Tokyo National Museum ［東京国立博物館］

Tokyo National Museum

Located in Ueno Park, the Tokyo National Museum is the oldest museum in the country where cultural assets of Japan and Asia are collected, stored, researched, and exhibited.

The museum is made up of 5 exhibition halls: Honkan (also called the Japanese Gallery), Toyokan (Asian Gallery), Heiseikan (Japanese Archaeology), the Gallery of Horyuji Treasures, and Hyokeikan (center for education and educational display space). Both regular and special exhibits are conducted here at this museum. There is a garden on the northern side of the Honkan which is opened to the public during spring when cherry blossoms bloom and autumn when crimson foliage can be enjoyed.

Included in the museum's collection of approximately 110,000 artifacts are about 700 pieces of national treasures and important cultural assets. As for Japan, paintings, Buddhist statues, and sculptures as well as armor and swords of warriors which date back as far as to the Jomon era or Edo and Meiji eras are exhibited. In terms of Asia, the lineup of exhibits includes archaeological relics such as ceramics and sculptures from China, the Korean Peninsula, Southeast Asia, India, West Asia, and Egypt. Indeed, just by touring around the regular exhibition area will take a full day. The Honkan and Hyokeikan buildings are designated as important cultural assets.