Tower of the Sun Museum Tower of the Sun Museum

Inqu
iries

Language Change Language

MENU CLOSE

Visitor Information

Important Things to Note & the Tower of the Sun Museum Visitors Rules

In accordance with Japan's Building Standards Act, the number of visitors who can enter the Tower of the Sun Museum at one time is limited. In addition, since visitors have to proceed one way (in a group) inside the Tower of the Sun Museum, and since only a limited amount of viewing time can be allotted per tour to allow as many visitors as possible to enjoy the exhibits, admission will be by reservation only (The tours of the inside of the Tower of the Sun Museum will be offered by reservation only). We ask for your understanding and cooperation on this matter.

The Tower of the Sun Museum Visitors Rules

  • Eating or drinking is strictly prohibited inside the Tower of the Sun Museum.
  • Inside the Tower of the Sun Museum, taking photos or shooting videos is allowed only on the 1st floor (exhibition areas for the Underground Sun and the Tree of Life on the 1st floor), where there are no risks of camera devices or equipment being dropped from height to the floors below. Visitors are allowed to take pictures or record videos of exhibits only.
  • Please put your photo or video devices, such as smartphones, inside your bags or other containers when moving to upper floors.
  • No flash photography is allowed inside the Tower of the Sun Museum, since it affects artistic lighting for the exhibits.
  • When taking photos or shooting videos, you are not allowed to use auxiliary equipment such as monopods (including selfie sticks) and tripods.
  • Photos taken or videos shot cannot be used for commercial purposes.
  • Tours inside the Tower of the Sun Museum last approximately 30 minutes.
  • Children of middle school age and younger (children 15 years and younger) are not admitted unless accompanied by an adult guardian.
  • There are no restrooms available in exhibition spaces. Since you have to proceed one way and cannot go back once the tour is started, please make sure that you use the restrooms before the start of the tour. The restrooms are (only) located next to the reception on the 1st floor of the Tower of the Sun Museum.
  • If you have large pieces of luggage, such as Boston bags or trolley bags, with you, please store them in the (small, medium, and/or large) coin lockers located at each park gate before you enter the Tower of the Sun Museum. (The locations of these coin lockers: At the Central Gate → on the right walls after you enter the gate. At the Nihonteien-mae Parking Lot → inside the building located on the right of the Japanese Garden Gate. At the East, North, and West Gates → near each entrance gate.)
  • For details on the locations of coin lockers, please see the Park Map here.

How the tours of the inside of the Tower of the Sun Museum are conducted

  • In accordance with Japan's Building Standards Act, tours inside the Tower of the Sun Museum will be conducted in groups of no larger than 16 people.
    (Please also note that you will not be able to tour the inside of the Tower of the Sun Museum on your own and that you must stay with the group you are assigned to.)
  • In the Tree of Life zone (inside the Tower of the Sun Museum), up to a height of 30 m, you (with a group) will climb 5 staircases (145 steps) extending over 6 floors and will enjoy the exhibits as you walk up the stairs. After that, you will descend down different staircases.
  • If you have chosen to use the elevator for your tour, you will observe the exhibits from the 3 floors—the 1st floor, the intermediate floor, and the top floor—where the elevator stops.
  • People in wheelchairs and infants and babies (children less than 4 years of age) will need to use the elevator to observe the exhibits. Those who have difficulty walking and those not confident of their physical strength can also choose to use the elevator.
  • Because of its structure, temperature differences exist between the lower and upper floors of the Tower of the Sun Museum. In particular, during the annual hot season, please be careful not to suffer from heat stroke and make sure that you are in good health at the time of your visit.

Use of the elevator

  • Up to about 8 adults (standing) can ride the same elevator at the same time.
  • To use the elevator, advance reservations are required. When reserving tickets, please reserve the use of the elevator as well if you plan to use or have people use the elevator during your tour(s).
  • Only 1 wheelchair user can ride the same elevator at the same time. (2 or more wheelchair users cannot be on the same elevator at the same time.) As a guide, a total of 4 adults can possibly be on the same elevator when 1 wheelchair user rides the elevator.

Things that visitors with infants and babies need to know

  • If you are reserving the tickets for infants and babies (less than 4 years of age), the ticket for an adult who serves as a guardian for them must also be reserved at the same time. Reserving tickets only for infants and babies or elementary and middle school aged children (children 15 years and younger) is not possible.
  • Strollers cannot be brought into the Tower of the Sun Museum. And the Tower of the Sun Museum does not store or look after your strollers or luggage. There is a space where you can leave your strollers next to our reception; you can leave them there at your own risk. The Tower of the Sun Museum will not be responsible for the strollers or any luggage placed in the space next to the reception even when they get lost or stolen, so please make sure that you carry your valuable items with you.
  • From a safety perspective, inside the Tower of the Sun Museum, you cannot ascend or descend the stairs as you hold or carry your infants and babies (less than 4 years of age). If you plan to visit with infants and babies (less than 4 years of age), you must pre-book the use of the elevator.

