Shimoda History Museum 下田開国博物館

After hundreds of years of self-imposed isolation, Commodore Matthew Perry and his Black Ships sailed into Japanese waters, demanding the country open to trade. Shimoda History Museum marks the catalytic events of the 1850s that led to a period of rapid Westernization in Japan, of which Shimoda was at the epicenter.

The museum is accessible by train and on foot. The museum is an approximately eight-minute walk from Izukyu-Shimoda Station. Shimoda can be reached by local train or shinkansen from Tokyo.

Take the JR Shinkansen Tokaido Line for about one hour to Atami Station, then change to the JR Line bound for Ito Station. The final leg on the Izu Kyuko Line reaches Shimoda Station in approximately an hour.

The outside of the Shimoda History Museum is covered in traditional Namako walls (distinguished by a white grid pattern on black slate). The museum itself tells the story of the dramatic arrival of Commodore Perry in Japan and the negotiations that followed. This museum is a must-see destination if you are interested in the development of modern Japan.

A visit to the museum is not complete without also exploring the two temples in the area. A few minutes' walk from the museum is Ryosenji , where the Treaty of Amity and Commerce was eventually signed two years after Perry's arrival. The temple has pleasant grounds in which to walk. Gyokusenji Temple is where the first American consulate was established and contains a small museum dedicated to Townsend Harris. It is best to take a taxi here.