Tour Details
Duration
2 hours
Product Type
Tour
Venues
Tokyo National Museum
Photos & Highlights
- Learn about Japan's rich culture in Tokyo National Museum tour
- Led by an expert in Japanese art and history
Select a date
Tour Description
This two-hour guided tour of Tokyo's National Museum, led by a Japanese art expert or historian, provides a deep dive into Japanese culture and history. Located in the beautiful Ueno Park, the 1872 National Museum houses one of the largest and most impressive collections of objects, sculptures, and paintings related to Asian art and archeology, with a particular focus on Japan. From samurai swords to kimonos, this fine collection tells the story of the history of Japan through its art. Together, we'll explore and discuss a number of the national treasures, touching on some of the 110,000 individual items dating from the earliest years of civilization on the Japanese islands, all the way through to the Edo period and modern day.
Experts
While Tokyo National Museum is split into numerous collections, the majority of our focus on this Tokyo National Museum guided tour will be on the Japanese Gallery. We will use the museum’s Meiji paintings, splendid screens, ancient scrolls, and intricately carved woodblocks to cover themes that range from the importance of visual arts in daily life to tea ceremonies and religious traditions.
Our course through the museums can take many forms, depending on the specific interests of the group: we let the itinerary be shaped by which eras and styles of Japanese art the group is most interested in, as well as the specialization and proclivity of our guide. We'll dig deeply into a number of art forms that are foreign to the West but hold great significance in Japan, in the process developing a context for deeper appreciation.
At the end, we'll emerge from our time together with a better understanding of Japanese art and its relation to the larger sphere of both Japanese and Asian culture and history. For a look at Japanese aesthetics in a more contemporary context, try our Introduction to Tokyo tour.
For more information about Context tours, please visit our FAQs.
Is it okay to tip my guide in Japan?
Yes. Context clients generally tip anywhere from 10-25% of the purchase price of a personal service such as this, depending on the quality of the experience and their tipping habits.
Do exhibits change over time?
The exhibits change once a month, so each experience is different, as is the main theme of the visit. Due to the fragile nature of most Japanese art, the museum cannot leave it out for longer periods.
Do exhibits change over time?
The exhibits change once a month, so each experience is different, as is the main theme of the visit. Due to the fragile nature of most Japanese art, the museum cannot leave it out for longer periods.
Book with confidence — see Context's flexible cancellation policy here.
Where You'll Start
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159 Reviews
Reviews can only be left by Context customers after they have completed a tour. For more information about our reviews, please see our FAQ.
Kara was the best. This was an awesome tour and Kara was just a fountain of knowledge.
James
Reviewed on:
Jan 19, 2018
Our guide was very nice, knowledgeable and passionate about the subject matter. However his accent was so strong it was very difficult to understand him. If we spoke Japanese he would have been an incredible guide. Unfortunately we speak English and it was impossible to get but a cursory explanation of the history. It was unfair to both sides to be put in this position. Could not recommend this guide for English speaking tourists and the Context should have realized this prior to scheduling. Context charges a significant rate and should provide service that is commensurate.
Lauren
Reviewed on:
Jan 14, 2018
Kerra was truly exceptional—exceeded expectations. She is very knowledgeable and had a definite plan for covering her subjects and was great about answering questions. We could have spent much more time with her.
Dallas
Reviewed on:
Nov 25, 2017
