Tokiwaso Manga Museum, Toshima

The Toshima City Tokiwaso Manga Museum recreates a legendary two-story wooden apartment building that stood in Minami-Nagasaki (formerly Shiinamachi), Toshima City, from 1952 to 1982. The original Tokiwaso was constructed on December 6, 1952, and became home to some of Japan's most influential manga artists. Osamu Tezuka, creator of Astro Boy, moved into the apartment in 1953 after the publisher of Manga Shonen magazine helped him find accommodation. He was followed by Terada Hiroo and eventually many other young manga artists who came to Tokyo to pursue their careers. The building was demolished in 1982, but the museum opened in 2020 as a faithful reconstruction on a site near the original location.

Tokiwaso holds immense cultural significance as the birthplace of modern Japanese manga. The apartment became a gathering place where budding artists lived together between 1952 and 1963, developing their skills through friendly rivalry and mutual support. Residents included Fujiko F. Fujio, Shotaro Ishinomori, and Fujio Akatsuka, all of whom became major figures in manga history. The Shiinamachi area offered an ideal environment for these artists, with a bustling shopping district, easy access to publishing companies in downtown Tokyo, and nearby entertainment venues including movie theaters, record shops, and the popular Eden café where artists gathered for business and pleasure.

The museum allows visitors to experience how Showa Era manga creators lived and worked. The reconstructed apartment features authentic room layouts showing the modest living conditions these artists endured during their formative years. Exhibits display manga works, personal artifacts, and multilingual explanations that bring the era to life. The museum provides a Tokiwaso Walking Map that guides visitors through the surrounding neighborhood where these manga masters once lived and drew inspiration. Special exhibitions and events related to manga and anime are held regularly. The area around the museum maintains several manga-related shops, and visitors can explore the broader cultural legacy of this creative community.

The museum is located five minutes' walk from Ochiai Minami-Nagasaki Station on the Toei Oedo Line. Alternatively, visitors can take the Seibu Ikebukuro Line to either Higashi-Nagasaki Station or Shiinamachi Station, then walk 10 to 15 minutes to reach the museum. Admission to the permanent exhibition is free, though special exhibitions may charge a fee of a few hundred yen. The museum accepts both cash and credit cards for any paid exhibitions.