Fukagawa Edo Museum is a small museum that gives a good glimpse into life during the Tempo period (1830-1843) in the Fukagawa-Saga Area and is a great museum for kids and adults alike. Note: this should not be confused with the Edo Tokyo Museum.
The museum's main feature is a replica town that includes a main street, canal and row houses and is the main reason for visiting this museum. The first glimpse of the town is from above and you get a great view of the town as well as the town's cat mascot sitting on a roof top. As you enter the town you may get lucky like we were and be greeted by one of the museums English speaking guides who are full of information on all of the buildings and will answer any questions you may have. This is also not a typical museum where you have to look at things from afar because you are encouraged to enter the open rooms and touch everything whilst obviously respecting Japanese customs and taking your shoes off before stepping into the houses.
The main street gives you a glimpse into a Vegetable Store and a Rice Store where you can see how rice was polished 200 years ago. Along the canal you will find the boathouse where boat men used to get together and eat. And the row houses give a glimpse into what it was like in this community with 5 homes all with tenants who lived different ways but ultimately lived a simple life in a 1 room house with only a wall separating you from the neighbour next door and everyone using communal toilets and water supply.
This museum although away from the normal Tokyo tourist areas is great if you are interested in experiencing the history of Tokyo without having to read lots of information or having a language barrie--and costs only 400 yen admittance. It is located a few minutes walk from Kiyosumi-shirakawa Station and can be combined with the nearby Kiyosumi Teien Gardens or the Museum of Contemporary Art for an interesting day of sightseeing.
