: A Journey Through Japan's Modernization
• Audio Guides in 13 Languages
• Dining at the Edo-Tokyo Museum
• The Museum Shop: Great Selection of Souvenirs

Tickets and Access for the Edo-Tokyo Museum

The Edo-Tokyo Museum is a seven-story facility. The first floor houses the entrance, museum shop, and special exhibition rooms, while the main permanent exhibitions span the 5th and 6th floors.

Following the recent renovation, the main entrance is now conveniently located on the JR Ryogoku Station West Exit side.

As you exit the ticket gate and approach the museum, you’ll be greeted by a row of red gates inspired by traditional torii (shrine gates).

These gates feature a video presentation that acts as a "time machine," transitioning from the modern era back through the Taisho (1912–1926) and Meiji (1868–1912) periods, eventually immersing you in the world of Edo (1603–1868).

Edo-Tokyo Museum Ticket Prices

- General: 800 yen (formerly 600 yen)
- Seniors (65+): 400 yen (formerly 300 yen)
- University Students: 480 yen (no change)
- High School Students: 300 yen (no change)
- Junior High School Students and younger: Free

Edo Zone: Experience Old Edo

Slip Back in Time via Nihonbashi, the Gateway to Edo

As soon as you step into the permanent exhibition hall, the first thing that catches your eye is an incredibly striking wooden bridge.

This is a full-scale replica of the Nihonbashi Bridge from the Edo period. During that era, Nihonbashi served as the starting point for the Gokaido (Five Highways) that stretched across the country, making it a vital hub for transportation in Edo.

This model was reconstructed based on records from when the bridge was rebuilt in the late Edo period. Of the 51-meter-long bridge, the northern 25 meters have been perfectly reproduced here.

With the bridge as the center, the area to the left featuring the Kabuki theater Nakamura-za is the Edo Zone, while the area to the right with the Hattori Watch Store tower is the Tokyo Zone.

In this latest renovation, large-scale projection mapping has been newly installed on the walls, displaying the four seasons and night scenery, creating a more immersive experience.

After crossing the bridge, you will reach the Special Exhibition Room, which hosts exquisite miniatures; admission is included with your permanent exhibition ticket.

Peek Into the Homes of Common People in Edo

The full-scale housing exhibits offer a glimpse into the daily lives of people during the Edo period.

This building is known as a nagaya, a type of collective housing where a single building was divided by walls into individual units for families to live in.

Once you step inside, you will likely be surprised by how cramped it feels. People of that era lived their entire lives within this limited space.

While visitors could previously only view these rooms from the outside, the recent renovation now allows you to actually step inside some of the rooms to experience the atmosphere firsthand.

This is where a craftsman who specialized in making furniture and other items by joining wooden boards lived; they were known as Sashimono-shi (cabinetmakers).

Since buildings at the time were primarily made of wood and fires occurred frequently, it is said that the demand for carpenters was extremely high.

When building houses, precautions were taken with fire in mind, such as intentionally designing parts of the structure to be easily dismantled to prevent the spread of flames.

Food Stalls of the Edo Period

This is a sushi stall. While sushi is often associated with high-end dining today, in the Edo period, it was a form of fast food. People would stop by these stalls to grab a quick and casual bite.

Since there were no refrigerators at the time, various techniques were used to keep the raw fish from spoiling, such as brushing it with soy sauce. You can still enjoy this traditional style, known as Edomae-zushi, today.

Newly added this time is a tempura stall. It recreates Edomae Tempura, a popular dish among the common people of Edo.

The stall features a variety of ingredients fried in sesame oil, and the incredibly realistic food samples are enough to work up anyone's appetite.

This is a shop that sells Nishiki-e (a type of multi-colored woodblock print).

Popular themes at the time included Yakusha-e (portraits of Kabuki actors), Bijinga (pictures of beautiful women), and Sumo-e, which depicted sumo wrestlers.

Here, you can also see the production process of Nishiki-e. Woodblock prints are completed through many different stages.

