Samurai Ninja Museum, Tokyo

Formerly known as The Samurai Museum, The Samurai Ninja Museum in Tokyo offers an immersive journey into Japan’s warrior past. Now open as a new four-story building in the Asakusa district, it brings to life the legendary worlds of samurai and ninjas. Unlike traditional museums where artifacts are locked behind glass, this interactive museum provides hands-on experiences, allowing visitors to get up close to the exhibits, wear samurai armor, and master ninja skills.

One of the museum's highlights is its authentic collection of Samurai armor, including rare Edo-period pieces aged over 300 years. The museum’s expert staff ensure their preservation while also demonstrating how the armor was used in battle.

Another major attraction is the Wall of Swords, featuring a diverse collection of Japanese swords from different eras. Since the samurai sword was regarded as the warrior’s “soul”, this display of iconic blades is an essential experience for sword collectors and martial arts fans.

For those seeking a fully immersive experience, the museum provides the chance to try on full samurai armor for souvenir photos. To complete the experience, visitors can also handle a variety of replica swords, as well as observe the sword-cutting “tameshigiri” technique.

The Ninja section offers an equally engaging experience, focusing on the history and training of these “shadow warriors”. Visitors can learn about ninja missions, weapons, and tactics, and participate in hands-on ninja training, including ninja stars (shuriken) throwing and blowgun practice.

The museum offers guided tours in English, starting every 15 minutes and lasting 30 minutes, where visitors can learn about the rise and fall of the samurai, legendary battles, and the myths surrounding them. After the tour, guests can explore the museum at their own pace through self-guided reading materials. On average, most visitors spend about an hour at the museum.