Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum

Very interesting and exiting museum! Basically going into a small city and learning about the architecture, life & culture of Japan. Note: Wear shoes which you can quickly put on and off! Toilets, restaurant and shops available! Expect to spend at least a few hours! Perfect for a family or friends trip

We were on a Studio Ghibli tour and they made a stop here. If your a fan you can see so many inspirations for a lot of the Ghibli movies. You can walk through the buildings and see lots of history. The whole park is beautiful. There was a rain shower while there and it made very surreal. The water trickling of the thratch roofs was just amazing. Bamboo, forest and running streams, temples, shrines, beautiful! Give yourself plenty of time to stroll through and admire everything. We had limited time just a couple of hours and there was a ton we missed. This is a great place, make some time to visit it won't disappoint!

A surprisingly interesting place to spend 1-1.5 hours if you're exploring deeper into the Tokyo area and have a couple hours free and are interested in the Showa-era style and architecture. This park has some 20 buildings that are each preserved from different periods, and a nice diversity of functional purposes. Take the train ~30 min west of Shinjuku on the Chuo line, and an easy 15 min walk north from Musashi-Koganei station. You'll get photos and scenes of stylish interiors that look like they came out of a retro mid-century modern style magazine. Admission cheap at ¥300 and worth a visit after you see all those other things in Tokyo you wanted to see.

The Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum is one of the most unique places I visited in Tokyo. Instead of a typical indoor museum, it feels like walking through a living village from the past. Dozens of historic houses, shops, and bathhouses have been beautifully preserved, and you can step inside each one to experience how people lived in different eras of Tokyo. The surrounding park adds a peaceful, nostalgic atmosphere, making it a perfect escape from the city. Whether you love history, architecture, or photography, this museum is absolutely worth a visit. I left feeling inspired and more connected to Tokyo’s heritage.

Really lovely place to visit, would definitely recommend. We went on a tea ceremony event day, however all the same-day tickets were sold out by the time we got there, and you couldn't do advance reservation for the english speaking ones. Despite that, it was still a nice place to wander and learn about historic architecture. I walk past this museum a lot, so I'm glad I finally got to go inside! There are places in the museum serving food, which is helpful, but although they are good, I would reccomend eating beforehand, as they are very expensive...

A wonderful outside museum worth spending half a day exploring slowly. It’s not only photogenic but also a great place to learn about Japanese culture and history. Today I learned how to wrap with furoshiki here. The outdoor area is lush and peaceful, with many people sketching under the trees — such a charming cultural atmosphere.

This was probably one of my most favorite things in Tokyo. The museum was so fascinating and there was a ton of information about each building available in English. We learned so much about the Edo period and the various types of buildings in Japan at that time. The space for the museum is also beautiful. The museum itself is a bit far away from the main Tokyo city center but well worth the subway ride and it was a really lovely break from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo.

Really unique experience to see so many types of homes and shops over the ages, especially if you're interested in historical architecture. It's like going back in time or going to a movie set, but one you can kinda smell. Strongly recommend you bring/wear sandals or flip flops, as most homes require you to take off your shoes. Fair and tolerable weather preferred sinces it's quite outdoor. No need to make this a part of your whirlwind three days in Tokyo, but if you are here for a while, it's worth checking out. Tickets online or in person - super affordable, no wait, never too busy. Easy to get to and from by bus from the station.

Amazing museum! We were taken here for a Studio Ghibli tour through Sunrise Tours ($173 day trip, 10:20am-7:00pm). This was the second stop after having food at Meiji Kinenkan. We got to look and even go inside the old structures! Cafe and shop available.

Found this on a whim and it did not disappoint. The location is not far from Tokyo, about an hour commute. If you are staying in the Yamamote line, it's about 2 trains and a bus commute. It's fairly easy to get to it and the commute was pretty seamless. The bus to take to get you to the museum is right across the street from the train station and it also has a sign so you would know that it is a bus for the Edo Tokyo Air museum. The location also has a park and I saw such cuties (dogs and even a cat). You would pass this park on your way to the entrance to the Museum. They were a lot of people lounging, having picnics and even biking at the park. There was also a food stall you can purchase some food and snacks. The museum is fairly large and very Instagrammable. The entrance fee is also not that expensive. The staff is very helpful and the museum shop also has some pretty inexpensive and local items to buy as souvenirs. For solo travelers. I do advice that you cannot bring a tripod inside the houses and also the tripod and people cannot step on the area that has grass or plants. I made a mistake when I had stepped on one, since there was miscommunication because of language barrier. Overall it was pretty cute outing. There are also bathrooms and they also sell food inside the museum. It is mostly outdoors so dress appropriately and also for the weather.

We visited a few days ago on a Saturday in July 2020. Due to COVID we weren't able to go inside the houses and buildings, which was a bit unfortunate. However, we still really enjoyed seeing the places. Not too many really old thatched roof type buildings (maybe 4 or 5) but we were able to walk into the entry areas of those and could see the kitchens and nice hardwood flooring throughout, old timbering, and lots of tatami mats. There are about 5 newish (less than 100 years old) houses that were really nice. One was huge. Quite western in style. Our fav part of the park is the eastern section where many old shop buildings were rebuilt into a Main Street style with shops on either side of the street. You get to step back in time at this outdoor museum. Well worth the time and cost. Only JPY 400 per person plus JPY 500 per car for parking.