See the Various Faces of Edo

Exquisite Miniature Models

One of the must-see highlights of the Edo-Tokyo Museum is the miniatures. Inside the museum, exquisite scale models recreating the streets of the Edo period are on display, offering a panoramic view of people's lives at the time.

The model in the photo above recreates the streets around Nihonbashi in the early 17th century at a 1/30 scale.

Each tiny figure is crafted with rich facial expressions, and the level of detail extends realistically to the interiors of the houses and the specifics of their clothing. You will never grow tired of looking at them, no matter how many times you visit.

A World Recreating the Beauty of Edo

In the "Beauty of Edo" area, there is a full-scale replica of the stage for "Sukeroku," one of the most iconic plays in Kabuki theater. The pose of the protagonist, Sukeroku, was created under the supervision of Ichikawa Danjuro XII, a renowned Kabuki actor.

The stage sets, props, and costumes for this model were produced by specialists who actually work on real Kabuki stages. Even the katsura (wigs) on the figures are restyled every year by the same artisans responsible for wigs in actual Kabuki performances.

By pressing the button in the foreground, you can listen to the dialogue and music from "Sukeroku." You can experience the unique atmosphere of Kabuki and enjoy the exquisite rhythm of the recurring lines.

In the late Edo period, Kabuki featured various stage traps and mechanical devices.

At the exhibit for the play "Tokaido Yotsuya Kaidan" (The Ghost Story of Yotsuya) shown here, you can learn about the tricks used to make actors disappear from the stage in an instant.

Touch the Real Edo

As you walk through the exhibits recreating the spaces of the Edo period, many of you might wonder, "What would it really feel like to step inside these houses?" or "How heavy were these tools?"

To answer those questions, hands-on interactive exhibits have been set up in various locations throughout the museum.

This is a full-scale Kago (palanquin) used by daimyo (feudal lords) in the Edo period. When traveling, a daimyo would ride inside, carried by four people. You can actually step inside and take a photo.

This is a Hikeshi no Matoi, a standard used by firefighters to mark their position at the scene of a fire.

During the Edo period, firefighting organizations made up of townspeople raised these standards to identify which brigade was in charge of extinguishing the flames.

This matoi weighs 15kg, making it no easy feat to lift. However, when you rotate it, the decorative and beautiful baren (the dangling fringe) spreads out.

In the city of Edo, peddlers carried goods like fish and vegetables on their shoulders while walking around to sell them. Here, you can actually try carrying the load yourself.

The contents of the baskets change depending on the season. Be sure to check what’s inside! Since it was spring at the time of our visit, the baskets were filled with spring fish.

The Nakamura-za Theater: Now Open to Visitors!

The Nakamura-za Theater, one of the Edo-Tokyo Museum's large-scale models, was previously only viewable from the outside. Now, visitors can explore its internal corridors.

Inside, musical instruments used in Kabuki performances and other items are on display, allowing you to experience an even greater sense of immersion.

A Journey Through Japan's Modernization

The other exhibition area is the Tokyo Zone. With the end of the Edo period, Japan entered the Meiji era (1868-1912), a time of modernization and enlightenment, and Edo was renamed "Tokyo."

From here, a new immersive experience begins.

The Newly Renovated Hattori Watch Store

As soon as you enter the exhibition room, the scale model of the Hattori Watch Store comes into view. This building is the predecessor of the Wako Department Store in Ginza, as you might have guessed from its iconic clock tower.

Hattori Watch Store, founded in 1881, stands at the origins of SEIKO, a Japanese maker of watches, clocks, and electronic devices.

You can now also go inside, allowing you to experience the bustle of Ginza during the Meiji era and the history of Japan's modernization.

The Old Asakusa Hanayashiki Main Gate

In this latest renovation, the main gate of Asakusa Hanayashiki, Japan's oldest amusement park, has also been restored.

