Although I prefer the peacefulness of the Japanese countryside, I admit that some things about Tokyo would be tough to give up if I didn’t live here. One of those things is the breadth and depth of the museums and parks that dot the city. If you wanted to spend an entire vacation exploring Tokyo’s parks and museums, I’m sure you could.

If you are serious about visiting museums and parks around Tokyo, there is a little-known discount pass called the Grutto Pass that might make it a little less expensive. I say “might” because there are many caveats to using the Grutto Pass. I’ll try to explain how to get the most out of a Grutto Pass and why you should (or should not) purchase one.

What is the Grutto Pass?

The Grutto Pass is a discount pass for the Tokyo area that gives the pass holder free or discounted admission to over 100 attractions, mainly parks, zoos, and museums. The Grutto Pass 2024 edition costs only 2,500 yen and is valid for two months from the first day you use it. You can purchase it online or at the ticket counter of nearly every attraction that accepts it.

Because it is only activated the first day you use it, visitors coming to Japan can purchase it online in advance and not worry about it expiring before they arrive. If you are worried about communicating in Japanese, purchasing online also allows you to complete the transaction in English. But if you are more comfortable dealing with humans, the staff at each attraction will be happy to help you purchase it.

Is the Grutto Pass Worth It?

Whether the Grutto Pass is worth purchasing depends on you and your style of travel. Here are some criteria to consider before you buy it.

• Are you committed to visiting many of the attractions the Grutto Pass covers?
• Do you enjoy the experience of exploration more than a fixed and rigid schedule or itinerary?
• Are you willing to research the attractions thoroughly before you arrive in Tokyo?

How many attractions do I need to visit to make the Grutto Pass worth it?

First of all, it is important to understand that the Grutto Pass provides free admission to some attractions and discounted admission to others. For some popular museums like the Tokyo National Museum and the National Museum of Nature and Science (both in Ueno Park), the Grutto Pass gets you a mere 100 yen discount at each location. On the other hand, some lesser-known museums with excellent collections, such as Kikuchi Kanjitsu Memorial Tomo Museum, offer free admission worth over 1,000 yen (adult admission fee). Generally, if you have a mix of free and discounted attractions you want to visit, 8-10 attractions should make the Grutto Pass a good value.

For children and Seniors (over 65 years old) who already receive a good discount from the adult admission fee, it is much more challenging to get a good value out of the Grutto Pass, so I suggest you skip it.

What do I need to be careful of when using the Grutto Pass?

The Grutto Pass covers many museums and attractions in and around Tokyo, but certainly not all of them. For example, the Ota Memorial Museum of Art in Harajuku, with its exceptional collection of ukiyoe woodblock prints, is not participating in the program. Nor are the extremely popular immersive art exhibitions, TeamLabs Borderless and TeamLabs Planets. It’s essential to check the list of participating attractions before you purchase the pass.

Even if you find a museum attractive to you, there is no guarantee that the current exhibition during your visit will interest you. And there may be many participating museums which may not sound very interesting at all to you.

This is why the Grutto Pass is best for adventurous people willing to explore and try things they aren’t sure they would enjoy. I used the Grutto Pass to research this article, and I have created a non-comprehensive guide of museums and parks grouped by Tokyo areas. Some of these museums did not sound very interesting when I first researched them but pleasantly surprised me when I actually visited them. If you enjoy pleasant surprises (and the occasional unpleasant one), consider the Grutto Pass.

The final thing you need to consider before purchasing the pass is your itinerary’s flexibility. As a general rule, museums are closed on Mondays. However, if a national holiday falls on a Monday, the museum will be closed Tuesday instead (the goal of museums is to be open on weekends and holidays, not closed on them). Some museums also have odd days that they are closed, and nearly every museum closes irregularly to rotate their exhibitions. When visiting Tokyo with a list of museums, there is a strong possibility one or more of them will be closed.

Researching Museums before your trip to Tokyo is critical

For this reason, you must do your research on each museum before your visit to Tokyo. Visit the websites of each museum you want to visit to find out what the current exhibition will be during your trip and what their operating days and hours are. It can take several hours to do the planning, but it will save you a lot of heartache and wasted time when you arrive in Japan.

