World Bags & Luggage Museum

A Well-curated museum of the history of bags and luggage with free admission. It starts off with a section explaining the history of bags and the need for containment of goods throughout the ages, and then transitions into a showcase of bags produced from each of the major continents. There are some signature rarities from Italy, France, the US, Germany, and Japan. On the other floor is a section dedicated to the museum’s (the Ace company) creator, his life, inspirations, and eventual rise to success. There are plenty of areas to sit, a vending machine with drinks, and great views on this floor. I visited on a Wednesday and I was the first person there early in the morning. Even towards the afternoon it was very quiet with only a handful of other tourists. I gave it a 4/5 rather than a solid 5 because an area in the museum, “Tips for Bags,” which provides advice on bag cleaning and maintenance, was not translated to English unlike everything else there.

Well-curated museum with a bunch of interesting luggage to see. I wouldn't come to the neighborhood just to see this museum, but it's a short walk from senso-ji, and an excellent secondary stop. Highly recommend.

Great free museum of baggage and luggage. In addition to a timeline and history of bag evolution (which was nicely done), learn about how luggage is made by the parent company. Also was learning about some bag cleaning tips, which I had no idea about.

This museum is a gem that everyone should visit. Easily an overlooked jewel of Tokyo showcasing travel bags from around the world. Don't judge it until you go, it is a really fascinating place. The museum is about 10 minutes south of Senso-ji Temple on foot, is open M-F and most Saturdays, and is free. The museum is owned and maintained by the ACE luggage company, so thank you to ACE for the lovely free museum. Stop at the visitor desk on the main floor to get a guest badge (no signing in, they just give you a badge on a lanyard and a museum pamphlet) then go to the 7th and 8th floors using the elevator on the right. 99% of the displays have been translated into excellent, natural English and are very interesting to read. The 7th floor bag collection is beautifully displayed and all of the items are of very high quality. The Japanese section goes back well into the samurai era, and European pieces start with steamer trucks and wardrobes (think Titanic) and advance to the present day. The focus is definitely on older pieces rather than modern goods.The 8th floor is an homage to the company founder Ryusaku Shinkawa, who was a fascinating innovator and businessman. Here, you can really understand the evolution of Japanese society and ideas of Japanese leisure in the way Shinkawa thought about his company. For example, he designed low-cost airplane luggage at a time when airplane travel was only available to the wealthy because he was confident that Japan would prosper and that airplane travel would eventually be available to all. The 8th floor also has a large lounge with tables and benches that is great for resting. The Senso-ji area doesn't have a lot of indoor places where you can linger, especially not for free, so this museum is a great place to add to your Senso-ji itinerary for an interesting midday break.

Absolutely wonderful place to visit. A beautifully organized museum with exquisitely curated bags and luggages. We came across it by chance, on our way to a temple. They had a tiny sign outside on the street and it said "free entrance". There was no charge to go in and the place is world class! Even the bathrooms were incredibly luxurious and clean. The museum is on the 7th floor and there is a lounge on the 8th floor with the history of the founder of ACE luggage (Japanese brand). The exhibition is broken down by continent and all the bags are accompanied by a brief story providing the background for how and why they were created.