Best History Museums Spot List

Experience the charm of The Tale of Genji using all five senses

Observe how sturdy silk fabrics are produced

The Kyoto National Museum houses many artworks and cultural properties of Kyoto dating from the Heian period (794-1185) to the Edo period (1603-1868).

Introducing life in Osaka during the Edo period, the museum makes it fun to learn about the history and culture of housing and living.

An open-air museum where historical buildings having high cultural value are restored and displayed on a large site.

Learn from the Great Hanshin Awaji Earthquake

Keeps precious materials belonging to the Ii Clan

Hokkaido's oldest museum of Ainu culture, with exhibits featuring lifestyle objects and clothing

Fukumatsu Tanaka, the ”Herring Magnate” leader of a fisherman's union, built this lodge in Tomari-mura. Displays include implements related to the herring industry

Once a storehouse, now a museum showcasing Otaru's history and nature

Showcases the culture of northern tribes in expert detail

All sorts of history-rich trains on display

Discover the history of a beer dating back to Hokkaido's frontier age

This museum was once a ferry that connected Japan's main island to Hokkaido

Chock-full of discoveries about northern peoples

Passing down Ainu lifestyle and culture

Buildings that saw actual usage offer a unique historical experience

Reproduces the streets of Fukagawa Saga-cho in the Edo Period so visitors can see the scene and lifestyle of that period.

Learn how Hideyoshi Toyotomi bathed

The Perry Memorial Hall is a museum that illustrates the Perry Expedition (1853－1854), which paved the way to the opening of Japan, and the history leading to it through dioramas and historical documents.