How To Get the Most Value from a Grutto Pass

If you’ve finally decided that the Grutto Pass fits your itinerary and travel style, the next thing you’ll want to know is how to get the most value out of it. While it may seem obvious, the best way to get value out of the pass is to group your Grutto Pass attractions into specific city areas and tackle them all on the same day.

This may not seem so obvious because it may involve visiting some museums or attractions that don’t pique your interest immediately. But for explorers of the city, this is a great opportunity to try something new and learn about a topic that perhaps you didn’t know you were interested in.

In my detailed Tokyo museum and park guide, I have grouped some major Grutto Pass attractions and some non-Grutto Pass attractions into some of Tokyo’s most popular areas. For some, I have included a rough recommended itinerary and perhaps some options for food or a coffee break along the way. However for this guide, I’ll simply summarize the Grutto Pass attractions and how much value you can get from using the pass.

Using the Grutto Pass by Area

Here are some of Tokyo’s major neighborhoods in which you can group Grutto Pass attractions. Sometimes, there will be too many to do in a single day, so you may need to pick and choose from the list to make your own itinerary. Due to the large number of facilities listed, I am not adding individual links, but you can find links to all of the facilities using the Grutto Pass website (you have to do your own research, remember?) In my detailed guide, I have the links to the individual places. The potential savings using the Grutto Pass is listed in parentheses after the museum name.

Ueno Area

These are the Big Three of the Ueno area and are must-sees for museum lovers. However, each only receives a mere 100 yen discount when using the Grutto Pass, so the value could be better here.

Kyu-Iwasaki-tei Garden (400 yen) is a beautiful historic building and garden just west of Ueno Park’s Shinobazu Pond.

Asakura Museum of Sculpture (500 yen) is a beautiful facility housing a substantial collection of sculptures by Asakura Fumio, just 2 stations away from Ueno at Nippori.

Ueno Zoo (600 yen) I’m not a big zoo fan, but for families with children or zoo lovers, this facility is included in the pass.

The Grutto Pass potential value at these Ueno area facilities is 1,800 yen, which is not bad for a single day in Ueno.

Central Area

Printing Museum (400 yen) is more interesting than it sounds, this museum in the headquarters of the Toppan publishing company gives a highly detailed history and importance of printing in Japan and other parts of the world. The exhibits are well done and in multiple languages using interactive displays.

Baseball Hall of Fame (600 yen) Baseball fans worldwide will appreciate the nostalgic collection displayed in this well-maintained museum.

Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens (300 yen) is one of Tokyo’s finest Japanese strolling gardens. This lovely place should not be missed (except maybe in the dead of winter).

National Museum of Modern Art (100 yen) I haven’t visited this museum personally, but it has hosted many of Tokyo’s best exhibitions of modern art and has many pieces from Japanese artists in its extensive collection.

Science Museum (950 yen) I can’t say much about it having never been here, although I would probably choose Mirakan over this one if I was only going to one science museum in Tokyo.

The Grutto Pass offerings in this area are more niche, but if you are keen enough to try them all, the potential value is 2,350 yen, nearly the entire cost of the pass itself.

Northern Tokyo Area

Paper Museum (400 yen) Located in Oji, where the first commercial paper mill was located, this museum show the history of paper in Japan from handmade washi to the present mass-produced types. Simple Washi paper making workshops are offered here on weekend afternoons, first come, first served.

Kyu-Furukawa Gardens (150 yen) A unique mix of a Western-style mansion and rose garden and a Japanese garden around a small pond, this a beautiful location for seasonal foliage and flowers in Autumn.

Toyo Bunko Museum (900 yen) This huge collection of rare and antique books housed in an architecturally photogenic facility probably isn’t worth the steep admission price, but it is a must-see for Grutto Pass holders.

Rikugien Gardens (300 yen) This enormous and complex garden is said to have 88 landscapes from a famous bay in Wakayama Prefecture. You’ll need help to identify them, but the seasonal views in Autumn and Spring make this garden a popular destination for locals and visitors alike.

Ancient Orient Museum (600 yen + special exhibition fee) I haven’t visited this museum but its contents are described in its name: treasures and artifacts from ancient cultures of Asia.

