admin – Ten Minute Tokyo

Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo (M0+)

Name: Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo (M0+)

Kind: Museum

Free Wifi: Yes

Location: 35°40’48.56″ N 139°48’24.94″ E

Station: Sumiyoshi Station, Metro Hanzomon Line

Our Rating: ⭑⭑⭑⭑

Worth it? A must-see.

Updated 6/20/2021

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Access

To get to the museum, take the Metro Hanzomon Line, get off at Sumiyoshi Station and exit to the street. Head west down side streets until you hit a river. Cross one of the river’s bridges west, and then head south on Mitsume Dori (Boulevard) about 1/2 a mile. The museum will be on your left. It’s a about a mile walk total from the station to the museum.

If you’re visiting or staying at Tokyo Sky Tree to the north, you can also easily walk south to the museum within a few miles.

Hanzomon Line map @ Suitengumae Station. Sumiyoshi is 2 stops northeast of that, and Sky Tree (Oshiagé) is the northern terminus 2 stops later.

Also, just across the street to the east of the station is Sarue-Onshi Park, which is also worth a stop if you have extra time.

There’s loads to do at the museum and its exhibits are excellent. You can easily spend several hours there.

West-side entrance to the museum.

Kiba Park

Just south of the museum is the huge and excellent Kiba Park which is worth a stroll too if you have time.

Kinshicho

Also just to the north of Sumiyoshi Station about 1/2 a mile is the interesting little town of Kinshicho. Worth a quick walk + look if you have time.

Enjoy!

This sign shows a map and the way as soon as you exit the station.

LINKS

MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART

Sumiyoshi Station

Oshiage Station/Z14

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiba_Park

Tokyo Sky Tree Superguide

VIDS

Printing Museum, Tokyo

Name: Printing Museum, Tokyo

Kind: Museum

Free Wifi: Yes

Location: 35°42’30.89″ N 139°44’29.72″ E

Station: Iidabashi Station/T06/Y13/N10 | Tozai Line, Korakuen Station (M10) Marunouchi Line, Yurakucho Line, Namboku Line, Kasuga Station, Toei Mita Line

Our Rating: ⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑

Worth it? A must-see.

Updated 6/20/2021

Also see our Iidabashi Superguide for the surrounding area.

Access

The quickest way to the Printing Museum is to get to Korakuen Station on the Marunouchi or Namboku Line, then head west a few blocks. There is another portal to Korakuen Station a bit further to the east around 35°42’30.21″ N 139°45’14.27″ E. This portal also services Kasuga Station on the Toei Mita and Odeo Lines. But it’s a bit more of a walk (but still under a mile).

If you’re looking for a nice cheap hotel nearby, there’s a nice Dormy Inn right across the street from Kasuga Station.

Kasuga Station portal at night.

If you’re up for more of a walk, you can also get there from Suidobashi Station further to the south if you take a JR line.

Area Layout

From Tokyo Dome at Korakuen Station, you’ll have to head west down side streets as there is no direct route. Be sure to bring a phone with a GPS-enabled map.

You can also follow Rt. 434 west, and then head north where it crosses Rt. 8. The museum is just to the north on Rt. 8.

Tokyo Dome/Korakuen Station, lower right, and the Printing Museum, upper left.

The museum has an incredible display of the history of printing in Japan, all kinds of books and parchments, and other exhibits. The displays are top-notch and the entire place has an air of excellence about it.

It’s a must-see when you’re in Tokyo.

Enjoy!

Toppan Koishikawa Head Office Building

1-3-3 Suido, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 112-8531

TEL +81 3-5840-2300

FAX +81 3-5840-1567

Hours 10:00 – 18:00 (last admissions 17:30)

Closed Mondays (unless Monday is a holiday).

Korakuen Gardens

If you have time, also pop into Korakuen Gardens just west of Tokyo Dome and check it out. It’s worth a stop.

LINKS

https://www.printing-museum.org/en/

Iidabashi Station/T06/Y13/N10

https://foursquare.com/v/%E6%98%A5%E6%97%A5%E9%A7%85-kasuga-sta-i12e07/4b22109df964a520944324e3

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toei_Mita_Line

https://kyohotel.jp/en/hotel/mshotel-kasuga-en/

https://www.kotsu.metro.tokyo.jp/eng/

Iidabashi Superguide

Hotel Gajoen Tokyo

Name: HOTEL GAJOEN TOKYO

Kind: Hotel/Museum

Free Wifi: Yes

Location: 35°37’53.35″ N 139°42’47.64″ E

Station: Meguro Station, Namboku Line

Our Rating: ⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑

Worth it? Yep.

Updated 6/16/2021

Access

Take the Metro Namboku Line and get off at Meguro Station.

You can also take the Keisei Skyliner directly from Narita International Airport to Meguro Station.

The hotel lies a bit out on the west side of southwest Tokyo – expect anywhere from 20-30 minutes on a normal train from central Tokyo, or around an hour from Narita.

