National Museum Tokyo Tickets: how to buy, prices and discounts

Tokyo is a city that, despite being very modern, does not forget its traditional roots. Therefore, during your visit, you will see traditional Buddhist temples, beautiful public gardens and numerous shrines. In addition, in the Japanese capital you will find the Tokyo National Museum, considered the largest and oldest museum in Japan, whose buildings house a collection of approximately 120,000 objects.

Without a doubt, buying tickets for this museum is a good option if you don't know what to see and do in Tokyo during your stay. You will enjoy an interesting general exhibition made up of 3,000 special objects. You will also have the opportunity to see an exhibition that includes 648 objects recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and 89 national treasures.

General admission to the Tokyo National Museum costs ¥1000 or €8. Special tickets may vary in price depending on the date and exhibition presented, as they are issued separately.

Either ticket is a good option to incorporate into your top 10 things to see and do in Tokyo in winter, summer or any other season of the year.

General and special admission tickets to the Tokyo National Museum can be purchased directly at the ticket office on the day of the visit.

However, you should consult the calendar on the museum's official website beforehand. There, you will find out which exhibitions and activities you can enjoy.

For tickets for group tours, you will have to call +81-50-5541-8600 from your mobile phone. You can also go to the museum's information office in Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo. You can then plan your visit.

Whichever ticket you choose, you will have to pay at the ticket office. The following methods of payment are available:

• Credit card: MasterCard, Visa, AMEX, Discover, JCB and Diners.
• UnionPay global payment card.
• E-cash cryptocurrency.

At the Tokyo National Museum they are aware that each visitor has different needs when visiting the galleries. For this reason, you have different options when it comes to tickets.

Such is the case of general tickets (with access to the regular exhibition), special tickets (whose exhibition may vary), group tickets (from 20 people) and guided tickets (in the company of a specialised person).

In addition, there are free tickets for:

• Secondary and primary school students.
• Under 18s.
• Over 70s.
• People with any disability and their carer.

Also, every year the museum allows free admission to any visitor during some of Japan's public holidays:

• May 18(Museum Day).
• 20-24 July (Tokyo National Museum Memorial Week).
• Third Monday in September (Keirō No Hi or Respect for the Elderly Day).
• 3 November (Bunka no hi or Culture Day).

These free tickets provide access to the regular exhibition only, and for this, the person must present identification at the museum entrance: passport, driving licence, disability certificate, student card or medical insurance.

Admission to the Tokyo National Museum is not included in any of the city's tourist passes, so you will not be able to enjoy the benefits that are characteristic of this type of card.

However, you can book one of the best guided tours of Tokyo that include a visit to the National Museum of Tokyo.

This way, you can take a general tour in the company of a specialised guide, who, for approximately two hours, will briefly explain the exhibits.

Afterwards, you can enjoy other activities included in the tour. For example, visit Ueno Park, have a Samurai experience in Tokyo or explore the city's architecture. It all depends on which tour you connect with.

Yes, the Tokyo National Museum offers discounted admission for university students who present their current ID. This will give you a special price of 500 yen or €4, which is 50% less than the general admission fee.

In addition, if you decide to visit the museum in a group, you will get a 10% discount. In this sense, groups of university students pay ¥400 or €3, while tickets for tourists or locals who opt for this option cost ¥900 or €7.

The Tokyo National Museum does not have special admission tickets for children. However, all children under the age of 18 are admitted free of charge to the regular exhibitions offered throughout the year.

This is definitely an activity that should be on your list of things to see and do in Tokyo with children, as the little ones will be able to get up close and personal with the cultural assets of the Japanese empire.

In the facilities they will be able to see a large number of works on display, which will allow them to discover the different periods of the Japanese dynasties.

Buying tickets online is often beneficial because you can select the day and time of your visit. Basically, it is a method of saving time at the ticket office by not having to queue for a long time due to the influx of tourists.

However, this is not possible in this case, as at the Tokyo National Museum, tickets must be purchased directly at the ticket office on the day of the visit. However, you should book a few days in advance, especially if you are going on a group tour.

The Tokyo National Museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 9.30am to 5pm, with the last admission at 4.30pm, 30 minutes before the daily closing time.

It is important to bear in mind that the museum closes its doors every Monday, in order to maintain the exhibits. However, if that day is a public holiday in Japan, then the museum will be open to the public and closed the following day.

You should also be aware that the Tokyo National Museum has temporary closures and openings, which may vary according to the seasons. Therefore, you should check this information beforehand.

Determining the time to visit the Tokyo National Museum is a bit tricky, as everyone has their own pace. Some people may need 30 minutes, an hour or even a wholeday.

Ideally, you should visit the museum with enough time so that you can stop in front of each work and object. This way, you will be able to observe every detail and read the descriptions next to the exhibits.

