Top 5 Science Museums in Tokyo Prefecture

Japan, 〒167-0043 Tokyo, Suginami City, Kamiogi, 3 Chome−29−5 杉並会館

“Amazing little place of the history of anime. There’re audio guides for free. Several interactive sections like voice-dubbing and having a go at some stop-motion drawings. Good couple of hours spent there.”

3 Chome-6-9 Toranomon, Minato City, Tokyo 105-0001, Japan

“🥳 …”

2 Chome-1-1 Yumenoshima, Koto City, Tokyo 136-0081, Japan

“Very cool exhibit about the cost of nuclear testing. The boat is an interesting artifact. Well worth a visit.”

Japan, 〒189-0002 Tokyo, Higashimurayama, Aobacho, 4 Chome−１−13

“A facility to educate people about the history of Hansen's disease in Japan. Admission is free. The facility has the appearance of a so-called history museum. The exhibits are quite sophisticated, the explanatory panels are easy to read, and the life-sized dioramas are well made. It's also a memorial service, so it's best not to go there just for the sake of sightseeing. The surrounding area has a concentration of hospitals and no commercial facilities. Please note that there is no cafe attached, so there is no place to take a break. When I heard that it was an isolation facility for Hansen's disease, I imagined something like a modern-day psychiatric ward, but I was wrong. The reality was not so easy. Before isolation facilities were built, people found to have Hansen's disease were driven from their hometowns due to discrimination and wandered to remote areas as pilgrims. There must have been many sick people among the dead. This alone is tragic, but even after being isolated in a facility, the suffering continues. If the discrimination is that severe, few people will want to work in isolation facilities. As a result, sick people with relatively mild symptoms tended to other sick people and provided labor. The fact that they provided for their own food, clothing, and shelter was no different from prison. There was also a cell to isolate patients who tried to escape. I had heard of people mistreating prisoners of war captured by enemy countries, but I was shocked to think that they were treating sick people like this, let alone people from the same country. There was a graph of the number of patients in the exhibit, and I was shocked by the explanation. Hansen's disease is a disease that does not occur if the nutritional status is good, and even if there were no isolation facilities, the population would have been reduced due to economic development. In other words, the idea of isolation to prevent the spread of the disease was meaningless. Finally, the number of former patients still living in the nursing facility was posted. Although the isolation policy has ended, those who have been cut off from society and have no place to return to will have no choice but to continue living in facilities.”

1 Chome-1-3 Oji, Kita City, Tokyo 114-0002, Japan

“It’s a fascinating peek into the topography & geological formation of the area around the Sumida & Arakawa. You get free English audio guides that give enough information although not as comprehensive as the Japanese. The architecture is beautiful too and there’s a restaurant on the 3rd floor”

Japan, 〒105-0004 Tokyo, Minato City, Shinbashi, 2 Chome−20−15 新橋駅前ビル1号館 Ｂ１Ｆ

“Great Soba taste. Excellent experience. Going there once a week now.”

1 Chome-47-6 Oshiage, Sumida City, Tokyo 131-0045, Japan

“Doesn't have the glamour of Disneyland, but a place full of fun and activities for parents and kids both! Staff onsite very friendly”

5 Chome-46-6 Sendagi, Bunkyo City, Tokyo 113-0022, Japan

“Although it is not a very large facility, I was very impressed with the homely and polite feel. The underground recreation of Fabre's birthplace was also wonderful and looked like a house from a fairy tale.”

Japan, 〒131-8139 Tokyo, Sumida City, Oshiage, 1 Chome−1−2 東京スカイツリータウン・ソラマチ9F

“Located on the 9th floor of Tokyo Solamachi's East Yard (Tokyo Skytree East Tower), this museum exhibits collections related to postal and communications. It opened as a museum run by the Cultural Association. The museum has a permanent exhibition room, a special exhibition room, and a multipurpose space that introduces the history and stories related to postal services classified into seven worlds through exhibits and videos. In addition to the largest display of approximately 330,000 types of stamps in Japan, there are also exhibits related to domestic and international postal services. The concept is ``Wotsunagu the heart, wotsunagu the world,'' and there are many experiential contents that make full use of digital technology to help you feel the emotional connection between people. October 9th every year is World Postal Day (UPU Day). One of the international days whose name was changed in 1984 (Showa 59). Adults can watch for 300 yen per person. Admission is free for people with a disability certificate and their caregivers. The museum is closed every Monday. *If Monday is a public holiday or substitute holiday, the museum will be open and closed on the following weekday. The museum is open non-stop every August.”