Unko Museum Tokyo: Explore One of the World’s Quirkiest Museums

Japan is well-known worldwide for creating many kawaii (cute) things, from Hello Kitty to Pikachu to Totoro and Doraemon. Japan can turn anything cute, which has never been more evident than at the Unko Museum Tokyo. For readers that are unaware, ‘unko’ is the Japanese word for poop. So, in English, this is the Poop Museum. They created cute poop.

Although the word museum is in its name, the Unko Museum is more of an entertainment facility, unlike anything I have ever experienced. For visitors looking for fun things to do in Tokyo and something that captures the Japanese quirkiness, the Unko Museum Tokyo ticks all the boxes.

This Japanese Poop Museum offers a variety of fun interactive experiences, themed games, some of the most unique photo opportunity areas, and a gift shop that sells all of the unko-themed items you could imagine. 

In this article, I will detail the different themed areas and elements used throughout. I will explain ticket prices, how to buy them, and describe the positives and negatives of this experience. I will then give my opinion on whether the Unko Museum should be added to a list of unique things to do in Tokyo or whether the whole experience was a load of crap.

Disclaimer:  This article contains affiliate links.  If you book after clicking on one of these links then we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

What is Unko Museum Tokyo?

The first question you might ask yourself is, what is the Unko Museum, and why does this place even exist?

The Japanese Poop Museum is located on the man-made island of Odaiba in Tokyo. It’s inside the DiverCity Tokyo Plaza, one of Tokyo’s best shopping and entertainment complexes. Most people know DiverCity because of the giant Gundam statue, but if you head inside the shopping mall, you can also find some giant poop.

The Unko Museum Tokyo was created with the idea of celebrating and demystifying poop in a fun way. The goal is to let everyone come together and share their love for cute poop.

The Concept Behind the Unko Museum

The main concept behind the Unko Museum is ‘Max Unko Kawaii’, which translates to the maximum cuteness of poop. In this poop museum, you won’t find any old brown turds. You will see the brightest, most colourful, and cute poops that you can imagine.

The Unko Museum Tokyo has a mission to change people’s perceptions about poop. They do this by showing it cutely through their various poop-related displays and poop art.

A Brief History of Unko Museum

In March 2019, the idea of kawaii unko had its first chance to be seen by the public. The first Unko Museum appeared in Yokohama as a pop-up gallery. It consisted of three poop-themed exhibition areas and ran until the end of September 2019.

This exhibition was very popular, with 10,000 people visiting the museum in its first week. It was so popular that they decided to find a permanent location in Tokyo. They chose the entertainment district of Odaiba, which is a very suitable fit.

The Unko Museum opened in Odaiba on 9th August 2019. The new Unko Museum in Tokyo was a much larger venue. It featured a new design, and it expanded on its themed exhibitions. 

The pandemic struck in 2020, and Japan went into a state of emergency. The Unko Museum aimed to keep its popularity alive by moving to an online museum. On 1st May 2020, the free online museum became available, allowing visitors to experience some interactive experiences, play poop-themed games, browse Unko art, and even chat with the Unko Museum mascot Unberto.

After Japan lifted the state of emergency, the Japanese Poop Museum began to surge in popularity. It became so popular that they ran more pop-up museums. They started in Fukuoka between March and August 2021. Their next city was Hiroshima from July to September 2021. They had another run as a pop-up in Shizuoka from July to September 2022. 

In June 2022, Unko Museum Tokyo added a new area featuring cute interactive poop animals known as Unko Doubutsu.

Overview of Unko Museum

The Unko Museum is in an open layout, with the small areas centred around a couple of big rooms. There is no correct route to take, but you can walk around as many times as you want, so you don’t have to worry about missing anything.

Most of the different themed areas have Unko pun names:

• The Unstagenic area is a spot to take unique and cool photos, perfect for social media. 
• UnTeractive is an interactive area that requires you to scream as loud as you can or step on images of projected poops. 
• UnTelligence is an area to learn more about poop and see some interesting poop art drawn by visitors. 

