The museum opened in 1986 and recreates life in the Edo period, specifically the old neighbourhood of Fukagawa where the museum gets its name. The museum highlights Fukagawa’s history as a working class district known for its merchants, fishermen and craftsmen. The whole museum is a life sized Edo town replica, featuring full-scale recreations of the late Edo period neighbourhood including houses, shops, a fire watch tower and river.
Visitors can walk through and around the replica neighbourhood, enter buildings, touch and pick up objects and artefacts. A loop of changing lights and sounds also plays to mimic the time of day, the weather and the sounds of festivals, making it feel more authentic and engaging.
Staff members are extremely knowledgeable and friendly, and many are bi-lingual and are able to provide guided tours in both Japanese and English. Sometimes staff will dress in period clothing, making the experience more fun and interesting! The Museum also has a small exhibition area which showcases local artefacts such as Kimono and Sumo memorabilia. The museum also has a small shop selling local crafts and souvenirs. For those wanting to explore more in the Kiyosumi area, the museum is just around the corner from Kiyosumi Gardens, making these two easy back to back activities to enjoy. Kiyosumi is also home to many great cafes, so why not grab a coffee and a bite to eat as well!
Want to experience the Fukagawa Edo Museum and so much more on your trip to Tokyo?
Why not join our ’Ultimate Tokyo Tour : Imperial Palace, Sake, Robots, Japanese Gardens and Edo Museum’ tour. Available throughout the year, this is the perfect tour to experience some of Tokyo’s popular attractions and culture in one day. All tours are led by locally-based guides and will take you around the must-see sights in the region. Our tours are fun, interactive and family-friendly. For more information, or to book a tour, click on the banner.
