Tokyo is home to some of the most prestigious museums in Asia, from the stately Tokyo National Museum to the futuristic Miraikan. However, what makes Tokyo especially interesting isn’t just its wealth of well-curated institutions — it’s the unapologetically strange ones tucked into unexpected corners of the city. After all, Japan is a culture where seriousness and silliness coexist side by side.

So if you’ve already ticked off the big-name sites and are looking for something a little more curious, something that screams “only in Japan,” I’ve got some ideas for you. I’ve got five choices for some of the most unusual museums that you can only find in Japan. From fluorescent poop to extinct technologies, these unique experiences are well worth stepping off the beaten path for.

Unko Museum (うんこミュージアム)

Location: Odaiba, Tokyo

Let’s start off with a personal favorite.

Indeed, this is a poop museum. No, it’s not gross. It’s a lot of fun. The Unko Museum (“unko” meaning poop in Japanese) is less of a museum in the traditional sense and more of a hyper-colorful interactive art space themed entirely around what has lovingly been dubbed “Unko Kawaii” — disgustingly cute. It’s an explosion of pastel swirls, neon signage, and charming absurdity that will remind you that you are truly, well, and wonderfully in the Land of the Rising Sun.

Visitors can sit on toilets that trigger colorful animations, participate in mini-games like catching digital poop as it falls from the sky, and pose under a glowing neon archway that proudly declares the word “UNKO” in English. There’s even a section where you can doodle your own “designer poop” and have it displayed on the wall. It’s irreverent, loud, and absolutely hilarious.

Of course, it’s also highly Instagrammable — and that’s part of the draw. It’s not every day you get to take a selfie riding a poop-shaped slide. While some might roll their eyes at the very idea of even visiting here, there’s something oddly refreshing about a museum that doesn’t take itself too seriously. After all, when was the last time you laughed in a museum?

Information

Address: DiverCity Tokyo Plaza, 2nd Floor, 1-1-10 Aomi, Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-0064
Nearest Station: Tokyo Teleport Station(Rinkai Line) or Daiba Station(Yurikamome Line)
Hours: 10:00/11:00 AM – 8:00/9:00 PM(last admission is an hour before closing)

うんこミュージアム【公式】

うんこを見て、触って、撮って、遊ぶ。誰もが夢中になれる、うんこカワイイ唯一無二のエンタメ空間。それが、うんこミュージアムです。

unkomuseum.com

Suginami Animation Museum (杉並アニメーションミュージアム)

Location: Ogikubo, Suginami Ward

Tucked into a quiet residential corner of Tokyo, the Suginami Animation Museum offers something few other places do — a thoughtful and intimate look at the process behind Japanese animation. It’s not about any one franchise or company. Instead, it’s a love letter to the medium itself.

Suginami Ward is home to 100+ animation studios, making it the densest hub for anime production in the country. This museum honors that legacy with a series of interactive exhibits detailing how animation is created — from initial storyboards and key frames to voice acting and final editing. One particularly fun feature is the voiceover booth, where visitors can try dubbing a classic scene themselves. It’s harder than it looks, but also incredibly fun.

There’s a small theater screening short films, an extensive library of books and magazines related to anime history, and even English-language displays for overseas visitors. Best of all, admission is free, making it one of the best-kept budget-friendly secrets for fans of Japanese pop culture. Whether you’re a diehard anime fan or just curious about how it all comes together, this is a rewarding stop far away from the usual tourist bustle.

Information

Address: 3-29-5 Kamiogi, Suginami-ku, Tokyo 167-0043
Nearest Station: Ogikubo Station
Hours: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM(last entry at 5:30 PM)

https://sam.or.jp/

Tobacco and Salt Museum (たばこと塩の博物館)

Location: Sumida Ward

At first glance, it’s a strange pairing: tobacco and salt. But in Japan, both have played outsized roles in the country’s history — economically, socially, and even spiritually. Once monopolized by the Japanese government, these two essential goods have a surprisingly rich backstory, and the Tobacco and Salt Museum dives into both with surprising depth and clarity.

Originally established by Japan Tobacco, the museum houses an impressive collection of smoking paraphernalia from across the globe — ornate pipes from 18th-century Europe, intricately carved cigarette holders from the Meiji period, and even antique vending machines from Japan’s postwar economic boom. Side by side with this is an equally fascinating collection focused on salt: how it was harvested, traded, used in purification rituals, and even weaponized through taxation.

