The Tokyo Water Science Museum is an 8-minute walk away from both the Kokusai-tenjijo-seimon Station and the Kokusai-tenjijo Station in Ariake. It’s not only about water but also about water supply and the waterworks, teaching every interesting aspect of how water makes its way to the tap.
As already mentioned, the museum is entirely free to enter and makes for fun-filled, exciting hours, especially on rainy days.

As you enter the main hall of the museum, you’ll hear the gurgling and murmuring of water immediately. Right in front towers “Waku-waku Mountain” and its 10-meter tall waterfall, as well as the “Uki-uki Pool” that invites to play and discover!

This area is called the “Aqua Park” where everyone is invited to thoroughly get their hands wet!

The Uki-uki Pool features numerous gadgets and toys to explore the many different properties of water. Both young and older kids won’t be bored, as more complex toys are just as readily available as duckies and buckets.

One of the many highlights is crawling under the pool and looking out from the domes, with water gently trickling virtually on your head. Of course, the water guns are high in demand as well!

Aqua Town is on the second floor of the museum and explores the theme of water in our daily lives. It features rooms such as a kitchen and a laundry room and illustrates not only plumbing that you never get to see, but also highlights how much water is used for one cycle of a washing machine or where water plays a role in our day to day lives.

This area offers a lot of ingenious gadgets to try, educating about water in a common household in a fun and active way. The little quizzes found all over the place spice up the experience with additional tidbits of knowledge and trivia.

Even adults will find themselves having trouble getting the right answer! If you do answer all questions correctly, however, you’re rewarded with a little show of water flowing out of a large faucet.

Next up is the Aqua Laboratory. Here, fascinating experiments take place that explains and illustrates the properties of water and the process of cleaning it.
The experience show features ordinary items such as water bottles and coins and also features the creation of a vacuum – it’s mesmerizing to watch.

Another one of Tokyo Water Science Museum’s must-see attractions is the Aqua Trip Theater. It uses the latest technology to cast vivid and life-like images on the walls all around you, engulfing you in water, air, and nature.

The theater takes you on a journey about the circulation of water, from the point where it falls on lush leaves as rain to flowing out of the faucet at home.
To experience this fascinating show, you’ll have to get a numbered ticket in advance or at the information center on the first floor. We recommend picking up a ticket right after you arrive.

The last area is called the Aqua Forest and explores the woods as the starting point of water. It is modeled after the Okutama forests, an important source of water for the area and teaches not only about water but also about the many different inhabitants of the woods.
Two-choice quizzes focus on the work that needs to be done to protect the forests and the screens make for a sprinkle of humor and excitement. Following the many footprints and scratches all over the floor and trees makes the forest really come alive.

The Tokyo Water Science Museum is a plethora of interactive gadgets and mesmerizing experiences and so exciting and rich in variety, it’s hard to believe that it is all but free.
While the museum is targeted towards children, adults will find themselves having a great time as well. The playfully conveyed information is surprisingly in-depth, sure to teach you a thing or two about water as well! If you find yourself fascinated by the museum, make sure to join the Aqua Tour through the water supply facilities in the basement.

Hours: 9:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (last admission at 4:30 p.m.)
Closed: Mondays (or the following day if Monday is a public holiday)

Written by: Chiaki Ishibe