This is one of my favorite museums in Tokyo, and while you certainly can amuse yourself here, it's not in a way you may think. Rather, this museum with the curious name has a very serious purpose: to preserve and display items and traditions of Japan's past that might otherwise disappear forever. The perfect example of this is the museum's fascinating collection of boro, which is patchwork clothing and other fabric originating in Japan's cold and snowy north and lovingly mended with additional pieces of cloth as it was handed down from one generation to the next. Although they were made solely for practical reasons—such as sheets used in childbirth or blankets so large and heavy that the entire family would huddle naked under one as they slept—today they are celebrated as textile art. The fact that they have survived at all is due to the diligence of Chuzaburo Tanaka, a private collector who searched the back country for boro, folk art, and antiques. Japanese director Akira Kurosawa was so impressed with Tanaka's rare boro collection that he used some of them in his movie "Dreams"; one room is dedicated to the movie. In addition to temporary exhibitions, other displays feature antique clocks, teapots, and other everyday household objects. At the Ukiyo-e Theater, a 28-minute film teaches us how to see woodblock prints as windows into the past, from clothing worn by fishermen to hairstyles of the Edo Period. On the roof is a viewing deck offering great vistas of Sensoji Temple, while on the sixth floor is Bar Six, open from 6pm to 2am offering night views of the illuminated temple.
Tokyo› Attraction
Amuse Museum
2-34-3 Asakusa, Taito-ku
Our Rating
Neighborhood
Just east of Sensoji Temple, past Nitemmon Gate
Hours
Tues–Sun 10am–6pm
Transportation
Station: Asakusa (5 min.); Tokyo Shitamachi Bus: Asakusa Kaminarimon
Phone
03/5806-1181
Prices
¥1,080 adults, ¥864 university and high-school students, ¥540 children.
Web site
Amuse Museum
![3 star(s) 3 star rating](/assets/rating/fromm-rating-3star.png)
Map
2-34-3 Asakusa, Taito-ku TokyoNote: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.