Tokyo Fire Museum: A Hands-on Experience for Kids and Families
Tokyo really has so many family friendly activities to explore. Visiting the Tokyo Fire Museum is a great way to pass an hour or two, particularly on a rainy day or if it is super hot. The Tokyo Fire Museum is a bit of a hidden gem in the heart of Tokyo with a unique focus on sharing the importance of fire-fighting, fire safety and fire-fighting technology.
There’s plenty of hands on activities for the kids including the ability to dress up as a fire fighter, simulate fighting a fire in a helicopter and driving a fire truck. Our toddler daughter loved it, so I think it particularly appeals to young kids. Though it may be a fairly compact museum, the Fire Museum is definitely one of the best things to do in Tokyo if you’re travelling with children.
Getting to the Museum
The Fire Museum is located at the Yotsuya Fire Station in Shinjuku, which is closest to the Yotsuya-Sanchome station. Coincidentally, this is also the closest station to the Tokyo Toy Museum which is another great kid-friendly attraction in Tokyo. You might consider doing both on the same day with lunch at a local restaurant in between as they’re only a 6 minute walk apart!
From Shinjuku, take the red Maranouchi line 3 stops to Yotsuya-Sanchome. Alternatively, it is about 30 minutes walk from the Shinjuku Station area. If you’re coming from the Tokyo Station or Ginza direction, take the red Maranouchi line towards Yotsuya-Sanchome. A trip will take about 15 minutes and cost 180 JPY per person.
Admission to the Fire Museum
Budget conscious travellers rejoice – the Fire Museum in Tokyo is totally free to visit. You do need to present to reception and get a visitors pass, but there is no cost to enter. Note that if you are visiting the Tokyo Fire Museum with kids that you cannot take a pram inside the exhibits, however there is designated pram parking near the entrance for you to leave your stroller.
Why is the Fire Museum worth visiting?
The Fire Museum in Shinjuku is worth visiting for anyone interested in learning more about Japanese fire-fighting and the history of fire in the city. Moreover, it is a fantastic hands on experience for kids who can let their imaginations run wild playing with the various fire-fighting tools and uniforms.
Tokyo has a long history with fire – particularly given the city in historic times was built from tightly knit wooden buildings and experienced many devastating fires that levelled parts of the city. The museum is easy to explore, even as a non-Japanese speaker as most activities and exhibits have English translations.
Here’s a few highlights that we loved at the museum.
Trying on fire-fighting uniforms
What kid doesn’t love playing dress up? Our daughter was obsessed with the fire-fighting uniforms and loved getting dressed up as one and playing pretend with the hose to put the fires out. The hardest part about this section of the museum was honestly getting her to agree to take the uniforms off again!
Getting to sit in a real helicopter
Undoubtedly one of the best things to do at the Fire Museum is to sit in the real helicopter shell and watch as a simulation plays on the front window – it is as if you’re flying the helicopter over a fire and saving the day. The line for this activity was pretty long when we visited, but I definitely thought it was worth the wait.
Riding in a fire engine, sirens and all
On the same floor as the helicopter, there’s a model fire engine that you can pretend to drive and turn the sirens on as if you’re a fire-fighter off to stop a fire. This was definitely a highlight for our toddler who loved turning the sirens on and steering the wheel.
Seeing historic fire engines on display
On the lowest floor of the museum is a fantastic selection of historic fire engines that are on display. Whilst these can’t be ridden or touched, they are really interesting to look at and the younger kids will enjoy the vibrant red colours and the fire sirens that ring.
Where to stay in Tokyo?
Shinjuku is my top choice for families to stay in Tokyo, which is conveniently located near to the Fire Museum. The Hilton Shinjuku is a fabulous option which also has a hotel pool that kids from 4+ years are able to use. In the hot summer months, having the option of an afternoon swim is brilliant!
Alternatively, the Shibuya, Ginza or Tokyo Station areas are also easily accessible and good places to base yourself. Most recently I stayed in a delightful one-bedroom apartment at the Ascott Maranouchi which was a really excellent hotel located nearby Tokyo Station. The reality is, most Tokyo neighbourhoods have something unique and interesting to explore and all are highly accessible thanks to a fantastic rail system!
Booking.comIn summary: is it worth visiting the Tokyo Fire Museum
This unique museum is definitely worth visiting for an hour or so. It will not take a huge amount of time to explore, and it is a great way to give the kids a unique learning experience whilst also educating yourself on the long and proud history of firefighting in Tokyo. We found it to be the perfect morning outing to escape the late-June heat and humidity and our little one really enjoyed it. And if you needed any more convincing – admission is free!
FAQs for visiting the Fire Museum in Shinjuku
Where is the museum located?
The Fire Museum’s address is: Japan, 〒160-0004 Tokyo, Shinjuku City, Yotsuya, 3-chōme−１０
What are the opening times of the museum?
The Fire Museum in Shinjuku is open from Tuesday – Sunday every week (with the exception of some national holidays). The museum opens at 9.30am and closes at 5pm.
Is there an entrance fee?
No, entry to the museum is totally free.
Is the museum stroller friendly?
No, you will need to park your stroller in the designated pram parking as you’ll find it too difficult to get around the exhibits with a stroller.
How long will I need at the Fire Museum?
Up to 2 hours will be plenty of time to explore the museum, even on a busy day.
What is the closest train station to the Fire Museum?
The museum is located directly above Yotsuya-Sanchome station, making it easy and convenient to commute there.
Is the Tokyo Fire Museum kid-friendly?
Absolutely, there are whole exhibits that are designed for kids to have an immersive and hands on experience. This is a great kid-friendly activity in Tokyo.
What other kid-friendly activities are there in Tokyo?
Tokyo is one of the most interesting holiday destinations for families that I’ve visited. Of course, it is hard to go past the wonder of Tokyo Disney or Tokyo Disney Sea, but there’s much more to explore. The whole family will love checking out the sensory worlds of teamLab Planets or Borderless – perfect for kids of any ages.
Our toddler also loved the Tokyo Toy Museum and the Police Museum. There’s also the famous Shinjuku Robot Restaurant for older kids(which is kitschy and crazy), the Godzilla statue poking its head out from between the buildings and the amazing lights of the city that will make the kids’ eyes widen.
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