If you can hit all of these locations in a single day—not a difficult task—you’ll have a potential savings of 2,350 yen, not bad for a day’s work.

Shinjuku Area

Bunka Gakuen Costume Museum (500 yen) This small museum of the Bunka Gakuen Design University is a hidden gem for fashion lovers, but its often fascinating exhibitions appeal to a wider audience as well.

Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery (1,600 yen, includes special exhibitions) This is a fantastic art museum one stop from Shinjuku at Hatsudai Station. The exhibitions here tend to be more edgy and interesting and regularly focus on emerging Japanese artists.

NTT Intercommunication Center (500 yen) Dubbed the “intersection between science, technology, and artistic culture,” this facility is sponsored by the major telecommunications company NTT. I haven’t been here, but it’s in the same building as the Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery, so it’s certainly worth checking out if you are already there.

Japan Olympic Museum (500 yen) Located across from the Tokyo National Stadium, built for the 2020, er, 2021 Tokyo games, this museum focuses on the Olympics’ influence on the modern world. (Note that you cannot purchase the Grutto Pass here.)

Sompo Museum of Art (100 yen) ranks among Tokyo’s finest art museums, but the Grutto Pass’s mere 100 yen discount off the fairly high admission fee is a disappointment.

Shinjuku Historical Museum (300 yen) As one of Tokyo’s most important districts, this museum near Yotsuya-sanchome Station holds a number of artifacts relating to Shinjuku’s history, former residents, and culture.

Thanks to the enormous value from the Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery, the potential value of the Grutto Pass around Shinjuku is 3,000 yen, so buying it for a Shinjuku museum spree is a no-brainer.

Shibuya, Ebisu, and Meguro Areas

Tokyo Photographic Museum (varies, around 700 yen) I’m biased as a photographer, but the Tokyo Photographic Museum has never disappointed me with its fascinating special exhibitions.

Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum (1,000 yen) The building is considered one of Japan’s finest examples of Art Deco design and was the former residence of Prince Asaka. Enjoy a garden stroll as part of your experience at this small museum.

Sato Sakura Museum (500 yen) This small museum houses a collection of Nihonga, Japanese style paintings. If you miss cherry blossom season, this is the place to come to see some beautiful painted renditions of Japan’s most beloved scenery.

Accessory Museum (1,000 yen) Still on my bucket list, this museum has an extensive collection of fashion-related jewelry and accessories from past and present.

Institute for Nature Study (100 yen) While spacious Yoyogi Park is best for people-watching, visit this urban nature reserve for bird-watching instead.

With a potential value around 3,300 yen, the Grutto Pass is cheaper than paying admission to these five attractions.

Roppongi and Toronomon Areas

Okura Museum of Art (1,000 yen) is the oldest private museum in Japan is focused on antique art from Japan and Asia and contains several National Treasures and other important cultural properties to Japan.

Kikuchi Kanjitsu Memorial Tomo Museum (varies, around 1,100 yen, closed until January 18, 2025) This magnificently designed building houses a stunning collection of Japanese ceramics in traditional and modern styles.

Sen-Oku Hakukokan (1,000 yen) The art collection of the Sumitomo family, it’s a treasure trove of mainly Japanese and Chinese traditional arts but also some Western masterpieces by Renoir and Picasso.

Mori Art Museum / Tokyo City View (200 yen) This museum at the top of the Roppongi Hills skyscraper features contemporary art and architecture exhibitions. Access to the Tokyo City View observation deck is included in the cost of admission.

The National Art Center (100 yen) Worth visiting for the architecture of the facility alone, even if the Grutto Pass discount is minor. The National Art Center has no permanent exhibits but an ever-changing rotation of high-quality exhibits in each of its large exhibit halls.

Thanks to the generosity of several of the area’s fine museums, the Grutto Pass is a bargain compared to the potential value of around 3,400 yen in the Roppongi and Toronomon areas.

Edogawa Area

Sumida Hokusai Museum (400 yen) – This eye-catching modern glass building near the Sumo Stadium in Ryogoku is home to a collection of master ukiyoe (woodblock) artist Hokusai.

Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo (500 yen + 20% discount on special exhibitions) It’s a bit of a trek to one of Tokyo’s best modern art museums in Kiba Park, but certainly worth the effort for contemporary art lovers, for its collection and the discount value of the Grutto Pass.

