- Address: 2-1, Ueno-koen, Taito-ku, Tokyo 110-0007
- Phone: +81 3-3823-7451
- Official website: http://www.taitocity.ne
- Working hours: 9: 30-16: 30, except Monday
- Ticket price: $ 2.63 - adult, $ 0.88 - child
A fascinating journey through the history of the Land of the Rising Sun is possible thanks to the numerous and diverse museums in Japan . The most oriental and most picturesque of them is the museum of Sitamati. Translated from Japanese, "sitamati" means Lower City. It is this museum that will move visitors to the beginning of the 20th century, when Tokyo was not yet a highly developed capital. Sitamati acquainted with the way of life of the Lower City, which is currently not preserved in the capital of Japan.
A short digression into the history
During the period of active development, the city of Edo (the historical name of Tokyo) was divided into two parts. In the one where the castle of Edo was built, notable nobles settled. Traders and artisans began to live on the opposite side, and since this "poor" district was below the "rich" region, it was called the Lower Town. Its population gradually grew and rebuilt one-storey wooden barracks for several families, mostly closely adjacent to each other.
Japan is located in a seismically active zone, and in 1923 a powerful earthquake struck the lower city. From the "poor" area there was no trace, and the Second World War finally destroyed the remaining ruins of the buildings. Getting to her feet, Japan began to rebuild the destroyed areas, but for single-story houses there was not a place. The lower city was built up with modern high-rise buildings. In 1980, the Japanese created the museum of Sitamati to perpetuate national traditions and the old way of life.
What to see in the museum?
Effectively located on the shores of Lake Sinobadzu in Ueno Park , the Sithamati Museum stores expositions of the Meiji period (1868-1912) and the Taixo period (1912-1925). The exhibition halls are on two floors:
- The first stage of the museum is decorated in the form of streets with reconstructed houses, shops and workshops of the Meiji era. On one of the streets, built in full size, tourists can see the house of a Copperman, a shoe merchant's shop, a small smithy and a candy store.
- On the second floor, you can visit the exhibitions dedicated to the interior of the inhabitants of the Lower Town with the original objects of everyday life and all sorts of artifacts.
The peculiarity of the museum of Sitamati is that almost all items can be touched. At different times of the year, the museum exposition may change slightly. For example, warm things appear in the winter, and umbrellas in the fall. A walk through the Lower City will bring a lot of unforgettable impressions to every visitor.
How to get to Sitamati?
To visit the unique museum of the Lower City, tourists need to travel by train to the Keiseiueno Station. It is located at the intersection of Keisei Main Line and Keisei Narita Sky Access. From the station to the sights you need to walk for about 5 minutes.