Safeguarding Tokyo: Visit the Police Museum to Learn about the MPD

Popular among Foreign Tourists

The Police Museum is located in Kyobashi in Tokyo's Chuo City and operated by the MPD. Admission is free. They get 200 to 300 visitors on weekdays, and more than 1,000 on weekends and holidays. A spokesperson from the MPD explains the visitor demographics as follows: "The number of foreign tourists is increasing. Many Japanese visitors are groups of kindergarteners, elementary and junior high school students, while foreigners largely come alone, in small groups, or as a family. They learn about the Museum from various sources like social media or their hotel."

The Museum has pamphlets in English, Chinese, and Korean for foreign visitors and provides English translations on the information boards throughout the facility.

×

A police car is displayed on the right side of the main entrance.

The first police aircraft, the "Harukaze 1" helicopter.

Police motorcycles were originally red but were later repainted white like their Western counterparts to stand out.

A motorcycle combo of the same model as the original red police motorcycles.

Pamphlets are available in English, Chinese, and Korean.

A mock-up of the Special Rescue Team in action.

A detailed urban diorama.

This game helps you learn about what makes a house an easy target for thieves.

You scan the barcode on each card to see a safety tip and the score.

A cycling simulator to learn about traffic safety.

A fingerprint lifting simulator.

Each fingerprint is unique and never changes as you age.

A recreation of a forensic laboratory.

The "Compare the Footprints" game lets you search for the shoes that match the footprints.

The "Investigate the Skid Marks" game lets you investigate an accident through tire tracks.

Police officers examine the scene of a crime or accident thoroughly, without missing any trace of evidence.

This booth lets you experience working at a police box.

In the "Get the License Plate Number" game, you remember the color and license plate number of a motorcycle.

In this game, you try to find the suspect by answering questions within a time limit.

Raising Awareness of Crime Prevention

You start the visit on the first floor, which is named "Peopo Hall" after the MPD's mascot, Peopo. A real police car greets you in front of the main entrance. Once inside, the iconic white police motorcycle and the first police aircraft, the "Harukaze 1" helicopter, are on display.

"Children of elementary school age and younger can borrow the uniforms of community or traffic officers (with height restrictions). Also, both adults and children can sit on the motorcycle or in the helicopter for a photo," says the spokesperson.

The children's uniforms come in three sizes (100, 120, and 140 cm), and the traffic officer costume even comes with a helmet. The experience of "becoming an officer" is very popular among foreign visitors as well.

The second floor is titled "Protecting the People and the City." A huge urban diorama recreates dangerous situations involving pedestrians and cyclists, as well as a suspicious person peering into a parked car. It is surrounded by displays showing important points for crime prevention.

In addition, the floor has an interactive game to teach the importance of crime prevention measures. You look at a picture of a house and cards with illustrations such as "a garage with no lights" or "an intercom with no camera" and choose four cards that you think make the house an easy target for thieves.

Your cards are scored in order of importance in burglary prevention, and your total score is displayed to indicate the level of your awareness. It is difficult to get a perfect score of 150. This author only scored 80.

The spokesperson says, "In addition to police patrols, each citizen's cooperation and crime prevention awareness are indispensable when it comes to preventing crimes and accidents. The Museum provides information to raise such awareness."

Next to it is a cycling simulator that lets you experience and learn about bicycle safety. Through it, you can learn a valuable lesson that, while it is important not to get into an accident yourself, you should also avoid becoming a perpetrator by hitting a pedestrian.

Fingerprint Lifting and Footprint Matching Games

On the third floor titled "The Capabilities to Resolve Incidents and Accidents," you can get a realistic picture of police investigations in the event of a crime or accident.

The first thing that catches your eye is a fingerprint lifting simulator. You pick one of the small items displayed, such as a cup or a smartphone, and dust it with a brush to reveal a fingerprint on the display. The goal is to identify the differences between each fingerprint and find the match from the multiple fingerprints displayed, which is quite difficult to do within the time limit.

In another game, named "Compare the Footprints," you identify a shoe that matches the footprints displayed. In yet another game, you look for a tire that matches the skid mark, testing your ability to observe calmly in a limited amount of time. These are some of the Museum's many attractions that enthrall children and adults alike.

The display panel titled "Work of Communications Command Center" plays realistic voice recordings of the command center that relay orders to police stations, dispatch officers, and convey the details of an ongoing investigation at the scene. It makes you feel like you are at the scene of an investigation, with even more suspense than a crime drama.

Historical Items on Display

On the fourth floor titled "The Present and Future of the MPD—Safeguarding the Capital," you can see a visual representation of crimes and accidents happening in Tokyo via projection mapping. The fifth floor titled "Changing with the Times—History of the Police" is also popular among foreign visitors. It displays the history of the MPD from its initial embodiment in 1874 to the present day, as well as valuable items related to the first Superintendent General, Kawaji Toshiyoshi, who laid the foundation of the Japanese police.

The same floor has a section to honor police officers who have died on duty, displaying their names, portraits, and ranks. The experience of learning about those who sacrificed their lives to protect Tokyo should help raise awareness of crime prevention, which is a universal value regardless of nation.

The Police Museum

The Police Museum has an array of exhibits tracing the history of Japan's police from its birth to the present and introduces you to the current activities of the Metropolitan Police Department. The Museum is a place where you can see, learn, and experience the MPD.
Explore the life and work of the MPD's founder and its first Superintendent General, Kawaji Toshiyoshi, and major cases in the Department's history. Visitors can also learn about the evolution of police uniforms and equipment and the MPD's various fields of police service.