Tokyo has plenty of big-name destinations, but this hidden gem surprised us in the best way. Tucked away in Ueno Park, the newly renovated Shitamachi Museum lets you step into real everyday life from old Tokyo — not the samurai-and-shoguns version, but the regular people just trying to live their lives version.
And yes… we mean literally. Here’s what makes it such a fun stop.
More info: japankuru.com
Discover the Real Tokyo: Shitamachi
The name “Shitamachi” literally refers to Tokyo’s old lowlands in the east, which became home to workers, craftsmen, and merchants back when Edo became Japan’s capital in the 1600s. Wealthy samurai built their estates on the higher western hills called Yamanote! Over the centuries, Edo became Tokyo, jobs shifted, and the city modernized, but the Shitamachi neighborhoods around Ueno and Asakusa still maintain their traditional, down-to-earth vibes.
An Immersive Experience of 1950s Japan
On the museum’s first floor, you’re dropped into a life-size recreation of a neighborhood near Ueno, built to look exactly how it did around the late 1950s. Because this district escaped both the Great Kanto Earthquake and WWII air raids, the traditional wooden buildings reflect Tokyo’s historic legacy.
See How Tokyoites Really Lived
You can take off your shoes, step inside, slide doors open, and poke around cupboards! It feels like exploring a real alleyway frozen in time.
Snoop Through Closets, Dig Through Drawers
You’re free to look around the replica neighborhood for as long as you want, so you can play detective and find out what life was like in Japan more than half a century ago!
Artifacts and Historic Facts
The permanent gallery runs from early Edo through the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, focusing on everyday life throughout the city’s history: the amazement Tokyoites felt at Japan’s first escalator briefly installed in Ueno Park in the 1800s, or the joy of Taisho-era Asakusa Opera mania, even the the terror of the Great Kanto Earthquake and the excitement of becoming “modern” with a black-and-white TV, refrigerator, and washing machine.
Catch Glimpses of Another Time
The collection includes all kinds of real historic items, from old-fashioned appliances to pamphlets from local events.
Always Something New to See
On the museum’s top floor, the rotating special exhibition invites visitors to come discover historic Tokyo over and over again, each time from a different perspective. Recent themes have explored wartime Shitamachi life, and exhibitions change every few months.
Hands-On Playtime
The rest space doubles as a playspace, with where visitors young and old can get hands-on with classic toys like kendama, or even traditional items like furoshiki cloths – which can be wrapped in all kinds of different shapes.
Visit While You Explore Ueno Park!
The museum is situated inside Ueno Park, which makes it super convenient to visit. If you’re in Ueno for cherry blossoms, Ameyoko, or museum-hopping, this is the perfect stop to make Tokyo’s past feel real!
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