Tokyo high lights, Ukiyo-e, Japanese Sword Museums, Stroll Japanese Garden

Ryogkoku area well known as Sumo town has many museums of various Japanese traditional themes such as Sumo, Hokusai’s Ukiyo-e Wood block print, Japanese Sword and Edo Museum. We walk along Sumo town while the guide will talk about historical background and lead to the museums. The walking tour starts at Sumida Hokusai museum with 1800 collections of wood block prints by Hokusai and his apprentices. After strolling at Yasuda Japanese garden and Ryogoku terrace café, we visit Japanese sword museum where wide variety of sword, sword mountings, armors and others are displayed and video introduces process of making sword.

1. 1

   Ryogoku Kokugikan

   1 hour

   The tour starts with walking along Sumo Stadium and Sumo museum while seeing the Sumo stable where sumo wrestlers practice. The guide will talk about historic background of Sumo and Sumo wrestling. Sumo museum displays every sumo related things such as sumo wrestler's attire, Dohyo sumo wrestling's ring. The museum is closed on Saturday, Sunday and national holidays.

2. 2

   Kyu Yasuda Garden

   1 hour

   Kyu-Yasuda Tei-en literally means the garden formerly owned by Yasuda Zenjiro. He is the great-grandfather of Ono Yoko, widow of John Lennon. The garden is not large but a typical Daimyo garden having a central pond, a small island, a circular path, a small shrine and tea house. You can relax in the garden or at Rhogoku terrace cafe facing the garden.

3. 3

   The Sumida Hokusai Museum

   1 hour

   Next visit the four-story Sumida Hokusai Ukiyo-e museum designed by Pritzker Architecture Prize winner Sejima Kazuya. The museum keeps 1800 collection of wood block prints by Hokusai and his apprentices. You will learn Hokusai's energetic and enthusiastic life for Ukiyo-e.

4. 4

   The Japanese Sword Museum

   1 hour

   Visits Japanese Sword Museum where preserves and displays wide variety of Japanese swords, sword mountings, armors and many other related objects and documents. A Japanese sword is regarded as a cultural asset and art. With 1000 years of history the sword has played a significant role in Japanese history and culture.

5. 5

   Kiyosumi Teien

   1 hour

   Lastly take metro to visit Kiyosumi garden. Designated as the Place of scenic Beauty by Tokyo Government, Kiyosumi garden is scenic Japanese garden where was created by the the founder of Mitsubishi, Yataro Iwasaki for his employees’ recreation and to invite the guests. The stepping stones arranged near the pond edge and stone bridges lead us to the next islets viewing the changing scenery. The large pond called Dai-Sensui used to take advantage of drawn water from Sumida river. Many ducks, fish and turtles live in the pond. The garden also features innumerable stones used as bridges, stepping stones over the pond, and stones for a dried waterfall. They were collected from nationwide by steamships owned by Iwasaki family’s company.

6. 6

   Fukagawa Edo Museum

   1 hour

   Fukagawa Edo Museum is a life-size reproduction of a Tokyo streetscape from the closing years of the Edo period (1603–1867). The Museum shows the lifestyles of the people at Edo period, the homes they lived in and the daily goods they used. The museum's lighting also changes to reflect different times of day.

• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Specialized infant seats are available
• Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
• Not recommended for pregnant travelers
• Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.