Visitors can walk through a recreated Edo-period tobacco shop, see salt sculptures, and view rotating special exhibits that explore changing habits around health, industry, and culture. While it’s not a place that begs for your attention, those who do step inside often walk away surprised by how engrossing it is. In short, it’s a museum that turns the mundane into something quietly profound.

Information

Address: 1-16-3 Yokokawa, Sumida-ku, Tokyo 130-0003
Nearest Station: Oshiage Station
Hours: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM(last admission at 4:30 PM)

たばこと塩の博物館

東京都渋谷区から移転し、2015年4月25日に、墨田区にリニューアルオープンしたJT運営の博物館の公式サイトです。たばこと塩に関する資料の収集、調査・研究を行い、その歴史と文化を常設展示を通してご紹介しつつ、幅広いテーマを取り上げた多彩な企...

www.tabashio.jp

Meguro Parasitological Museum (目黒寄生虫館)

Location: Meguro, Tokyo

This is one of those places you visit partly out of curiosity, and partly to say you did. The Meguro Parasitological Museum is a small, two-story building filled with over 60,000 specimens and research documents related to parasites. That’s right — it’s a museum entirely devoted to worms, flukes, mites, and other hitchhiking organisms that call human and animal bodies home.

Founded by Dr. Kamegai Satoru in 1953, the museum was originally a private research facility before opening to the public. Today, it remains one of the only (if not only) institutions of its kind in the world. The displays are orderly and scientific, but there’s no denying the morbid curiosity they provoke. A preserved 8.8-meter-long tapeworm — discovered inside a human host — is the museum’s most infamous exhibit, and it never fails to draw a nervous chuckle from onlookers.

Still, this isn’t shock tourism. The tone is educational rather than sensational, and there’s a quiet reverence to the way the museum honors its founder’s research. Entry is free, though donations are welcome — and if you’re feeling brave, you can pick up some parasite-themed merch from the gift shop. (Yes, there’s a gift shop.) It’s niche, but undeniably memorable.

Information

Address: 4-1-1 Shimomeguro, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-0064
Nearest Station: Meguro Station
Hours: 10:00 AM – 5:00PM

公益財団法人目黒寄生虫館 (研究博物館：日本)

目黒寄生虫館は、「寄生虫」を専門に扱う研究博物館です。設置運営：公益財団法人目黒寄生虫館開館時間：午前10時～午後5時休館日：月曜日・火曜日（祝日の場合は翌平日）/年末年始

www.kiseichu.org

Extinct Media Museum (絶滅メディア博物館)

Location: Kanda, Chiyoda Ward

Of all the entries on this list, this one might be the most low-key, but for true lovers of obsolete tech, it’s among the most fascinating. The Extinct Media Museum is a compact, privately curated collection in central Tokyo, dedicated to preserving dead and dying formats: think Betamax, LaserDiscs, punch cards, floppy disks, MiniDiscs, and even rare analog operating systems.

The founder, an archivist deeply passionate about outdated formats, has assembled an impressive range of both consumer media and professional tech. CRT monitors glow quietly with forgotten UIs. Rotary scanners, clunky camcorders, and strange hybrid devices from the dawn of the digital age line the walls. Best of all, you’re encouraged to handle many of the objects — and even document your visit using the museum’s own vintage tools, like rotating tables, light booths, and VHS gear.

Unlike traditional museums, this one invites you to play, tinker, and learn. It’s not just about nostalgia — it’s about thinking critically about how fast technology evolves and what we choose to preserve. For anyone interested in digital archaeology or just curious about Japan’s once cutting-edge consumer tech, it’s a rare and memorable gem.

Information

Address: 2-3-6 Uchi-kanda Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Nearest Station: Kanda Station
Hours: 11:00 AM – 07:00 PM

Extinct Media Museum | 絶滅メディア博物館

All media other than paper and stone will become extinct. 紙と石以外のメディアはすべて絶滅する

extinct-media-museum.blog.jp

Conclusion

Japan as a culture has never shied away from the unusual, and that’s partially why tourists love visiting it. While most cities offer their share of standard art and history museums, Tokyo’s true charm often lies in its ability to celebrate the niche, the playful, and the downright bizarre. Whether you’re posing with pastel poop, marveling at parasites, or reminiscing about the days of analog media, these one-of-a-kind museums capture the quirky heart of a city that always finds a way to surprise.

So if you’re looking for something off the beaten path, something you won’t find anywhere else in the world, now you know where to start.