Tokyo National Museum facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Tokyo National Museum

東京国立博物館
The Honkan (Main Gallery)
Established	1872 (Yushima Seido Exhibition) 1873 (permanent display) 1882 (present location) 2007 (present administration)
Location	Ueno, Taitō, Tokyo, Japan
Type	Art museum
Collection size	110,000
Visitors	2,180,000 (2017)
Public transit access	JU JK JY JJ G H Ueno Station JKJY Uguisudani Station KS Keisei Ueno Station C Nezu Station

The Tokyo National Museum (TNM) is a famous art museum located in Ueno Park in Tokyo, Japan. It is the oldest and largest art museum in Japan. The museum collects, protects, and shows a huge collection of art and cultural items. It focuses on ancient and medieval Japanese art and art from other parts of Asia, especially along the Silk Road. You can also find a large collection of Greco-Buddhist art here.

As of April 2023, the museum had about 120,000 important cultural items. This includes 89 National Treasures and 649 Important Cultural Properties. The museum also displays about 3,000 items at a time, changing them every few weeks. Besides showing art, the museum also does research and holds educational events.

The museum has several buildings, each with different exhibits. These include the Honkan (Japanese Gallery), the Heiseikan and Hyokeikan (for special shows), the Toyokan (Asian Gallery), and the Gallery of Horyuji Treasures. There are also restaurants, shops, and a beautiful garden to explore.

Museum Names Over Time

The Tokyo National Museum has had several names since it first opened. When it started in 1872, it was called the "Museum of the Ministry of Education." Later, it was known simply as "the Museum."

In 1888, it became the Imperial Museum because the imperial family took ownership. To be more specific, it was renamed the Tokyo Imperial Household Museum in 1900. After World War II, in 1947, it became the "National Museum." Finally, in 2001, it received its current name, the "Tokyo National Museum." Sometimes, people still call it the "Ueno Museum" because of its location.

A Look Back: Museum History

The First Exhibition (1872)

The Tokyo National Museum is Japan's oldest national museum. Its story began with the Yushima Seido Exhibition in 1872. This was a public show of imperial artworks and scientific items. It was held by the Ministry of Education from March 10 to April 30, 1872.

This exhibition helped Japan prepare for the 1873 Vienna World's Fair. Japan wanted to show its products to the world and boost its exports. For the fair, two samples of important products from each Japanese province were collected. One went to Vienna, and the other was kept for a new museum in Japan. The 1872 exhibition was very popular, with about 150,000 visitors.

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  The old Yushima Seido (1830)

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  The 1872 Yushima Seido Exhibition. Ikkei Shosai's ukiyo-e triptych

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  The male shachi of the Nagoya Castle at the exhibition. Shosai's ukiyo-e print.

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  Directors of the exposition, before the golden shachi in the Taiseiden courtyard (1872)

Moving to Ueno Park

The front of the original Honkan after the Great Kanto Earthquake (1923)

Ueno Park was created in 1873. The museum's first director, Hisanari Machida, thought the large park would be perfect for a museum. The museum officially moved to Ueno Park in 1881. The original main building, called the Honkan, was finished in time for the Second National Industrial Exhibition.

The museum and a new Ueno Zoo officially opened on March 20, 1882, with Emperor Meiji attending the ceremony. In 1888, the imperial family took over the museum. They focused its work on cultural and scientific topics.

Sadly, the original Honkan building was badly damaged in the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake in 1923. Exhibits had to be moved to another building, the Hyokeikan, which was not damaged. After the earthquake, a new design for the Honkan was chosen in 1931. The new building, which you can see today, opened in 1938.

The museum was closed in 1945 during the end of World War II. In 2022, the Tokyo National Museum celebrated its 150th anniversary. For the first time ever, all 89 of its National Treasures were shown together in one special exhibition.

Museum Buildings and Galleries

Honkan: Japanese Art Gallery

The entrance to the Honkan (May 2019)

The Honkan entryway, seen from the second floor landing (2013)

The TNM garden seen from the Honkan terrace (March 2018)

The Honkan is the main building and houses the museum's collection of Japanese art. This art spans from ancient times to the late 1800s. It has two floors and a basement, covering a large area. The building is designed to be safe from fires and earthquakes.

The current Honkan was designed by Jin Watanabe. It has a classical base with a Japanese-style roof. It was completed in 1938 and is now considered an Important Cultural Property.

The rooms in the Honkan are set up to guide visitors through Japanese art history. You can see everything from ancient pottery to samurai armor and beautiful paintings.

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  A Middle Jōmon vessel (3000–2000 BCE)

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  Kokin Wakashū, Heian period, 10th century

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  Samantabhadra, Heian period, 12th century

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  Cintamani in flame type, 12th–13th century

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  A gilt-wood statue of Vairocana Buddha, Heian period, 11th-12th century

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  Twelve Heavenly Generals, Kamakura period, 13th century

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  Tachi Okanehira, Heian period, 12th century

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  Ō-yoroi, Edo period, 16th century

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  Kakiemon, Edo period, 17th century

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  Noh mask from the Konparu school, Edo period, 18th century

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  Kosode, Edo period, 18th century

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  Eagle by Suzuki Chokichi, 1892

Heiseikan: Special Exhibitions and Archaeology

The Heiseikan (2009)

The Heiseikan building is where the museum holds its special, temporary exhibitions. It has four large galleries on its second floor. On the first floor, you'll find the Japanese Archaeology Gallery. This area also has a lounge, a café, an auditorium, and rooms for lectures.

The Heiseikan opened in 1999. Its name comes from the Heisei Era, which was the time of Emperor Akihito's rule (1989-2019). The building was built to celebrate the wedding of Crown Prince Naruhito (now Emperor Naruhito) in 1993.

