Fukagawa Edo Museum

A few humorous sites that we encountered on our visit to the Fukagawa Edo Shiryoukan.



As we descended down the stairs, we could not help but notice a cat meowing in the background. Looking down on the buildings, we found this little cat that would bob its head and meow every so often.




This is a scene near the river. No explanation needed as to what this little guy is doing.

Overall, this is a fun, interactive museum.

Fukawagawa Edo Museum

Our group enjoys learning about culture and history on our trips to Japan. (Believe it or not, it's not all about eating, drinking and eating.) We enjoy visiting museums that teach us about a the history and culture of the area.

This year, I scheduled a visit to the Fukagawa Edo Museum. The Fukagawa Edo Shiryoukan Museum is located in Kiyosumi Shirakawa, a Shita-Machi neighborhood known for its beautiful Kiyosumi Tei-en (Garden). A stroll to the neighborhood would not lend you to believe that there is a museum here. The streets are lined with a mix of old and modern buildings. It is a mix of residences and mom and pop store fronts. There are a few neighborhood temples and shrines. Amidst this streetscape, is the Fukagawa Edo Museum.



The Museum, looks more like a library. It is not until you walk inside and down the stairs, do you realize the scale of what is exhibited there. The museum showcases life in shitamachi during the edo period. There are preserved buildings and streetscapes. The floor of the building is actually sunken. It actually is a basement. This is pretty smart since there are height limits for buildings in this neighborhood.

Above is a picture of my mom on the long stairway down to the exhibit floor.



A look inside the home of a merchant in edo.




A side street in edo amongst the Nagaya (long houses).

To be continued.

Edo Tokyo Tatemonoen

We visited the Edo Tokyo Tatemonoen (Edo Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum).

The museum consists of preserved buildings that line streets in almost a town like setting. There are preserved buildings from various eras in the history of Edo and modern day Tokyo that range from an artisan's home/workshop to a modern home of a wealthy family.


This museum is operated by the Tokyo government.
Website is http://www.tatemonoen.jp/

If you are planning to visit the Ghibli Museum on your trip, it is definitely worthwhile to make some time to see the Edo-Tokyo Tatemonoen.

The museum can be accessed via the Chuo Line. Get off at the Musashi Koganei Station. Take a local bus from in front of the station to the museum. It is about a ten minute ride.