In the Meiji era, Hanayashiki also housed a zoo, and a model of a tiger is displayed to the right of the entrance.

Passing through the gate, the era progresses from the late Meiji period to the Showa era (1926-1989), where you can see exhibits related to the history of Asakusa, Tokyo culture, air raids, and the GHQ Occupation Period.

Recreations of Postwar-Era Apartments

The newly added model of the Dojunkai Daikanyama Apartments represents Japan's first reinforced concrete apartment complexes, built in Yokohama and Tokyo following the Great Kanto Earthquake (1923).

Every detail, including the household appliances and furniture of the time, has been meticulously recreated.

In addition, there is a recreation of a "danchi" (public housing complex) from the period of high economic growth, where you can see what homes were like during the Showa era.

For many visitors, this space evokes a strong sense of nostalgia.

Modern Tokyo Exhibit Expanded to Include the 2010s

The exhibits in this area have been extended by another 10 years from the pre-renovation "2000s" to now, covering up to the "2010s."

You can deeply feel the flow of Tokyo's history as it transitions through the Edo, Meiji, Taisho, Showa, Heisei (1989-2019), and Reiwa eras.

Audio Guides in 13 Languages

Photo by PIXTA

International visitors who wish to learn more about the exhibits can access audio guidance by scanning the QR codes on the explanation panels with their smartphones. The explanations are available in 13 languages.

Dining at the Edo-Tokyo Museum

After exploring the extensive exhibits, you're bound to feel a bit hungry. The museum features a restaurant and cafe where you can enjoy a relaxing time.

Ippuku Cafe offers soft-serve ice cream, coffee, and other beverages, while the Wa Dining KOYOMI is also located on-site.

Gyunabe Gozen (Beef Hot Pot Set) 3,500 yen

When people think of Edo, they think of soba, tempura, and sushi, and when they think of Ginza, they think of Yoshoku, Western-style cuisine that originated in Japan.

Many widely loved dishes were, in fact, born in Tokyo. At KOYOMI, you can enjoy these classic flavors in a space that embodies the aesthetic of Edo's "Iki" (sophistication).

Enjoy a meal full of seasonal flair in the spacious and calm interior of this restaurant.

The Museum Shop: Find the Perfect Souvenirs from Tokyo

The museum shop on the 1st floor sells items such as Japanese-patterned handkerchiefs, traditional Japanese crafts, original museum merchandise, and publications. Be sure to stop by before you leave.

Enjoy Exploring the Edo-Tokyo Museum

The Edo-Tokyo Museum is an interactive museum that overturns the traditional image of "simply viewing exhibits quietly through glass cases." It is a place where you can truly experience the cultures of Edo and Tokyo firsthand.

Following a four-year renovation, the museum has incorporated the latest technology into its layout and exhibits, evolving into an even more captivating destination.

The exhibits at the Edo-Tokyo Museum can also be explored via Hyper Edohaku, a free digital app available for download from both the App Store and Google Play.

Hyper Edohaku is available in two versions: the Edo-Tokyo Museum App, which offers access to virtual recreations of all the exhibits, and the Meiji-Ginza Edition, which focuses on recreations of Tokyo during early modern times.

There are other various ways of enjoying the museum, including a YouTube channel and digital archives, so please visit the official website of the Edo-Tokyo Museum for details.

Edo-Tokyo Museum

1-4-1 Yokoami, Sumida ward, Tokyo

Located in Ryogoku, Sumida Ward, Tokyo, the Edo-Tokyo Museum is a place where you can experience the history and culture of Tokyo from the Edo period to the present day. Inside, life-sized replicas of Nihonbashi Bridge and the Nakamura-za Theater are recreated, and you can learn about life at the time through elaborate dioramas. Following a renovation in 2026, a giant model of the Hattori Clock Shop, a symbol of Meiji-era Ginza, was added, expanding the exhibits to the 2010s. It is a place where you can trace the transformation of the city on an overwhelming scale and experience the awe-inspiring connection between history and the future.