Written Instructions for Accessing the Tokyo National Museum from Ueno Station (15 Minute Walk)

* Access to the Tokyo National Museum may be difficult for visually-impaired individuals because it requires a walk through Ueno Park, which is very large. Visually-impaired individuals visiting alone are encouraged to seek assistance at the Ueno Park Information Desk. Wheelchairs are available at the Admission Office of Ueno Onshi Park near the Tokyo Bunka Kaikan.

Exit from the Park Exit of Ueno Station (JR), which tends to be crowded on the weekends. With your back to the station, the Tokyo National Museum will be roughly in the 2 o'clock direction. After exiting the ticket gate, go straight ahead and there will be tactile paving, which splits into two. Straight ahead is the path to the museum, and to the left is an information map of the park. After about 20 meters there will be a hedge with a low wall around it. Walk with the wall to your right until the ground changes from rough to smooth. If you follow this smooth path, which bends in a wide curve to the left, the Tokyo Bunka Kaikan will be on your left and the Ueno Park Information Desk on your right. Proceeding down this smooth path, you will pass in front of the National Museum of Western Art, which will be on your right.

After passing the museum, you will arrive at a small intersection paved with rough tiles. This intersection is reserved for pedestrians but vehicles with special permission occasionally pass through. Take a right at this intersection and proceed forward, passing the National Museum of Western Art on your right. Next to this museum is the National Museum of Nature and Science. Its ticket booths will be on your right as you proceed down this path. It is recommended that you use the left-hand side of this path in order to avoid the crowds at these ticket booth.

After walking approximately 200 meters from the intersection you may hear the sound of traffic. There will be a road ahead, running perpendicular to your path. A short distance before this road will be a row of thigh-high poles for keeping vehicles from entering the park. After proceeding forward and passing in between these poles, the ground will change to asphalt. Take a left and continue for about 100 meters down the sidewalk until you reach tactile paving indicating a crosswalk, which will be to your right. Wait for the sound indicating that pedestrians may cross.

On the other side of the road there are a number of thigh-high poles between the roadway and the sidewalk that function as boundaries between the road and the sidewalk, so be careful not to bump into them. After crossing the road, you will be in front of the Main Gate of the Tokyo National Museum. There will be a museum shop to the right (currently closed) and ticket booths behind the shop to the right of the gate. This area as a whole is called the Main Gate Plaza. There will be metal poles directly ahead, lined up perpendicular to your path. Turn right at these poles and proceed to the last pole, by which there is tactile paving. Turn left and follow this paving, which will lead you to the building containing the museum shop. After entering the automatic doors of this building, there will be a tactile map showing the museum shop, ticket booths, restrooms, and other locations on the wall directly ahead. Staff are always present near the ticket booths during opening hours. Please don’t hesitate to ask for assistance. You and one accompanying individual will receive free admission when you present an identification noting your disability at a ticket booth.

After you enter through the Main Gate, where your body temperature will be measured and you can borrow a wheelchair, ahead will be a lawn surrounded by a curb, followed by a large fountain. Beyond this is the Japanes Gallery (Honkan), which is the main building of the museum. Proceed around the lawn and fountain, either to the right or left, towards the Japanes Gallery (Honkan). In front of the Japanes Gallery (Honkan) will be one low step followed by six more. There is no tactile paving but there are slopes on both sides of these steps. After a flat space, there will be six more steps. There is no tactile paving but there is a slope to the left of these steps. Beyond these steps are three automatic doors: one in the center and two on the sides. There are two more steps beyond these with a slope to the left. Next are three entrances: one in the center and two on the sides, which are all automatic doors. The central entrance is always open while the one on the left is accessible via the slope.

You will find yourself in the Entrance Hall of the Japanese Gallery (Honkan) after passing through either of these entrances. There will be a large staircase ahead. Proceed to the left of this staircase. To your left there will be an information desk where staff are always present. Museum guides in braille or enlarged font are available here.

* “Written Instructions for Accessing the Tokyo National Museum from Ueno Station (15 Minute Walk)” was created with reference to “Access Map in Words (in Japanese)” by Museum Access Group MAR.