The Unko Doubutsu area has 12 animal poops that you can interact with. One of the areas you could spend the most time is the Crappy Arcade, which is a small game centre filled with poop-themed games. Unberto’s Room is a dark room filled with lots of hanging light-up poops which change colour. The final room is the Poop Factory, which is essentially a gift shop featuring all of the poop-themed items you can imagine for sale.

Why Visit Unko Museum Tokyo?

When visiting Japan, many people are looking for something fun, quirky, and Japanese. The Unko Museum ticks all of these boxes. It is a really enjoyable experience, completely different from any regular museum. 

• Families: This would make a great trip for families, especially those with young children. The Japanese Poop Museum is for all ages, but children will get the most out of it. From the bright-coloured poop, the themed rooms, the interactive exhibitions, and the games.
• Quirky Experience Seekers: It’s hard to think of anything that could be more quirky than a cute poop museum. This is a unique experience that you are unlikely to find anywhere else in the world. This could be the ticket for those looking for a break from traditional Japanese tourist attractions.
• Photographers: This is an Instagram-worthy experience to get in your itinerary if you are trying to get some cool photos. There are a few areas that make for great images and provide stunning backdrops, including an area with a giant light-up poop and a wall filled with neon signs, all relating to unko.
• Fans of Interactive Exhibits: There are some fun interactive exhibits to keep you entertained. The Unko Museum uses technology such as interactive projections of poop you have to stomp on. There is also an exhibit that requires you to scream into a device to create a projection of a giant poop which gets compared in size to famous landmarks such as the Tokyo Tower and the Skytree. 
• People looking for Cultural Insights: Japanese culture contains many cute mascots and regular items turned into kawaii versions. The Unko museum explores this idea with cute poop everywhere, a very unique mascot, and even some animal poop that resembles Pokemon. Japan likes to approach some taboo subjects with humour and openness, and this idea is explored in this unique experience at the Poop Museum Tokyo.

Who Might Find Unko Museum Less Appealing?

While The Unko Museum Tokyo is a very quirky and fun experience, it might not be to everyone’s taste.

• Visitors Seeking Traditional Cultural Experiences: Many visitors come to Japan wanting to see unique Japanese culture and history through their temples, shrines, old towns, art, and historical sites. The Unko Museum is the complete opposite of these experiences.
• People with a Preference for Conventional Museums: For visitors who prefer classic art forms and standard museum experiences, you might get little out of this. Although the word museum is in the name, this is not a museum. It’s more of a fun entertainment park. It might be too light, playful, or even unusual for some.
• Sensitivity to the Subject Matter: While the museum isn’t disgusting in any way, some people might not want to spend their time surrounded by bright, colourful poop. The whole idea is presented humorously, but some visitors might not see the funny side of literal toilet humour.

Preparing for Your Visit to Unko Museum

Now that you are getting ready to plan a trip to the Unko Museum Tokyo, you might have a few questions, such as how do I buy tickets or how do I get there?

When is the Unko Museum Open

The Unko Poop Museum is open seven days a week, with opening and closing times changing on weekends:

• Weekdays: 11:00 am – 8:00 pm (Last entry 7:00 pm)
• Weekends: 10:00 am – 9:00 pm (Last entry 8:00 pm)

The Unko Museum may have different operating hours during holidays, so it is advised to check the official website before your visit.

Best Times to Visit Unko Museum Tokyo

The Tokyo Unko museum is a great experience whether it rains or shines as it’s an entirely indoor attraction. But there are a few other things to consider before visiting the Poop Museum.

Unko Museum Tokyo can be busy during the weekends, so visiting on a Monday to Friday is advisable. This is especially true if you want to have the most space to take photos and not wait to play any games or try the interactive exhibits.

On most days, the museum is busiest between 3 and 6 pm. So the most peaceful experience would either be early morning or closer to closing time.

How to Buy Unko Museum Tickets in Tokyo

If you’re looking to buy a Unko Museum ticket in Tokyo, one thing to consider is that the ticket price varies depending on the date of admission. 

