In Japan, once the rainy season (June to July) ends, the full heat of summer arrives. In Tokyo, there are days where temperatures reach extreme highs, and sudden downpours known as "guerrilla rainstorms" can occur. This article introduces popular indoor spots in Tokyo where you can have fun without worrying about the heat or rain. Whether you're planning a family outing, a day with friends, or a date, choose the best spot for your needs!
※A portion of the sales from purchases or reservations of the products introduced in this article may be returned to FUN! JAPAN.
Indoor Fun in Tokyo: Learn While You Enjoy
①Koto Ward | Miraikan - The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation
Located in Tokyo's
area, the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation (Miraikan) opened in 2001 and is a science museum focused on the future of technology. With permanent exhibitions, special exhibitions, restaurants, and a museum shop spread across seven floors, it offers a full day's worth of activities.
Upon entering, you'll immediately notice the museum's symbol, a giant 6-metre spherical display called "Geo-Cosmos." Over 10,000 LED panels project high-resolution satellite images of Earth, showing its ever-changing appearance.
The permanent exhibitions are on the 3rd and 5th floors. On the 3rd floor, themed "Creating the Future," you can interact with robots and experience simulated ageing phenomena. The 5th floor, themed "Exploring the World," features a 1/10th scale model of the Super-Kamiokande and an exhibition on the International Space Station.
Additionally, the "Dome Theatre" offers 3D films on space and science, shown on a dome-shaped screen.
Miraikan - The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation
- Address: 2-3-6 Aomi, Koto-ku, Tokyo
- Opening hours: 10:00～17:00 (last entry at 16:30)
- Closed: Tuesdays, New Year's holidays (28th December–1st January) *May open on Tuesdays during holidays or school breaks, such as spring, summer, and winter vacations.
- Admission fee:
Permanent Exhibitions: Adults 630 yen, Primary school students–18 years old 210 yen (free on Saturdays), Under 6 years old: Free Special Exhibitions: Prices vary depending on the exhibition - Access:
About 4 minutes walk from "Telecom Center Station" on the Yurikamome Line
About 15 minutes walk from "Tokyo Teleport Station" on the Rinkai Line - Official website:https://www.miraikan.jst.go.jp/
②Taito Ward｜National Museum of Nature and Science
Located in Ueno Park, Taito ward, Tokyo, the National Museum of Nature and Science is a historic museum established in 1877. As the only comprehensive national science museum in Japan focusing on natural history and the history of science and technology, it houses over 5 million items, with approximately 25,000 of them on permanent display.
The "Japan Pavilion," built in 1931 and designated as an Important Cultural Property by the Japanese government in 2008, showcases exhibits related to Japan's wildlife, nature, and people. One of its highlights is the fossil and full skeletal reconstruction of the Futabasaurus suzukii, a plesiosaur that lived near Japan about 85 million years ago.
On the basement floor, "THEATER36⚪︎" offers an immersive experience within a 12.8-meter diameter dome, equivalent to 1/1,000,000th the size of the Earth. Visitors can enjoy original films projected in 360 degrees, creating a unique sensation of floating.
The "Global Gallery," renovated in July 2015, features numerous exhibits and interactive corners related to the Earth's environment and the development of science and technology. In the basement, visitors can view impressive skeletal specimens of dinosaurs like the Tyrannosaurus and Stegosaurus, while the second-floor "Observation Station" presents almost real-time data on seismic activity, solar phenomena, and surface temperatures.
National Museum of Nature and Science
- Address: 7-20 Ueno Park, Taito Ward, Tokyo
- Opening hours: 9:00-17:00 (Last entry at 16:30)
- Closed: Mondays (Tuesday if Monday is a holiday), Year-end and New Year holidays (December 28 - January 1)
- Admission fee: 630 yen for university students and above, free for those aged 65 and over/high school students and below
- Access:
About 5 minutes walk from JR "Ueno Station" (Park Exit)
About 10 minutes walk from Tokyo Metro Ginza Line/Hibiya Line "Ueno Station" (Exit 7)
About 10 minutes walk from Keisei Line "Keisei Ueno Station" (Main Exit) - Official website: https://www.kahaku.go.jp/index.php
③Minato Ward | The National Art Center, Tokyo
Opened in 2007, the National Art Center, Tokyo, boasts one of Japan's largest exhibition spaces, spanning 14,000 square meters. The building, designed by world-renowned architect Kisho Kurokawa, is characterized by its unique "curtain wall" of undulating glass, embodying the concept of a "museum in the forest."
