The museum’s collection, amassed for the purpose of education and research in fashion, consists of approximately 20,000 items. The collection is organized around three main pillars: Japanese clothing, European fashion from the 18th to 20th centuries, and traditional costumes from around the world. It also includes a systematic collection of shoes, accessories, bags, and more.

Admission is 500 yen for adults. With the Grutto Pass, I could enter at no extra cost.

The special exhibition “‘Omoshiroi Fuku’ Daizukan”(The great collection of “unique clothes”) (March 11-June 22, 2024) introduces clothing from about 30 countries, divided into five themes: “long,” “large,” “round,” “tall,” and “heavy.”
The exhibition features clothing and accessories that spark the imagination, such as widely spread skirts, pants with long hems, and a brass belt ornament from the Philippines weighing about 3,000 grams. These outfits serve not only to enhance one’s silhouette but also for various reasons such as staying comfortable in hot, cold, or humid regions, and demonstrating wealth and power.

For example, Pakistani pants from the 1980s measure 2.27 meters in length, with the section below the knee being 1.5 meters. The narrower part is worn scrunched up below the knee. This design was intended to prevent sand and venomous snakes from getting inside the clothing.
While the unique appearance is intriguing on its own, learning the reasons behind it adds an element of surprise and discovery.

Although it is a university-affiliated museum, it attracts many general visitors, including international visitors and students from other universities studying clothing. Some even visit to sketch illustrations of old dresses and military uniforms. The museum hosts exhibitions that cater to visitors’ interests, ranging from accessible themes like the current exhibition to material and technique-focused ones such as the upcoming “Sekai no Beads” (Beads of the World) exhibition.

It was a valuable experience to see actual fashion items from different eras and regions up close.

Here, you can enter the special exhibition, collection exhibition, and project N with the Grutto Pass without extra cost, which costs 1,400 yen if you don’t have the pass. (Admission fees may vary depending on an exhibition.)

The “Aquirax Uno Exhibition” (April 11-June 16, 2024) offered an overview of the entire body of work by the legendary Aquirax Uno, who has led the Japanese illustration scene since the 1960s, from his early works to his latest creations.

The exhibition features over 900 works, filling the gallery with his masterful drawings and captivating underground theater posters. The diverse array of his work is presented across 12 topics, including illustrations for picture books and books, animation films, rarely exhibited stage design projects, and three-dimensional works. Visitors were drawn into Mr. Uno’s mysterious and decadent world.

I ascended the stairs and reached the collection exhibition. The Terada Collection primarily focuses on the works of abstract painters Tatsuoki Nambata and his son Fumio Nambata, featuring approximately 4,000 pieces of paintings, sketches, and sculptures by postwar Japanese artists.
The special exhibition “From the Terada Collection 079: Nambata Fumio Fifty Years On” (April 11-June 16, 2024) showcases selected works from the Terada Collection and external collections that trace the artistic career of Fumio Nambata, who tragically passed away at the age of 32. His trembling lines and vivid colors, which seem to reflect the artist’s inner world, captivate and engage the hearts of viewers.

In “project N 94 Oshiro Natsuki” (April 11-June 16, 2024), soft-colored paintings and three-dimensional artworks are scattered throughout, with even the walls adorned in pastel hues. Ms. Oshiro abstracts scenes and rhythms from waka traditional Japanese poetry and songs, along with their contexts and the backgrounds of the poets, transforming them into patterned motifs in her works.
Considering the ancient scenes and landscapes depicted in these works, the exhibition space begins to resemble a journey into the world of poetry.

Also located within Tokyo Opera City is the NTT InterCommunication Center [ICC], a museum specializing in media art. Permanent exhibitions here are free, and with the Grutto Pass, you can also enter paid special exhibitions at no extra cost.
For the return journey, I used Hatsudai Station on the Keio New Line, directly connected to Tokyo Opera City.