Museum · Oshiage / Skytree

Tobacco & Salt Museum たばこと塩の博物館

A surprisingly absorbing JT-run museum in Sumida about two former state monopolies, with Edo smoking pipes and ukiyo-e, a giant block of rock salt, and miniature masterpieces.

About

Founded in 1978 by the Japan Tobacco and Salt Public Corporation and moved to a larger building near Skytree in 2015, this museum tells the cultural history of tobacco and of salt, both once government monopolies in Japan. The tobacco floor goes from Mayan ritual smoking to Edo-period kiseru pipes, tobacco pouches with netsuke, and ukiyo-e of courtesans smoking, plus a reconstructed Edo tobacco shop and a wall of Japanese cigarette packaging design. The salt floor shows how Japan, without rock salt deposits, made salt from seawater using salt fields, and displays a huge block of Polish rock salt. Special exhibitions cover Edo culture and crafts; autumn 2026 shows newly acquired miniatures by master craftsman Kobayashi Rekisai (Sep 26 to Dec 20). Admission is cheap.

Highlights

• Edo-period kiseru pipes, pouches and netsuke
• Reconstructed Edo-period tobacco shop
• Giant block of rock salt and Japanese salt-field models
• Kobayashi Rekisai miniatures exhibition (Sep 26 – Dec 20, 2026)
• Decades of Japanese cigarette package design

Tips

• Admission is cheap (¥300 adults), but special exhibitions may cost extra.
• An audio guide service was added in 2026.
• It is a 10-minute walk from Tokyo Skytree, a good quieter add-on.

Open in Google Maps · Info checked 2026-10-09

Nearby

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• Air BicCamera Tokyo Skytree Town SolamachiCamera Store · 470 m away
• Toriton Tokyo Skytree Town SolamachiSushi & Seafood · 490 m away
• Pokémon Center Skytree TownPokémon & Character Store · 490 m away
• Sumida AquariumZoo & Aquarium · 490 m away
• Tokyo SkytreeVista & View · 520 m away
• SAGAWA Baggage Counter · Tokyo Skytree Town (Solamachi Tower 1F)Luggage Storage · 550 m away
• Tokyo SolamachiMall & Department Store · 590 m away