There are three different ticket prices for various days. Typically, weekdays are the cheapest price, and weekends are the middle price. The price can change on public holidays, and some days will be at the most expensive price.

Cheapest Price:

• Adults: ¥1,900 (US$ 13.00)
• Junior high and high school students: ¥1,400 (US$ 9.50)
• Children (4 years old and up): ¥900 (US$ 6.10)

Middle Price:

• Adults: ¥2,100 (US$ 14.30)
• Junior high and high school students: ¥1,500 (US$ 10.20)
• Children (4 years old and up): ¥1,000 (US$ 6.80)

Most Expensive Days:

• Adults: ¥2,600 (USD 17.70)
• Junior high and high school students: ¥1,500 (US$ 10.20)
• Children (4 years old and up): ¥1,000 (US$ $6.80)

Children aged 3 and under can enter for free, with a maximum of two children per adult. There are currently no discounts for visitors with disabilities. 

Same-day tickets are available to purchase at the entrance to the Unko Museum. However, these can often sell out. If you want to visit, it is advisable to purchase a ticket in advance through a company such as Klook or KKDay.

Klook prices are the same, but they allow you to book in advance, select your quantity, and even select which time slot you wish to enter. Tickets usually sell up to two months in advance. 

When you purchase a ticket through the Klook website, you will receive a QR code to be scanned for entering.

What to Wear and Take to the Unko Museum

The Unko Museum is an enjoyable experience. Wear casual, comfortable clothing to make the most of it.

While there is nothing physically demanding at the Japanese Poop Museum, at least one of the interactive experiences will have you running around. Plus, you can do some fun poses at some of the exhibits. So wear something appropriate and some comfortable shoes for the walking.

The Unko Museum Tokyo is an incredibly photogenic place, and you will want to take advantage of the chance to capture some excellent photos and videos. Make sure you bring your phone and a power bank charger. If you have a camera, that would be ideal. 

Getting to Unko Museum Tokyo

The Unko Museum is located inside DiverCity Tokyo Plaza. DiverCity is a shopping and entertainment centre on the Odaiba island of Tokyo.

Unko Museum Address

DiverCity Tokyo Plaza 2F, 1-1-10 Aomi, Koto-ku, Tokyo, 〒135-0064

Getting to the Unko Museum by Train

The easiest and most convenient way to get to the Poop Museum is using Tokyo’s excellent train service. There are a couple of stations that are a short walk to DiverCity.

The Yurikamome Line goes to Daiba Station. From there, take Exit 1B, and it is a five-minute walk to DiverCity Tokyo Plaza. The Yurikamome Line features a driverless train, and if you go to the very front or back car, it offers stunning views of Odaiba and Tokyo Bay.

The Rinkai Line goes to Tokyo Teleport Station. From there, take Exit B, and it is a seven-minute walk to DiverCity.

Getting to the Unko Museum by Bus

There are various options for visitors who prefer to use the bus, depending on which area of Tokyo you are coming from.

From the Omori area:

From the JR Line Omori Station east exit, use either the Forest 30 Keikyu bus to Tokyo-Teleport Station or the Forest 40 Keikyu bus via Heiwajima to Tokyo-Teleport Station. From there, it is a seven-minute walk.

From the Shinagawa area:

There are a number of bus options from the Shinagawa area:

• From the Shinagawa Station Konan Exit, take the Wave 01 Toei Bus, which goes to Tokyo-Teleport Station, which is a seven-minute walk.
• From the Oimachi Station west exit, use the i 30 Keikyu Bus, which goes to Tokyo-Teleport Station. From there, it is a seven-minute walk.
• From the Shinagawa Station Konan East exit, use the 01 Odaiba Rainbow bus, which takes you to Aqua City Odaiba via Tamachi Station. From there, it is a six-minute walk.
• Also, from the Shinagawa Station Konan East exit, the 02 Odaiba Rainbow bus via Shibaura takes you to Aqua City Odaiba. From there, it is a six-minute walk to DiverCity.

