JAPAN for FREE PAGE 1/ 5 PG-813 JAPAN 10th Fl., Tokyo Kotsu Kaikan Bldg., 2-10-1, Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0006 FOR FREE Tel. (03)3201-3331 Japan offers visitors from abroad a lot of worthwhile places to see and things to do for free. The following is only a small number of examples of places and events that you can enjoy for free in Japan. TOKYO Imperial Palace East Garden (皇居東御苑), 3-min. memorial items of Sumo wrestling, such as paintings, walk from Takebashi Sta. on Tozai Line, or 7-min. walk books, photos and the like. Open: 10:00-16:30. Closed: from Otemachi Sta. on Chiyoda, Mita, Hanzomon and Sat., Sun., national holidays & New Year’s holiday. For Marunouchi Line, is a garden adjoining the Imperial more information: http://www.sumo.or.jp/eng/museum/ Palace and a museum. The garden of 210,000 m2 first index.html opened to the public in 1968. Here you can enjoy cherry blossoms and azaleas in spring, various roses in early Currency Museum (貨幣博物館), 2-min. walk from summer, and camellias in winter. Open: 9:00-17:00 (Apr. Mitsukoshi-mae Sta. on Ginza Line & Hanzomon Line or 15-Aug.) 9:00-16:30(Mar.-Apr.14, Sep.-Oct.), 9:00- 10-min. walk from Tokyo Sta., was opened in 1985 by 16:00(Nov.-Feb.): enter 30 min. before closing time. Bank of Japan. It contains about 4,000 representative Closed: Mon. (the following day when Mon. falls on a currency items and exhibits a history of currency. Open: national holiday except the Emperor's Birthday, 23rd 9:30-16:30 (enter by 16:00) Closed: Mon., national holi- Dec.), Fri. & New Year’s holiday. Tel: 03-3213-1111. The day (when Sat. & Sun. fall on a national holiday, it's open.) museum, Sannomaru Shozokan (三の丸尚蔵館), is and New Year’s holiday. Tel: 03-3277-3037. For more located in the Imperial Palace East Garden. Open: 9:00- information: http://www.imes.boj.or.jp/cm/english_htmls/ 16:45 (Apr.15-Aug.), 9:00-16:15 (Mar.-Apr.14, Sep.-Oct.), index.htm 9:00-15:45 (Nov-Feb.): enter 15 min. before closing time. For more information: www.kunaicho.go.jp/eindex.html Meguro Parasitological Museum (目黒寄生虫館), 15-min. walk from Meguro Sta. on JR, Mita and Nanboku Tokyo Metropolitan Government Buildings (東 Line, or 3-min. walk from Otori-Jinja Bus Stop by Tokyu 京都庁), directly above Tocho-mae Sta. on Oedo Line, or Bus from Meguro, is the only museum in the world on 7-min. walk from Shinjuku Sta., built in 1991, has an parasites. It exhibits various specimens, studies and pho- observatory on the 45th floor (202-m high) which com- tos of parasites. Open: 10:00-17:00. Closed: Mon. (the mands a panoramic view of metropolitan Tokyo. A num- following day when Mon. falls on a national holiday) and ber of sculptures are exhibited outside around the New Year’s holiday. Tel: 03-3716-1264. For more infor- buildings. [North observatory] Open: 9:30-23:00 (enter mation: http://kiseichu.org/english.aspx by 22:30), Closed: 2nd and 4th Mondays (open when Monday falls on a national holiday and closed the follow- Beer Museum Ebisu (恵比寿麦酒記念館), 5-min. ing day.), Dec. 29-31 & Jan. 2-3. [South observatory] walk from Ebisu Sta. on JR and Hibiya Line by ‘Sky Walk’ Open: 9:30-17:30 (enter by 17:00), Closed: 1st and 3rd (moving walk), located in Ebisu Garden Place. Once only Tuesdays (open when Tuesday falls on a national holiday the brand name of a beer, “Ebisu” is now used as the and closed the following day.), Dec. 29-31 & Jan. 2-3. Tel: town name because there was a beer factory here in the 03-5320-7890. Meiji Period, the predecessor of Sapporo Beer Company, currently one of the most popular beer brands in Japan. Ryogoku Fireworks Museum (両国花火資料館), 5- Here you can learn about the history and technology of min. walk from JR Ryogoku Sta., provides you with the making beer. It also features a tasting lounge (beer history, many documents, paintings (Japanese woodblock charge). Open: 10:00-18:00 (enter by 17:00). Closed: prints (Ukiyoe)), photos and videos of fireworks. Open: Mon. (the following day when Mon. falls on a national Thu., Fri. and Sat., (daily during Jul.-Aug.). 