Day trips around Tokyo

Have you ever used Tokyo Museum Grutto Pass?

Yes, I have. GRUTTO PASS is a set of coupon tickets that you can use at designated museums and cultural facilities in Tokyo. The tickets include discounts and free admission to over 100 facilities. The price is 2500 JPY, good for 2 months from the day you first use a ticket of the set.

Grutto Pass Features

Besides saving money on admission, the Grutto Pass helps you discover unique museums and gardens in Tokyo that you might not know about. The Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture website lists available places by area, such as Ueno, Western Central Tokyo, and East Tokyo. This makes it easy to pick an area and plan your visits for a day or two.

One downside is that it’s hard to use all the tickets in the pass within two months. To get the most out of it, plan your visits in advance. I chose a few places from each category and scheduled visits every weekend for two months. I mostly picked places with free admission, which helped me discover interesting local museums I had overlooked before.

To save on transportation costs, purchasing a one-day Tokyo Bus/Subway Ticket is an economical option for getting around the city. I also enjoyed cycling, which turned out to be one of the highlights of my visit. However, I did encounter some difficulty finding a place to park my bicycle.

Is the Grutto Pass worth it?

It depends. If you’re an international student or live in Tokyo, the Grutto Pass is a good deal for your holidays. But if you’re a tourist staying in Tokyo just a day or two, it probably won’t save you much money.

When and where to get the Grutto Pass? eligibility?

The Grutto Pass is on sale annually from April and is valid for two months from your first use, within a 1-year period. To maximize your usage, purchase at least two months before the end of the sales period; if you buy it in March, you'll only have one month to use it.

The Grutto Psss is an ticket/e-ticket with a QR code. You can purchase it online or at the site listed on their official website.

https://www.rekibun.or.jp/grutto/

Here are some of the museums I visited with the Grutto Pass:

夢の島熱帯植物館
Yumenoshima Tropical Greenhouse Dome
📍Yumenoshima , Tokyo Bay area
https://www.yumenoshima.jp/

日本科学未来館
The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation
📍Odaiba, Tokyo Bay area
https://www.miraikan.jst.go.jp/

科学技術館
Science Museum
📍near Imperial Parace in Chiyoda City
https://www.jsf.or.jp/

東京国立近代美術館
The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo
📍 near Imperial Parace in Chiyoda Ciity,
https://www.momat.go.jp/

たばこと塩の博物館
Tabacco & Salt Museum
📍near Tokyo Sky Tree in Sumida City
https://www.tabashio.jp/

森鴎外記念館
Mori Ogai Memorial Museum
📍near Yanaka, Bunkyo City
https://moriogai-kinenkan.jp/

書道博物館
Calligraphy Museum
📍Uguisudani near Ueno
https://www.taitogeibun.net/shodou/