If you need to exchange currency, there is the Smart Currency Exchange at 1 Chome-8-1 Shimomeguro, Meguro City, Tokyo 153-0064, although it is a bit south of the station.

Grounds + Museum

The hotel sits on the banks of the Meguro River and has lush green parks + Japanese gardens surrounding it. There is also a very large modern museum on the south side. The museum is in fact, one of the best in Tokyo and is a hidden gem.

Rooms are elegant + understated.

Less than a mile to the northeast is the Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum, which was once the residence of Prince Asaka (who was allegedly involved in the Nanking Massacre), and of former Japanese prime ministers during and after World War 2. It became a museum in 1983. If you’re up for a bit of a walk, pop over and check it out. There is also an Institute for Nature Study and park at the museum.

Kita Roppeita XIV Commemorative Nōgaku Theatre

Just to the south a few blocks is the excellent traditional Kita Roppeita XIV Commemorative Nōgaku Theatre where traditional Noh plays are performed – also worth a look.

Enjoy!

LINKS

https://www.hotelgajoen-tokyo.com/

https://www.hotelgajoen-tokyo.com/en/

Hotel Gajoen Tokyo | GO TOKYO

https://www.keisei.co.jp/keisei/tetudou/skyliner/us/skyliner/index.php

http://kita-noh.com/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noh

VIDS

I-Garden Terrace

Name: I-Garden Terrace

Kind: Mixed Use

Free Wifi: Yes

Location: 35°42’05.14″ N 139°45’00.67″ E

Station: Korakuen Station (M22), Metro Marunouchi Line, Metro Namboku Line (N11), JR Suidobashi Station

Our Rating: ⭑⭑⭑

Worth it? Worth a stop.

Updated 6/15/2021

Just south of Tokyo Dome in west central Tokyo lies I-Garden Terrace – a small mixed-use complex. The building is mostly restaurants, but they also sometimes have events.

Access

To get here, take the Metro Marunouchi Line or Metro Namboku Line to Korakuen Station, or a JR Line to Suidobashi Station.

From Korakuen Station exit to the south, walk across the elevated platform, past Tokyo Dome, down the stairs the right, then 2 blocks west, then 1 block south. From Suidobashi Station head directly west approx. 3 blocks.

There’s not a whole lot to do here, but it does have some interesting restaurants. If you have time for lunch or dinner and are in the area, pop in and check it out.

Enjoy!

LINKS

I-Garden Terrace

Additional Photos

There are lots of other cool places to eat south of Suidobashi Station as well.

Museum of Modern Art Tokyo

Name: Museum of Modern Art Tokyo (MOMAT)

Kind: Museum

Free Wifi: Yes

Location: 35°41’25.15″ N 139°45’16.30″ E

Station: Takebashi Station – Metro Tozai Line

Our Rating: ⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑

Worth it? A must-see.

Updated 6/14/2021

Just north of the Imperial Palace in central Tokyo is the Museum of Modern Art Tokyo (not to be confused with the Museum of Contermporary Art, Tokyo further to the east). This excellent and modern museum lies just west of the Parkside Bldg., just north of the moat north of the Imperial Palace, and also just west of Hibiya. Just beyond Hibiya to the east lies central Tokyo and the Marunouchi district.

Further to the west around the moat to the south lies the fabulous Akasaka.

Just northeast lies Otemachi.

The complex also houses the National Craft Museum. For the craft museum you must make a reservation online in advance.

Just northwest of the museum is Kitanomaru (North Circle) Park – so named because it is on the circular route that rings the Imperial Palace. The park has other stuff to do – such as a large science museum, walking paths, and Nippon Budokan (built for the 1964 Tokyo Summer Olympics). Budokan is now used for various sporting events and concerts.

Access

To get to the museum, take the Metro Tozai Line and exit Takebashi Station to the street. At street level, head west down the sidewalk, pass the Parkside Bldg. on your right, and the museum will be up a block on your right – across from the Imperial Palace. Note that for Takebashi Station there is no above-ground station – the entire thing is under street-level.

Takebashi Station exit, right, Parkside Bldg., left. One block left of that is the museum.

Area Layout

Takebashi Station exit, far right, Parkside Bldg., upper center. One block left of that is the museum. South of the museum is the Imperial Palace. You can also walk all the way around the palace by walking the sidewalk along the moat. The science museum is in the upper left corner of the frame. To the very upper right of the frame is Otemachi. Way off to the right out of frame is Hibiya.

There’s lots to do here, although the museum isn’t terribly large. The building itself is impressive, as is its collection of art. Most of the art is from Japan but it’s impressive nonetheless and worth a look. If you have time, stop in and look around.

Enjoy!

LINKS

National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo

Takebashi Station – Metro Tozai Line

National Craft Museum

National Museum of Modern Art | JNTO

Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, Chiyoda