The small Shitamachi Museum is located on the edges of the Shinobazu Pond and is fun to visit for both adults and children. Shitamachi was the traditional downtown area of Tokyo but disappeared fast after the rebuilding of Tokyo following the end of the Second World War. In an attempt to preserve some of the spirit of the bygone era, this small museum was created by the people of Taito Ward, in which Ueno is located.

On the first floor is a reconstruction of the narrow streets that typified Edo including the house of a rich merchant and a more humble tenement house. It is important to note that what look like a small cheap sweets shop was not only the shop but also the house of the owner. At the end of the day the sweets were stored and the futon rolled out for the night. Back then the lack of multistory buildings meant that the poorer people lived even more densely than now. Also that small space was often the only area granted to the poor to live on by the rich. The total lack of privacy meant that a community spirit developed as everybody helped each other and knew all there was to know of their neighbors. If you take off your shoes you may enter the homes and touch anything inside.

On the second floor is an exhibition of things used in daily life - it seems almost anything old and in some way connected to Tokyo can be exhibited here. It includes a section of traditional Japanese toys and children and other visitors are welcome to try their hand at the games. Older generations baffled by Sega, Playstation, etc. clearly enjoy showing their grandchildren how to play the games. Everything not behind glass may be touched and played with. The reconstructed dinning room and kitchen may be entered if you take off your shoes. The museum has about 60,000 pieces and rotates them regularly.

English are used minimally inside the museum but you’ll receive flyers with well-written English making most exhibitions easy to figure out. The personnel speak limited English but will make a special effort to make you feel welcome.

The museum is small and can easily be visited in less than half an hour but you can linger longer if you study all that is on offer. Entrance is yen 300 for adults and yen 100 for children. Opening hours: 9:30 - 4:30, closed on Mondays.