Things to note when reserving tickets

  • If you are reserving general admission tickets (for individuals), tickets for a party of up to 19 people can be reserved at one time.
  • If you are reserving for a party of 20 or more people, you need to reserve as a group and purchase group admission tickets.
  • For details on how to reserve tickets, please see here.

Admission fees (ticket prices)

  • In addition to the entrance fee to The Tower of the Sun Museum(720yen for adults, 310yen for elementary school and middle school aged children), a separate admission fee for both the Natural and Cultural Gardens (and Japanese Garden)(260 yen for adults and 80 yen for elementary school and middle school aged children) is required.
    The Tower of the Sun official reservation site sell a great value set ticket. Admission to The Tower of the Sun Museum plus admission to the Natural and Cultural Gardens( and Japanese Garden) set ticket fee(930 yen for adults, 380 yen for elementary school and middle school aged children).
    Please see here for details.

Entry procedures for visitors (conducted at the Tower of the Sun Museum)

  • Since entry procedures need to be carried out, please come to the reception counter of the Tower of the Sun Museum at least 20 minutes before your tour start time.
    * If you have reserved a tour starting from 10:00 a.m.(the very first tour of the day), please come to our reception counter 10 minutes before the start time; Expo '70 Commemorative Park's Natural and Cultural Gardens open at 9:30 a.m.
  • On your reserved tour date, at the Tower of the Sun Museum reception counter, please present either a printout of the QR Code (which is issued and sent to you after your reservation is completed) or the screen of your smartphone that displays the QR Code. (You will need to do so to pick up the tickets you have reserved.)
    In addition, in order to verify your identity, you (the person who has made the reservation) will also need to present your ID (e.g., your driver's license, health insurance card, passport, Individual Number Card, etc.) at the reception counter.

Admission time (Tour operating hours)

  • The Tower of the Sun Museum's normal operating hours are from 10:00 through 17:00 (excluding extended evening hours).
    However, please be aware in advance that if you are attending the final Tower of the Sun Museum tour of the day, you will need to leave the Tower of the Sun Museum 5 minutes before closing time.
    (For example, if the final tour of the day is from 16:30 to 17:00, then visitors attending the final tour need to leave the Tower of the Sun Museum at 16:55.) If you are attending the final tour of the day, please come early since your entry procedures can be started 30 minutes before your reserved start time.

In case of exceptional closures

  • The Tower of the Sun Museum may be unexpectedly closed due to a natural disaster, such as heavy rain or an earthquake. Please make sure that you check the official website of Expo '70 Commemorative Park in advance to see whether Expo '70 Commemorative Park and/or the Tower of the Sun Museum are open on the date of your visit (tour).
  • In the event that the Tower of the Sun Museum and Expo '70 Commemorative Park are exceptionally closed for their own reasons, for example, as a result of natural disasters, the tickets you purchased for that day will be refunded – in either of the ways listed below – if you have paid for them in advance by credit card. If you are eligible for a refund, an email confirming that you can receive a refund will be sent to the email address that you registered when reserving tickets.
    • Payment for your tickets charged to your credit card account will be canceled. Or the payment will be refunded to your credit card account. (The day when your payment is refunded will differ depending on which credit card company you use; it is expected to be refunded to your account in 1 to 2 months.)
    • You request a refund by sending us the specified refund claim form, on which you have filled in necessary items, by mail (not by email), or by bringing it directly to us, within 6 months after the date of your scheduled visit when Expo '70 Commemorative Park and/or the Tower of the Sun Museum were exceptionally closed.

Reserving tickets
to the Tower of the Sun Museum

Admission to the Tower of the Sun Museum will be by reservation only.
(Reservations must be made at least 1 day in advance of your desired tour date.)
Advance reservations are necessary for all, even for babies and infants or those who eligible for free admission.

  • Since the number of people who can enter the Tower of the Sun Museum at one time is limited and since only a limited amount of viewing time can be allotted per each tour, admission to the Tower of the Sun Museum is by reservation only. (A minimum of a 1-day advance reservation is required.)
    Before making your reservation, please be sure to read, understand, and agree to the contents of the page "Reserving Admission Tickets."