The Edo Museum in Tokyo reveals many historical and artistic treasures of traditional Japan. After several months of renovation, the museum located a stone's throw from the Sumo Arena reopens in April, offering new temporary exhibitions and new experiences for the public, immersing them in the past of the Japanese capital, formerly named Edo. .

Photo: DR

For those who are looking for the perfect place in Tokyo to learn more about the history and development of the Japanese capital from 1600 to the present day, it is the Edo Museum. Inaugurated in 1993 and closed for renovations for 6 months, the public will now be able to enjoy new experiences. To celebrate the reopening, the museum will exhibit selected ukiyo-e, “Ichikawa Ebizo” and “Reflective Love” artwork by Kitagawa Utamaro in the permanent exhibition hall. Many events are also expected, including a free introductory program to Traditional Japanese Culture for foreign visitors (every Saturday from April 14, 2018 to March 30, 2019.

A visit to the Edo Museum is a must-see in Tokyo. The space and the subdued light accentuate the loss of landmarks caused by the discovery of costumes, buildings and objects of yesteryear. Welcoming "Japanese" is an art: especially on weekends, barely arrived, volunteer guides approach you in your language to offer you a "private" visit. You are introduced to the history of the city accompanied by a Tokyoite who leads you at a run through the different spaces, between anecdotes and proposals to take your picture in front of such a yukata (a light cotton kimono) , or such douaku (a bronze bell).

Everything is “life-size” there, so that you can quickly imagine yourself in Edo and no longer in a museum. Likewise, all eras can be found there: visit a traditional house from the Meiji era (1868-1912), attend a kabuki demonstration, or discover the first Japanese cars ...

And for those who wish to learn more and more, the library and its 140 works constitute a good documentary collection. But beware: nothing beats the museum and the discovery of these traces of the past, presented by a charming guide with supersonic speaking!

Personifying itself the philosophy of the contrasts between tradition and modernity with its hyper modern facade, the building itself is an architectural masterpiece and, located right next to the Ryogoku Kokugikan, the sumo arena of Tokyo. No sooner have you entered the museum than you immerse yourself in the Japan of yesteryear.