Japanese Sword Museum, Military museum in Yokoami, Japan.
The Japanese Sword Museum in Yokoami houses around 400 blades in a circular building designed by architect Fumihiko Maki, with a garden pond beside it. The collection spans different periods and displays varying craftsmanship techniques through carefully arranged displays and exhibition spaces.
The museum was established in Shibuya in 1968 and moved to its current location in Sumida Ward in 2017. The collection includes objects designated as national treasures, marking them as among the country's most important cultural assets.
Here, swords are presented as art objects reflecting Japanese values of precision and beauty rather than military tools. Rotating displays help visitors understand how these objects held meaning beyond combat in the country's cultural life.
The location is a short walk from Ryogoku Station, making it easy to reach from central Tokyo. Visiting during daytime hours allows you to see the blade details clearly under good lighting conditions.
The blades on display shift in appearance as light hits them from different angles, revealing surface patterns created intentionally by master craftsmen. This effect demonstrates how smiths carefully shaped the surface to make light dance across the metal.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