From the Monzennakacho area:

Use the Sea 01 Toei Bus from Monzennakacho, which goes to Tokyo-Teleport Station Square. From there, it is a five-minute walk. 

Getting to the Unko Museum by Water Bus

The most interesting way of getting to the Unko Museum is by the Tokyo Water Bus. The Water Bus goes from Asakusa Pier to Odaiba Pier and offers visitors a stunning view of Tokyo Bay. From Odaiba Pier, it is a 10-minute walk to the Poop Museum. 

The Water Bus journey offered by Tokyo Cruise could be a more relaxing and comfortable way of travelling to Odaiba while turning the trip into part of the experience. The Water Bus takes 70 minutes from Asakusa Pier to Odaiba Pier, costing 1720 yen (US$ 11.51) for an adult and 860 yen (US$ 5.75) for a child ticket.

The Unko Museum Experience

When you first step foot into the Unko Museum, you will know that you are in for a unique experience, something that might make reserved people blush.

My Poop Maker

The staff will walk you into the first room, which is My Poop Maker. This area contains a row of multicoloured toilets and the staff will give you instructions. You have to sit on the toilet and shout ‘UNKO’, and then like magic, a colourful poop will appear in the toilet. The colourful poop is your own personal unko which you have to take with you on your experience and also take home as a souvenir.

UnStagenic Area

Then, the Unko Museum experience really begins. You will enter into the UnStagenic area. This area is excellent for photo opportunities. 

Poop Volcano

The main room features the Poop Volcano, which is a giant poop surrounded by a ball pool. Every so often, the giant poop sprays out lots of mini poops. The staff let all the visitors know this would happen, so we all gathered to take some photos and videos. 

Poop-Lingual Neon Gate

Also in this room is a giant wall full of neon signs called Poop-Lingual Neon Gate. The neon signs are reminiscent of Hong Kong or Bangkok, except all of the neon signs are poop or unko puns. These are excellent areas to capture some great photos that allow you to be creative.

Lovers’ Poop Room

Some smaller rooms are offshoots of this large room. One of the first rooms you will come across is the Unko Lovers Room. This space is great if you are with a friend or partner as it makes a great photo for two people as you sit on toilets facing each other with some interesting wall decorations and colour themes.

Flying Poop Room

Next door to the Unko Lovers Room is the Flying Poop Room. Here you will find lots of multicoloured poops of various sizes hanging from the ceiling in the middle of the room. 

You can go to either side of the room to pose for a picture, and the photographer can go to the other side of the room to take the picture, which makes it appear like you are surrounded by the colourful flying unko.

Poop Mart

One of the most well-designed photo areas is Poop Mart, aka The Poopy Convenience Store. If you have been visiting Japan’s convenience stores, this will look familiar. This store is similar to Family-Mart, but everything is poop themed, including the onigiri and the soda. There’s also a shopping kart that you can pose with to maximise your photos.

The Princess of Poop

One of the most bizarre rooms I came across was the The Princess of Poop. This area was like a colourful pink tea party with a table, chairs, a cake, and various sweet treats. Some of the items here are poop-themed but less than in other areas. This room seemed a little odd, but I think some people will get a kick out of it, especially if you like cute tea parties.

UnTeractive Area

From here, you will enter the UnTeractive area. This area is more hands-on, featuring some interactive exhibits and lots of fun but crappy games you can play. 

Shout “Unko”

The Shout “Unko” room is a simple concept, but it’s a lot of fun, and I saw many kids in here shouting and having a great time. In ‘Shout Unko’, you shout into a big tube, and it creates a giant poop on the scream, which grows larger the louder you shout. 

This area is also a little educational as it shows you the giant poop by comparing it to famous landmarks such as Tokyo Tower and the Skytree and tells your their height. 

Hop! Step! Jumpoo!

Next door to this room is Hop! Step! Jumpoo! This is a fun interactive area that has projections of moving poops on the floor. 

