The Tokugawa Museum

The Tokugawa Museum in Mito displays thousands of items from the family's private collection, including manuscripts, artworks, documents, and household objects spanning centuries. These holdings provide a broad view of what one of Japan's most influential clans accumulated and preserved.

The museum opened in 1977 and holds collections assembled by the Tokugawa family across many generations. Some items trace back to Tokugawa Ieyasu, who established the shogunate and shaped Japan for over two centuries.

The collection reflects the tastes and interests of the Mito Tokugawa family, showing how one of Japan's most powerful clans lived and valued art and learning. The objects on display reveal the family's role as patrons and collectors throughout the centuries.

The museum is located in central Mito and is easily accessible by local transport. Plan several hours to walk through the galleries and take in the full scope of the collection.

The museum houses a specialized library containing thousands of historical documents gathered specifically to compile a major work of Japanese history. This collection demonstrates the family's scholarly ambitions and their effort to preserve Japan's past.

Location: Mito

Official opening: 1977

Address: 茨城県水戸市見川1-1215-1

Opening Hours: Tuesday-Sunday 10:00-16:00

Phone: 0292412721

Website: https://tokugawa.gr.jp/en/guide

GPS coordinates: 36.37172,140.44581

Latest update: December 8, 2025 19:53