12:00-16:00. holiday) & New Year’s holiday. Tel: 03-5423-7255. Tel: 03-5608-6181. Meiji University Museum (明治大学博物館), 5-min. Sumo Museum (相撲博物館), 1-min. walk from JR walk from JR Ochanomizu Sta., or 8-min. walk from Ryogoku Sta., or 5-min. walk from Ryogoku Sta. on (Shin-)Ochanomizu Sta. on Marunouchi and Chiyoda Oedo Line, is the official museum of the Sumo Line or 10-min. walk from Jimbocho Sta. on Hanzomon Association. It houses more than 20,000 historical and and Shinjuku Line, consists of three museums affiliated PAGE 2/ 5 JAPAN for FREE with Meiji University. It exhibits various historical collec- room featuring the latest information on F1 racing, safety tions and studies by laboratories. Archaeological simulator, ITS simulator and Hybrid cars. Open: 11:00- Museum (考古学博物館); Criminal Museum (刑事博 19:00 (-21:00 B1F, 1F) Closed: Mon. (the following day 物館); Commodity Museum (商品博物館), Open: when Mon. falls on a national holiday). Tel: 03-5391- 10:00-16:30 (enter by 16:00), Tel: 03-3296-4448. All 5900. For more information: http://www.amlux.jp/eng- museums are closed on summer holiday, New Year's hol- lish/floorguide/index.html iday and Meiji University holidays. Honda Welcome Plaza (ホンダウェルカムプラザ青 Sony Style (Sony Showroom in Odaiba Mediage 山 ), right above Aoyama-Ichome Sta. on Ginza, Building), 3-min. walk from Odaiba-Kaihin Koen Sta. on Hanzomon and Oedo Lines, is the showroom of Honda Yurikamome Line, or 5-min. walk from Tokyo Teleport Motor Co., Ltd. ASIMO, the world’s first humanoid Sta. on Rinkai Line, introduces new products. It offers 1- robot, developed by Honda, will welcome you as a guide. hour camera lending and batteries charging for Sony You can enjoy exhibitions of new car models, a mini-the- products services. Open: 11:00-21:00. Tel: 03-5531-7800. ater and a products shop. Open: 10:00-18:00. Closed: For more information: http://mediage.jp/e/ New Year’s holiday. Tel: 03-3423-4118. Sony Showroom in Ginza is also interesting to visit. Open: 11:00-19:00 Tel: 03-3573-2563 For more informa- TEPCO Electric Energy Museum (電力館), 5-min. tion: http://www.sonybuilding.jp/e/sr/index.html walk from Shibuya Sta., operated by Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), is a hands-on museum where Panasonic Center Tokyo (パナソニックセンター東 you can learn about various ways of power generation 京), 2-min. walk from Kokusai-Tenjijo Sta. on Rinkai Line, and the relationship between our life and electricity or 3-min. walk from Ariake Sta. on Yurikamome Line, through games, videos, exhibitions, experiments and the consists of Ubiquitous Digital Network Showcase and like. Open: 10:00-18:00. Closed: Wed. (the following day Environment Showcase. Open: 10:00-18:00. Closed: when Wed. falls on a national holiday) & New Year’s holi- Mon. & New Year’s holiday. Tel: 03-3599-2600. For more day. Tel: 03-3477-1191 information: http://www.panasonic.net/center/tokyo/en/index.html NHK Museum of Broadcasting (NHK放送博物館), 5-min. walk from Kamiyacho Sta. on Hibiya Line or 8- Jewelry Tower Tasaki in Ginza (ジュエリータワー min. walk from Onarimon Sta. on Mita Line, is operated 田崎真珠銀座店), 2-min. walk from Ginza Sta. on Ginza, by Japan Broadcast Corporation. It houses exhibits on Hibiya, Marunouchi Line, or 10-min. walk from JR broadcasting history. Featured are high-definition broad- Yurakucho Sta., is a 6-story building housing a museum cast systems, earlier broadcast equipment, an experience and showrooms of many kinds of jewelry, mainly pearls studio, video showing room for older TV programs and a and diamonds. Open: 10:30-19:30. Tel: 03-3289-1111. library. Open: 9:30-16:30. Closed: Mon. (the following day when Mon. falls on a national holiday) & New Year’s Amlux (トヨタアムラックス東京), 7-min. walk from holiday. Tel: 03-5400-6900 For more information: http:// Ikebukuro Sta., is the Toyota Motor Corporation show- www.nhk.or.jp/museum/index-e.html VICINITY OF TOKYO Saitama (埼玉) Omiya Bonsai Village (大宮盆栽村), 2-7-min. walk Saitama Municipal Cartoon Art Museum (漫画 from Omiya-Koen Sta. on Tobu Noda Line, is a small 会館), 5-min. walk from Omiya-Koen Sta. on Tobu Noda area consisting of a dozen of Bonsai gardens with hun- Line, commemorates the feats of Rakuten Kitazawa dreds of thousands of pots including more than 500- (北澤楽天, 1876-1955), the pioneer of modern Japanese year-old trees. Most of them are closed on Thursdays. caricatures flourishing throughout the Meiji, Taisho and There is a free rest house ‘Shiki no Ie’ (Four Seasons Showa Periods. Many of Kitazawa’s mementos and works House). Open: 9:00-17:00. Closed: Thu. & New Year’s are exhibited. Open: 9:00-16:00. Closed: Mon. (the follow- holiday. Tel: 048-664-1636. The annual ‘Bonsai Festival’ is ing day when Mon. falls on a national holiday), New Year’s held from May 3-5. holiday & the day following a national holiday. Tel: 048- 663-1541. ATAMI Atami, about 45 minutes from Tokyo by Shinkansen, is well known as a hot-spring resort. Himenosawa Park (姫の沢公園), 30 min. by bus from JR Atami Sta.