You have to stand on and squish as many of these as possible within the time limit. When you finish the game, your score will then be displayed on a large screen.

Bear-Handed Poop Block

Another interactive exhibit is the Bear-Handed Poop Block. This is a challenging exhibit that requires you to use quick reflexes. 

This exhibit is like a ninja training game that requires you to watch a video of a karate master and stare into his eyes. A colourful mini poop will then fall from above, which you have to catch with your hands. 

An in-built camera will play a slow-motion replay of your efforts, which makes this game even more entertaining, 

Crappy Arcade

The last part of the UnTeractive area is the Crappy Arcade. This room resembles a retro arcade centre and is filled with some fun, some odd, and some very crap games:

• There is a football game where you take penalty kicks, but instead of a ball, you kick poop. 
• There is a game that looks like space invaders, but you catch lots of small falling poops, which speed up as the game goes on. 
• One of the most impressive games is a first-person shooter, which looks similar to Splatoon, but you go around a city shooting poop at everything. Weird and fun!

UnTelligence Area

The UnTelligence Area consists of Unko Doubutsu, Unberto’s Room and the Poop Factory.

Unko Doubutsu

First up is the new exhibit, the Unko Doubutsu. This is the newest area of the Unko Museum Tokyo. 

In this exhibit, 12 different fluffy poop animals wave their tails and purr. These unko animals resemble animals, such as a fox, a lion and a racoon. 

This area has placards explaining what each animal is, which is a rare educational feature for this museum. These animal poops can be gently petted.

Before leaving, there is a Draw Your Own Poop area. This exhibit resembles a mini art gallery with hundreds of mini whiteboards and a toilet seat frame. Visitors can be creative and draw their own poop and write a message, so every day, there is a variety of poop art on display from all around the world.

Unberto’s Room

This room was a happy surprise for me as I thought it was the end of the museum. 

There is a giant Unko Museum mascot, the Unberto statue, next to a giant toilet seat tunnel with an exit sign. 

When you enter this dark room, you will be surrounded by some mirrored walls and lots of coloured poop lights hanging from the ceiling. 

This is a fun final area to walk around and shoot photos before exiting through the gift shop.

Poop Factory – Shopping and Merchandise at Unko Museum Tokyo

For visitors that simply can’t get enough of poop they will be delighted to discover the Poop Factory, which is the Unko Museum gift shop. The shop features a massive variety of poop-themed merchandise.

Some of the most popular and interesting items were Unberto plush toys, which are 2,800 Yen. These are large plushies of the Unko Museum mascot. There are a variety of earrings and rings for sale featuring the word Unko written in Japanese for 800 Yen, which would make a unique souvenir to take back from Japan.

There are Unko Museum cookies for 1300 Yen for those who prefer to buy snacks as souvenirs. The cookies feature numerous different poop designs. There are lollipops in the design of poop for 450 Yen that come in strawberry or soda flavour. If you enjoyed the Unko Dobutsu exhibit, there are marshmallows featuring the poop animals for sale for 750 Yen.

If you want something authentic and related to poop, you can buy some Unko Museum toilet paper for 450 Yen. These come in various colours, so you can pick one to match your bathroom.

Dining at Unko Museum Tokyo

While the Unko Museum is pretty small and doesn’t feature any food or drink available, the good news is that the museum is in a massive shopping plaza. 

The plaza has an extensive food court just a short walk away. The great thing about this food court is you can find a table, and then your group can all go to different food stalls to buy food and eat together. 

• If you are looking for Japanese food, there is a restaurant called Torikai Express that specialises in the delicious chicken, egg, and rice dishes of Oyakodon. 
• If you want to try takoyaki, there is a popular shop called Tsukiji Gindako, which sells a variety of takoyaki. 
• The shop that I ate at was called Kyurin. They sell tsukemen, which is a dish similar to ramen, except with this dish, you have to dip the noodles in the broth. This was really delicious and made a change from the more common ramen.
• If you need something different from Japanese food, there is a Carls Jr. that sells tasty California burgers. 
• There is also an Indian curry restaurant called Amara, which spelled amazing when I passed by.
• There are also numerous places for sweet treats, including Japan’s doughnut chain Mister Donut. There is also a Decora Creamery, which sells ice cream, and Creperie Kenny’s, which sells crepes featuring real Hokkaido milk.