You will also enjoy the traditional architecture of the buildings that make up this museum complex, the wonderful natural environment of the gardens and, if possible, the special exhibitions.

However, if you don't have much time for the tour because you will only be in Tokyo for 3 days or so, I recommend visiting only Honkan, on the first floor of which you will find the "Japan Gallery". This is a chronological exhibition that you can see in at least 30 minutes.

Afterwards, you will be able to complete other activities in your itinerary, such as exploring the streets of the city, attending one of Tokyo' s gastronomic tours or joining a photo tour of the Japanese capital.

Certainly, the off-peak season is the best time to visit Tokyo and its attractions.

The city's National Museum is no exception, so you should try to visit during the less crowded days. This way, you will avoid the long queues, you can stop in front of the works and walk through the halls without being surrounded by many people.

For this reason, it is important to know that the largest number of visitors to the Tokyo National Museum is from 12:00 to 15:00. On the other hand, at 9:00, 10:00 and 16:00 hours, you will find few people, making it the ideal time for a quiet tour.

The first thing you should know is that the Tokyo National Museum is located in the north of the city, in the historic Ueno Park (13-9 Ueno kōen, Taitō-ku).

This natural and cultural space is easily accessible for any tourist or local person, whether by public transport (bus, underground, electric railway), car or bicycle.

If you decide to use the city's public transport, you should know that the JR bus station (Ueno and Uguisudani), Tokyo Metro (Ginza and Hibiya Line Ueno, Chiyoda Line Nezu) and the electric railway (Keisei Railways Ueno) are just a few metres from the museum.

However, if you prefer to drive yourself and you have already rented a car, you should go along Street 1 and take the Ueno exit to continue along the Metropolitan Expressway.

If you decide to use the city's bike-sharing service, you will have to cycle 25 minutes from central Tokyo, or approximately 5.4 kilometres, following the cycle lanes.

If you use either of these last two options to get around, please note that the Tokyo National Museum does not have a parking area. Therefore, you will have to use one of the car parks in the surrounding area.

The Tokyo National Museum's mission is to recover and conserve collections of ancient art from Japan's various historical periods.

These works and items are carefully studied in order to provide visitors with accurate information about these relics, which are exhibited daily in the halls of the museum's six buildings.

The museum's collection is the largest in Asia and comprises a total of 120,000 cultural objects. However, these objects are not displayed in their entirety.

Periodically, the galleries are renovated to prevent light and temperature changes from deteriorating the materials of these precious antiquities. In addition, many of them are only used for special exhibitions in the Heiseikan and Hyōkeikan buildings.

If you don't know what to see and do in Tokyo in 2 days or more of your stay, you'll want to incorporate a visit to the city's National Museum into your list of activities.

Division of the Tokyo National Museum

On the museum grounds you'll find regular exhibits that are changed every two months or so for preservation, as the materials are very sensitive. There are also special exhibitions, held up to five times a year with samples from Japan and other countries around the world.

The museum complex consists of six buildings:

• Honkan: this imperial-style building was named a Cultural Heritage Site and is the museum's main building. Its rooms house a collection of Japanese art.
• Heiseikan: here you can't miss the archaeology gallery on the first level and, on the top floor, a special exhibition hall.
• Hōryūji: the objects displayed on the top floor of this building represent a donation made by the imperial family in 1878. You will see more than 300 treasures that were part of the Hōryūji temple in Nara. There is also a restaurant on the first level.
• Kuroda: this is a memorial hall where you will have the opportunity to see the oil paintings of Kuroda Seiki.
• Toyokan: in this gallery you will enjoy an extensive exhibition of oriental art.
• Hyōkeikan: this is another of the halls of the museum that has been declared Important Cultural Heritage, due to its architectural style from the end of the Meiji era (1909). This ancient building is only open for special exhibitions.

The tulip tree

In addition to this tour, you can marvel at the imposing tulip tree planted in front of the main building (Honkan).

This natural monument is about 120 years old and is considered a symbol of the National Museum. You will be able to see its beautiful yellow flowers if you visit Tokyo in summer, as the tree blooms splendidly throughout the month of June.

Pay attention to these basic tips for visiting the Tokyo National Museum:

• Decide which exhibition you are most interested in by consulting the gallery information beforehand.
• For group visits, you should contact the museum to reserve tickets.
• You should not visit the museum with suitcases or large bags, as there is no storage area for these items.
• If you are travelling by car or bicycle, be aware that the museum does not have parking facilities.
• Plan your visit with plenty of time to explore each gallery thoroughly and enjoy the natural surroundings of this museum complex.
• Check the museum's calendar of events. Keep in mind that although the museum is usually closed on Mondays, if this day happens to be a public holiday in Japan, then the museum will be open and closed the following day (Tuesday).
• Visit the museum during the summer to enjoy the splendour of the imposing tulip tree and the other green areas.