Unlike traditional museums, the National Art Center does not have a permanent collection. Instead, it serves as an art center where people can experience diverse artistic expressions and appreciate various perspectives. It hosts a wide range of themed exhibitions and provides venues for art organizations.
Within the facility, visitors can enjoy a café, restaurant, and an art library that is free to the public. The museum shop, "Souvenir from Tokyo," offers a variety of items, from manga and art books to crafts and works by young designers, showcasing new designs and art from a "Tokyo perspective."
The National Art Center, Tokyo
- Address: 7-22-2 Roppongi, Minato Ward, Tokyo
- Opening hours: 10:00～18:00 (Last entry at 17:30) *Open until 20:00 on Fridays and Saturdays during special exhibitions
- Closed: Tuesdays (Open if Tuesday is a holiday or substitute holiday, and closed the following weekday), Year-end and New Year holidays
- Admission fee: Varies by exhibition (admission to the building is free).
- Access:
Direct access from Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line "Nogizaka Station"
About a 5-minute walk from Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line "Roppongi Station"
About a 4-minute walk from Toei Oedo Line "Roppongi Station" - Official website: https://www.nact.jp/
Indoor Fun Spot in Tokyo: Stay Activee
①Minato Ward | Tokyo Joypolis
For those seeking thrills and active play, Tokyo Joypolis in Odaiba is highly recommended. As one of Japan's largest indoor theme parks, it offers over 20 attractions that blend digital and real experiences.
The most popular attraction is "Halfpipe Tokyo," which combines a thrilling ride with digital effects. In pairs, participants ride swings and perform spins reminiscent of skateboarding or snowboarding halfpipes, competing for points.
Additionally, there are attractions based on popular manga such as "Ace Attorney" and "Attack on Titan," making it a must-visit spot for manga enthusiasts.
Tokyo Joypolis also features a projection mapping show where "LOPIT," an original character from the game development company SEGA, sings and dances.
Tokyo Joypolis
- Address: DECKS Tokyo Beach 3rd–5th Floors, 1-6-1 Daiba, Minato Ward, Tokyo
- Business hours:
Weekdays: 11:00~19:00
Weekends and holidays: 10:00~20:00
*Hours may vary depending on the season or period.
*Last entry is 45 minutes before closing. - Closed: Irregular closures
- Admission:
Adults 1,200 yen, Primary, Junior High, and High School Students 900 yen Passport (Entrance + Unlimited Rides): Adults 5,500 yen, Primary, Junior High, and High School Students 4,500 yen
*Some attractions have height and age restrictions. - Access:
About 2-minute walk from Yurikamome Line "Odaiba-Kaihinkoen Station"
About 5-minute walk from Rinkai Line "Tokyo Teleport Station" - Official website:https://tokyo-joypolis.com/index.html
👉Tokyo SEGA Joypolis Passport | Japan
②Bunkyo Ward | Tokyo Dome City
Located in Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo Dome City is an entertainment complex that includes Tokyo Dome, an indoor stadium where you can enjoy watching games even on rainy days, along with an amusement park, shopping mall, restaurants, and hotels.
Although "Tokyo Dome City Attractions" is an outdoor amusement park, there are plenty of indoor options like haunted houses, shooting games, and VR attractions.
For families with children, "ASOBono!" is highly recommended. It’s one of the largest indoor play areas in Tokyo, with the concept of a "make-believe world where children are the stars." It features a ball pit with about 40,000 balls resembling the sea, pretend play areas, and more where kids can have a blast.
Additionally, the underground level of "Meets Port," a restaurant and café area, houses "TOKYO DOME CITY HALL," a venue with a capacity of 3,000 people that hosts concerts and martial arts events.
After a full day of fun, relax and rejuvenate your tired body at the natural hot spring "Spa LaQua."
Tokyo Dome City
- Address: 1-3-61 Koraku, Bunkyo Ward , Tokyo
- Access:
Direct access from JR "Suidobashi Station"
Direct access from Toei Subway Mita Line "Suidobashi Station"
Direct access from Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line & Nanboku Line "Korakuen Station"
Direct access from Toei Subway Oedo Line "Kasuga Station" - Official Website:https://www.tokyo-dome.co.jp/
👉Tokyo Dome City Attractions Ride 5 Ticket
IIndoor Fun Spot in Tokyo: Relax and Unwind
①Sumida Ward | Planetarium "Tenku"
If you're visiting "Tokyo Skytree," don't miss the "Planetarium Tenku," located within Tokyo Skytree Town.
