One of Tokyo's Most Popular Museums Is Reopening This Spring

"After nearly four years of wide-scale renovations, one of Tokyo's premier museums is finally reopening this spring. The Edo-Tokyo Museum, which focuses on the history of Edo (what Tokyo was called between 1603-1868) through the present day, is making its ballyhooed comeback on March 31, 2026. This was the first time in its nearly 33-year history that the museum underwent any significant restoration; the work started in April 2022, when COVID-19 still kept Japan's doors shut to international travelers."

"Although the concept of an Edo-Tokyo Museum had been formally planned since 1981, Ryogoku was always a front-runner to host the facility, on account of its connection to Edo culture. Not only was Katsushika Hokusai arguably the world's most recognizable ukiyo-e (Edo-style woodblock print) artist from the vicinity, but Ryogoku was also one of the most nigiwai (bustling) entertainment districts of that era."

The Edo-Tokyo Museum reopens on March 31, 2026 after nearly four years of wide-scale renovations that began in April 2022. The museum focuses on the history of Edo (1603–1868) through the present day. Ryogoku was selected for the museum because of its historical ties to Edo culture, including proximity to ukiyo-e artist Katsushika Hokusai and a long history as a bustling entertainment district where sumo has been performed since the 1700s. The building, designed by Kiyonori Kikutake as a modern homage to takayuka-shiki storehouses, underwent updates overseen by architect Shohei Shigematsu across its eighty-one underground and seven aboveground total floors. Two new features will debut at reopening.

Read at Travel + Leisure