I don't usually post reviews because I'm usually too lazy :) However, I wanted to share my visit to this museum because I really enjoyed going. Wonderful museum that's off the beaten path. Went there with my daughter and we both loved it. We spent the morning at the Ghibli Museum and headed over here as it was described (I forget where I read it, I think it was part of a tour offered) as an inspiration for one of the scenes in Miyasaki's "Spirited Away". There was a hands on exhibit on furoshiki that was good; I mean, I wasn't that good at it but I enjoyed trying. :) There were no crowds on the Friday afternoon that we went much made each stop much more enjoyable. The fact that visitors are allowed to experience the homes and shops; walking through what was once homes for different families during different eras is an experience uniquely Japan and I will never forget. The staff and volunteers have done great work with upkeep of the entire museum and their passion shows through when they explain about the homes and shops. Most of the billboards are in Japanese but this did not hinder our understanding as there are free handouts provided for each setting. Anyone who has an appreciation for history and architecture will enjoy this museum.

(This review covers both the current Ghibli Architecture exhibit and the Museum overall.) Three words: Wow, wow and wow! If you appreciate the thought and care put into creating the visual environment for the world-famous Studio Ghibli films, this is a must see. Even if you have been carried away by the enchanting stories and characters of the Ghibli films, seeing this exhibit will deepen your appreciation for the true craftsmanship that goes into each production. I received the flyer for this while guiding a fellow Yelper visiting from overseas who wanted to visit the Ghibli Museum (separate review) in Mitaka. Of course I love the museum itself, and near the exit, the friendly staff was handing out the flyers. I asked if he had seen the exhibit and he wholeheartedly answered "Yes!" What was good about it? Granted, he could have been slightly biased as a museum staff, he was very honest in saying, "It goes beyond words. You just have to see it yourself." So last weekend during the long three-day holiday, I made the trip out to Koganei Park north of Musashi Koganei station on the JR Chuo line to finally see the exhibit. Upon reaching the entrance, we were greeted with a long line of over a hundred people waiting just to get in to purchase the admission ticket! We decided to wait even though the was a guy bellowing out from a megaphone that the wait would be well over one hour and that it would be better to come back several hours later. Say what? We decided to wait. And wait. And wait. Then gave up. The next day was the Monday holiday, so we committed to return. And return we did, at around the same time in mid-afternoon. Surprise! No waiting line this time. It was also the last day of a special nighttime light up that happens only once a year. We could look forward to that in a couple hours. So along with the fabulous display of authentic period architecture spanning over a hundred years, the key focus was a limited run exhibit of the architecture of Ghibli films. The exhibit was divided into two parts within the main entrance pavilion, and absolutely no disappointments here. From rough sketches, paintings and actual cell paintings to extremely detailed scale models from selected films, it was one eye-opening scene after another. Several highlights, including a 1/10 scale model of the bathhouse in Spirited Away (千と千尋の神隠し) were simply amazing. Mr. Miyazaki's recreation of architectural styles from around the world were breathtaking and authentic, but at the same time quite natural in the settings of each respective film. After seeing these in person, I'm sure you will agree with me in concluding that the extreme attention to craft and detail could only have been created by extremely talented and well-directed Japanese artists. No more spoilers here; you really need to see it in person! The remaining time we toured around the huge grounds that featured full size examples of Japanese architecture, including the recreation of a Meiji period street featuring old versions of what you find in your neighborhood now: Dry goods store, local bar, bathhouse, among others. You really feel like you've stepped back in time, and since we were viewing this at night, the lighting was also authentic to the period, including real gas lights and very old incandescent bulbs. I could go on, and maybe I'll update this review on subsequent visits, but for now, there are only two words: Just go! At ¥400 admission for adults and half that price for seniors and high school kids and above, it's also a deal in a city where major exhibitions normally command ¥1000 and up. (Junior high kids and younger get in free.) Note 1: The exhibit, scheduled to end on December 14, 2014, has been extended by popular demand to mid-March 2015. Yeah - I'm going again, and again, and again! Note 2: The website has been updated and new and expanded items will be exhibited after mid-December. Audio guidance and English supporting explanation will also be added from that time. Note 3: Admission fees will be FREE on January 2 and 3, 2015 - first opening after the short break for New Years. Note 4: Try to take public transportation from JR Higashi Koganei or JR Musashi Koganei stations. It's about a 30 minute walk from either if you're in the mood and the weather is good. Avoid driving, it'll take you a long time to get into the parking lot and on weekends, it's definitely not worth the time and cost.

Yeap, this is a nice place. It's like stepping back in time. There also is a big park with bike rentals etc. and food stands next to it (to the east). The "cycling course" here is rather small in scale, especially if you compare it with that in Showa Kinen Park or Shinrin Park. But no one would stop you if you went off and rode in the park. About transportation. There is a Seibu bus (#13, I think) running between JR Koganei Station, which is south of the park, and Seibu Shinjuku Hanakoganei Station and north beyond that if you want to save some walking. You'd need to get off at "Koganei Koen Nishiguchi (koganei park west entrance)"