A fun free thing to do in Asakusa, Tokyo’s Bandai Namco Museum is dedicated to all things cute and Kawaii plus gachapons and gaming.
Split across two floors plus with several large cartoon character models outside including Doraemon and Ultraman, the Bandai Namco museum is a must visit for any otaku fan.
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It takes a detailed look at Bandai Namco’s rich history plus has cabinets and display cases full of retro games and modern merchandise – it even has a rather weird and wonderful temporary Thomas Edison museum display on the upper floor.
From what to expect in the museum and all the characters inside, here is our guide to Tokyo’s Bandai Namco Museum in Asakusa.
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Namco Bandai Museum opening hours & entry / admission
The Bandai Namco Museum is open Monday to Friday from 11am to 5pm – last entry is 4.30pm. Please note this is a working Bandai Namco office so it closes on the weekends.
Tokyo’s Bandai Namco Museum is free to visit and no ticket or prior reservations are needed – please note the museum is sometimes closed during the week for corporate functions.
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How to get to the Namco Bandai Museum in Tokyo
Located in Asakusa, the nearest Metro station to the Bandai Namco Museum is Asakusa Station on the orange Ginza line or red Asakusa Line. It is a 2 minute walk to Bandai Namco’s Head Office and Museum from exit A1.
Alternatively, Kuramae Station is also close by, on the Toei Oedo and Toei Asakusa lines.
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Arriving at Bandai Namco Headquarters – Fan Fun Street
Located on the ground floor and first floor, the Bandai Namco Building is easy to spot as it has a roster of cartoon character and anime models outside. This is named ‘Fan Fun Street’.
This is a popular photo and selfie spot plus is accessible 24 hours a day / 7 days a week (which is handy if you can only visit at the weekends when the museum itself is closed).
The models outside the Bandai Namco Tokyo when we visited in December 2024 included Doraemon, Ultraman, Godzilla, Dragon Ball, Cinnamoroll, Anapanman plus Bandai’s popular Tamagotchi character Mametchi.
There is also a second massive Mametchi model in the exterior window of the museum made from over 8,000 recycled gachapons.
The models outside often change and we spotted the Pac Man and Kamen Rider statues in storage upstairs.
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Bandai Namco Museum exhibits
Once inside, the ground floor of the museum has several exhibits including a huge Kamen Rider display (focusing on the history of the henshin belts) and a Gundam Char Mobile Suit figure you can sit and pose with.
Our visit coincided with Christmas in Tokyo so the reception area of the Bandai Namco museum also had a colossal Christmas tree featuring lots of characters.
The ground floor of the Bandai Namco Museum also has several free to play arcade games (like Dragonball Super Divers) which you can use your Bandai Namco passport on to sync your previous scores.
In addition, there are a few more display cabinets including a brief overview of how Bandai is trying to create more sustainable products like recycling gachapon containers to be used at Kidzania.
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More museum exhibits
Walking up to the second floor, this is where Bandai Namco enthusiasts will get great enjoyment – there are huge display cases from different eras of Bandai and Namco’s product range, from the time before they merged to make one mega company in 2006.
There is an excellent timeline of the Tamagotchi history plus hundreds of products and toys from decades gone past.
Here you will find toys and games (behind glass) that represent some of Japan’s best love characters from Astroboy to Doraemon, Pokemon to Pac-man; Gundam to Ultraman.
Some of the objects we found in here we’d never heard of before like the new 3D Gashapon odyssey machines plus the Little Jammer dolls which synchronise to music played on a speaker.
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Most of the display cases have information in Japanese but there is a QR code on the walls which you can scan to access the Bandai Showroom translation website.
Weirdly, there is also currently a temporary Thomas Edison museum exhibition on the second floor, which includes a waxwork of the former US President; it felt very Madame Tussauds.
Other than the arcade machines downstairs, there isn’t that much you can actually do or immerse yourself into at the museum – so don’t expect anything on the level of say the new Nintendo Museum in Kyoto.
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Bandai Namco Museum – other things to know
- Photography is allowed in the museum but there are signs saying not to take pictures of the reception desk.
- The museum closes on public and company designated holidays.
- Wheelchair users can request assistance from Bandai Namco staff.
- Address – Japan, 〒111-0043 Tokyo, Taito City, Komagata, 1 Chome−4−8 バンダイ本社ビル – you can find the Bandai Namco Museum on Google Maps here >
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Asakusa accommodation
Budget ($)
Sakura Hostel Asakusa
Hostel with with English speaking staff offering both dorms and private twin rooms, communal kitchen and lounge. Check rates and availability for Sakura Hostel Asakusa
Mid-Range ($$)
Hotel Gracery Asakusa
Popular hotel chain with functional rooms, located a short walk away from the metro station and Sensō-ji temple. We stayed here and loved the central location. Check rates and availability for Hotel Gracery
Luxury ($$$)
The Gate Hotel Asakusa Kaminarimon by Hulic
Modern and stylish hotel with dark-wood furnishings, located a 2-minute walk from the subway station. Facilities include a French cuisine restaurant with outdoor roof terrace. Check rates and availability for The Gate Hotel Asakusa Kaminarimon by Hulic
Check out the best hotels in Asakusa via Booking.com >
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