Run by Konica Minolta, the company that created Japan’s first domestically produced planetarium in 1957, this planetarium features a variety of shows for both children and adults. These include collaborations with popular anime, live violin performances accompanying the visuals, and healing shows where original aromatherapy scents fill the venue. The high-definition, bright visuals and refined sound allow you to immerse yourself in a beautiful world.
By plugging your own headphones into the jack on the seats, you can listen to the audio in English, Chinese, or Korean (available for most shows).
Planetarium "Tenku"
- Address: 7th Floor, Tokyo Skytree Town East Yard, 1-1-2 Oshiage, Sumida ward, Tokyo
- Business hours: Weekdays: 10:30-22:00, Weekends and holidays: 9:30-22:00
- Price: Adults (Junior High School and older) 1,600 yen and up, Children (4 years and older) 1,000 yen and up
- Access: About 10-minute walk from Tobu Skytree Line, Tokyo Metro Hanzomon Line, Toei Asakusa Line, Keisei Oshiage Line "Oshiage Station"
- Official website: https://planetarium.konicaminolta.jp/tenku/
👉TOKYO SKYTREE Admission Ticket with Planetarium TENKU | Japan
②Chuo Ward |Art Aquarium Museum GINZA
At the "Art Aquarium Museum GINZA," located inside "Ginza Mitsukoshi," you won’t find paintings or sculptures, but rather elegant goldfish swimming in water tanks.
This unique museum modernises the traditional Japanese culture of "goldfish appreciation," which dates back to the Edo period, using lighting, sound, and scent. Upon entering the museum, you’re greeted with a fantastical scene.
There are many highlights, such as the "Corridor of Goldfish," where column-shaped tanks line both sides of the passage, "Bamboo Forest of Goldfish," where goldfish swim through bamboo-like tanks, collaborative exhibits with renowned ikebana artist Shogo Kariyazaki, and seasonal limited-time exhibitions.
Art Aquarium Museum GINZA
- Address: 8th & 9th Floor, Ginza Mitsukoshi New Building, 4-6-16, Ginza, Chuo ward, Tokyo
- Opening hours: 10:00～19:00 (Last entry at 18:00)
- Admission: Online Ticket: 2,500 yen, Same-day Ticket: 2,700 yen
- Access:
Direct access from Tokyo Metro Ginza Line/Marunouchi Line/Hibiya Line "Ginza Station"
About 5 minutes walk from "Ginza 1-chome Station" on the Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line
About 2 minutes walk from "Higashi Ginza Station" on the Toei Asakusa Line/Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line
About 9 minutes walk from JR "Yurakucho Station" - Official website: https://artaquarium.jp/
👉Art Aquarium Museum GINZA ticket
③Koto Ward | teamLab Planets TOKYO DMM
teamLab Planets consists of four large artwork spaces and two gardens. You can enjoy a unique art experience where the boundaries between your body and the artwork blur, such as "The Infinite Crystal Universe," which expresses an infinitely expanding cosmic space through changing lights and sounds reflected off mirrored walls and floors, and the "Floating Flower Garden," where you walk barefoot through a space filled with orchids, creating a garden where flowers and people become one.
Additionally, a large new area called "Athletic Forest" is set to open in early 2025! This new area, described as a "creative athletic space" with the concept of "perceiving the world through your body and thinking three-dimensionally," will feature over 10 new works.
teamLab Planets TOKYO DMM
- Address: 6-1-16, Toyosu, Koto ward, Tokyo
- Business hours: 9:00 - 22:00 (Last entry at 21:00)
- Exhibition period: Until the end of 2027
- Admission fee: Adults (18 years and older) 4,200 yen, Junior and Senior High School Students 2,800 yen, Children (4–12 years) 1,500 yen, Free for children under 3 years old
- Access
About 1 minute walk from New Transit Yurikamome "Shin-Toyosu Station"
About 10 minutes walk from Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line "Toyosu Station" - Official website: https://www.teamlab.art/
👉Japan TeamLab Planets TOKYO Ticket
Tokyo offers a wide variety of indoor spots that can satisfy both those seeking intellectual stimulation and those craving active play. If you want to stay comfortable while avoiding the summer heat, be sure to visit the places introduced in this article!
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