Tips for a Memorable Visit to Unko Museum

The main tip I would offer anyone before a trip to the Unko Museum is to please don’t expect any kind of educational experience. 

This is not an educational museum in the traditional sense. It’s more of a quirky, fun experience that visitors can use to take cool photos and enjoy interactive exhibits and games.

Make sure to bring a good phone or a camera because there are some excellent areas for photos which you won’t want to miss. 

My favourite areas for photos were the following:

• Lovers’ Poop Room features two toilets which would be great for a ‘couple’ photos. 
• Poop Volcano, which makes a great backdrop of a giant poop that lights up and changes colour. 
• And finally, the Poop-Lingual Neon Gate, which looks like a street in Hong Kong featuring loads of neon poop signs. 

I noticed lots of staff walking around and offering to help take photos for visitors, which was really useful.

Like most attractions, it can become busy on weekends and public holidays. So it would be best to visit on a regular weekday to beat the crowds. 

Also, the Unko Museum Tokyo becomes busiest between 3 pm and 6 pm, so it would be best to visit in the morning or after 6. Keep in mind that it closes at 8 pm on weekdays and 9 pm on weekends, with the last entry an hour before closing. 

Another tip is that there is no toilet inside the museum. Well, no real working ones. So please use the toilets in DiverCity before entering the museum.

And there is nothing for sale to eat or drink once you are inside. So make sure you are prepared and ready before you enter the exhibition.

Unko Museum Tokyo is wheelchair and stroller accessible. Inside DiverCity Plaza is a multi-purpose toilet, an Ostomate restroom, diaper-changing facilities, and a breastfeeding room, and there are wheelchairs and strollers available for loan.

Nearby Attractions to Unko Museum Tokyo

The great thing about Unko Museum being located in DiverCity Plaza is that this is known as one of Tokyo’s best shopping/dining and entertainment plazas.

Outside of DiverCity is the famous lifestyle Gundam statue, which every visitor should see. If you want to know more about Gundam, you can head inside DiverCity and visit the Gundam Base Tokyo, which is a shop specialising in everything Gundam.

DiverCity has a wide variety of shops featuring everything from Japanese and American clothing stores to high-end fashion designer shops. 

There are also a number of unique attractions to try:

• The Real FPS Arena is an infrared laser tag-type game that makes it feel like you are playing a real-life first-person shooter game. 
• TYFFONIUM is a specialty art entertainment theatre that features some VR walk-through attractions using the most modern technology. 
• There is a kids’ entertainment and educational park called Little Planet for visitors with young children. This attraction allows kids to learn about the world while playing and using puzzles, games and technology.

Unko Museum Review: Final Thoughts

Now that I have visited the infamous Unko Museum, I feel I can give an honest opinion and critique it. 

Is it worth visiting? Yes! I had a blast visiting this attraction and believe it’s fun to do in Tokyo.

If you remember that this isn’t an educational facility, you will really enjoy just how absurd and quirky the whole experience is. 

The Unko Museum is like a small theme park offering great Instagrammable spaces, interactive exhibits and fun games. This is the main selling point. If you come for that, you will enjoy it and make the most of your experience. Also, I saw many children running around the Unko Museum, and they were having a blast enjoying all of the poop-themed exhibits.

My only real criticism was that the experience was a little small. I was only inside the Japanese Poop Museum in total for 90 minutes. That included taking pictures and videos and walking around the full experience twice. 

With the addition of the Unko Doubutsu area in 2022, it looks like the Unko Museum could continue to expand if it keeps receiving the number of visitors they have been receiving since it opened its doors.

Frequently Asked Questions about Unko Museum

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