The Japanese Archaeology Gallery shows how archaeologists use science to date old objects. It displays many finds from Japanese sites. You can see some of the world's oldest pottery from the Jomon period here.

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  The earliest polished stone tools in the world. Pre-Jōmon (Japanese Paleolithic) period, 30,000 BCE.

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  Incipient Jōmon pottery (radiocarbon dated to 12500 ±350 BP)

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  A Final Jōmon statuette (1000–400 BCE)

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  Horse chariots during the Kofun period. Detail of bronze mirror (5th–6th century). Eta-Funayama Tumulus, Kumamoto.

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  Iron helmet and armour with gilt bronze decoration, Kofun period, 5th century

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  Haniwa horse statuette, complete with saddle and stirrups, 6th century, Japan

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  The Buddha, Asuka period, 7th century

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  Temple tiles from Nara, 7th century

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  Vine and grape scrolls from Nara, 7th century

Toyokan: Asian Art Gallery

The Toyokan (2009)

The Toyokan is also known as the Asian Gallery. It shows the museum's collections of art from China, Korea, India, Southeast Asia, and Central Asian art. It also has some Egyptian objects. There's a theater in the basement and a dining area next to it.

The Toyokan was designed by Yoshirō Taniguchi and opened in 1968. It was updated in the early 2010s and reopened in 2013. It has three main stories, but with its unique design of mezzanines and stairs, it feels like six floors of exhibits.

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  One of the first representations of the Buddha, 1st–2nd century CE, Gandhara from Pakistan

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  Seated Buddha, Gandhara, 1st–2nd century CE

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  Maitreya, seated on a throne in the Western manner, with Kushan devotee. 2nd century Gandhara.

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  Drinking scene, Greek drinking cups, Greek dress. Greco-Buddhist art of Gandhara. 3rd century CE.

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  Greek scroll supported by Indian Yaksas, Amaravati Stupa, 3rd century

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  Northern Wei Buddha Maitreya, 443

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  Tang-dynasty Bodhisattva

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  Wooden plate with inscriptions in Tocharian. Kucha, China, 5th–8th century.

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  The Toyokan's collection of Chinese bronzeware

Gallery of Horyuji Treasures

The Gallery of Horyuji Treasures (2018)

A scroll from 8 July 756, recording Empress Koken's gifts to Horyu Temple

The Gallery of Horyuji Treasures is a two-story building. It holds a special collection of items from the Horyu Temple in Nara. There are 319 items in this collection. The temple gave these treasures to the Imperial Household in 1878. They were then placed at the National Museum for safekeeping.

This building was designed by Yoshio Taniguchi and opened in 1999. It has a Reference Room where visitors can use a digital archive to see the entire collection. Explanations are available in several languages. There is also a restaurant on the first floor.

Hyokeikan: A Historic Building

The Hyokeikan (2019)

The Hyokeikan building opened in 1909. It was built to celebrate the wedding of Crown Prince Yoshihito (who later became Emperor Taisho) in 1900. This building is a great example of Western-style architecture from the late Meiji Era. Because of its historical importance, it was named an Important Cultural Property in 1978. The Hyokeikan is usually closed to the public. It only opens for special exhibitions.

Kuroda Memorial Hall: Western-Style Art

Kuroda Memorial Hall

The Kuroda Memorial Hall displays art by Kuroda Seiki. He was an important Japanese artist who painted in a Western style (called yōga). His collection includes 126 oil paintings and 170 drawings. The hall is located northwest of the main museum area. It has free admission and separate opening hours.

The hall was built in 1928 using money from Kuroda's will. He wanted to use his fortune to help promote art. In 2007, the Tokyo National Museum took over its management. The hall was renovated and reopened in 2015. It is now open whenever the main museum is.

The exhibition on the second floor has four rooms. These include the Kuroda Memorial Room and the Collection Highlights Gallery. There is also a cafe on both the first and second floors.

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  Self-portrait in a Turkish Hat (1889)

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  Girl with Red Hair (1892)

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  Portrait of a Woman (1898)

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  Hong Kong (1900)

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  Jar of Flowers (1912)

Research and Information Center

The Research and Information Center is a place for studying. It holds books, magazines, images, and other documents. These materials are about history, archaeology, and art from Japan, Asia, and the Middle East.

The center opened in 1984. The public area has two reading rooms and an exhibition space. You can access it for free through the museum's west gate, even without paying for museum admission.

Museum Funding

The Tokyo National Museum faces challenges with its budget. Japan's government spends less on culture compared to many other developed countries. For example, in 2017, Japan's cultural budget was much smaller than France's or South Korea's.

The Tokyo National Museum's yearly budget is about ¥2 billion. This is much less than what big museums like the Louvre or the British Museum receive. By 2023, the museum was finding it hard to pay for repairs to its cultural items and cover rising electricity costs. The museum has asked the government for more money, but the request has not been approved. The museum's director often talks about these money problems in the news.

Getting There

• JU JK JY JJ G H Ueno Station (with JR East and Tokyo Metro)
• JK JY Uguisudani Station (with JR East)
• KS Keisei Ueno Station (with Keisei Electric Railway)
• C Nezu Station (with Tokyo Metro)

More to Explore

• Lists of National Treasures and Horyuji Treasures at the Tokyo National Museum
• Kuromon ("Black Gate"), one of two surviving feudal main gates in Tokyo
• Kyoto, Kyushu, and Nara National Museums
• Japanese art
• Greco-Buddhist art
• Silk Road
• Machida Hisanari
• List of largest art museums
• List of National Treasures of Japan

See also

In Spanish: Museo Nacional de Tokio para niños