Fukugawa Edo Museum (400 yen) Until the Edo-Tokyo Museum re-opens in late 2025, this charming little museum is probably the best Edo Period museum in the city.

Nakagawa Funabansho Museum (200 yen) This small museum focuses on the importance of the water transportation system of old Tokyo (Edo) during the Edo Period, along with the local history and culture of the area.

Kiyosumi Garden (150 yen) A large strolling Japanese Garden formerly owned by the Iwasaki family featuring a large collection of decorative rocks brought from all over the country.

It would be possible to visit all five of these Edogawa area attractions in a single day with a potential value of around 1,650 yen, but you’d have a bit more work to do to make the Grutto Pass worth the cost.

Bayside Area

Panasonic Shiodome Museum of Art (1,200 yen) – This corporate owned museum has a permanent collection of art by French artist Georges Rouault and quarterly rotating exhibitions ranging from architecture to avante-garde.

What Museum (1,500 yen) Contemporary art made accessible to the general public is the mission of WHAT, a warehouse-sized facility on the waterfront of Tokyo Bay on Tennozu Isle.

Hama-rikyu Gardens (300 yen) A long-time playground of the Shogun in the Edo Period, these waterfront gardens are a popular destination, connected to the Asakusa area by water bus.

Kyu-Shiba rikyu Gardens (150 yen) Although much smaller than Hama-rikyu Gardens, the layout of this Edo era garden is outstanding and creates a past-present dichotomy as a traditional Japanese garden surrounded by skyscrapers.

Mirakan (National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation) (630 yen) This enormous facility is probably Tokyo’s best interactive science museum and a favorite for families with children.

The attractions of the Bayside area are a bit spread out to visit in one day, but the whopping 3,780 yen in Grutto Pass value makes it a goldmine for museum and park lovers.

Best of the Rest

Spread around the rest of Tokyo and even Yokohama, these four Grutto Pass attractions are worth the effort to visit if you are in the area or have a free day in your itinerary.

Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum (400 yen) The cheap admission fee belies the fact that this is one of Tokyo’s best museums, a large collection of historical buildings physically moved and reconstructed here from other parts of the city.

Tokyo Fuji Art Museum (1,500 yen) Way out west in Hachijoji, most people will not make the long trip to see this beautiful and well-curated museum.

Nippon Maru / Yokohama Port Museum (800 yen) You can’t miss the elegant 3-mast sailing ship Nippon Maru in Yokohama’s Minato Mirai area, so use your pass to tour the vessel along with the Yokohama Port Museum next to it.

Tokyo Sea Life Park (700 yen) Not fond of the zoo aspect of this park (although there are no sea mammals kept here), but there is a large aquarium at this facility that reproduces the aquatic habitats around Tokyo and other parts of the world. Kids will love it.

Grutto Pass – Great for Explorers and Museum Lovers, Not So Great for Planners or Picky Travelers

In summary, the Grutto Pass represents an outstanding value for people who are committed to visiting many of the attractions covered by the pass and are not picky about what might be on exhibition during the time they are in Tokyo. It also requires a more flexible schedule as the open and closing dates of different attractions can be difficult to plan around. But if you meet these criteria, you can potentially save more than the cost of the pass in a single day of museum and park hopping.

If you are one who prefers a more rigid schedule with everything set in stone before you set foot in Japan, you might want to give the Grutto Pass a, well, pass. The same for those who are very specific about what they want and do not want to see and aren’t interested in trying something that doesn’t sound very interesting to them. For me, most places I visited during the research of the Grutto Pass ended up being at least a little appealing, but some places left me feeling a little disappointed. If you’re not willing to take that risk with your valuable vacation time, then it will be difficult to make the pass worthwhile.

If you found this article helpful on your visit to Tokyo, connect with me on Facebook, Instagram, or Threads and drop me a message to let me know what you found most helpful. I’d like to use your feedback to keep improving on the article so that people can make the most of their time when they visit the Tokyo area. And be sure to check out my Tokyo Museum and Park Guide articles for more detailed information on enjoying the endless variety of museums and parks around Tokyo, even those not covered by the Grutto Pass.