National Museum of Ethnology

Top choice in Osaka


This ambitious museum showcases the world's cultures, presenting them as the continuous (and tangled) strings that they are. There are plenty of traditional masks, textiles and pottery, but also Ghanaian barbershop signboards, Bollywood movie posters and even a Filipino jeepney. Don't miss the music room, where you can summon global street performances via a touch panel. There are also exhibits on Okinawan history and Japan's indigenous Ainu culture. There's English signage, but the audio guide gives more detail.

The museum is in Senri Expo Park (Banpaku-kinen-koen), a 10-minute walk from the monorail station (cross the bridge). The Midō-suji and Tanimachi subway lines intersect with the Osaka Monorail; so does the Hankyū Kyoto line.

Transportation

  • monorail: Osaka Monorail to Banpaku-kinen-kōen

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