I came because of the good information provided at google and once i arrived they told me not possible coming without reservation. After 2,7 km walking. And not information provided in their internet web page. Horrible, moreover because i love buttons.

I managed to take a weekday off, so I went to the Button Museum, which requires advance reservations. The tours guided by a curator often fill up quickly, so I booked a regular day on the website. Apparently about 5 groups per day is the guideline. You pay 800 yen in cash on the day, or +500 (1300) yen for the tour. When I went there were 2 groups. It's not that big, so you could probably see it in 30 minutes to 1 hour, but I took my time and looked around for an hour and a half. Photos aren't allowed inside, but I got to see a wonderful collection and was moved by how paintings and all kinds of materials are expressed within 2–3 centimeters. The cameo buttons, micromosaics, black glass buttons, and so on were really lovely. At the very back, there was also a hands-on corner where you can make your own accessories, for a fee.

A button museum on the 2F of the Iris Building along the Sumida River, about a 5-minute walk from Hamacho Station on the Toei Shinjuku Line. Admission is 800 yen and reservations are required. It's basically open on weekdays, but apparently it also opens on some Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays on an irregular basis. Depending on the reservation date, guided tours are also held. I visited with a reservation for 13:00 on a Tuesday, and it seemed there were only 3 reservations, me and 2 elderly ladies; since there were so few of us, the staff offered a guided tour if everyone agreed to pay an extra 500 yen, and since I was there anyway I asked for it. I'm grateful to the staff member who served as both receptionist and guide. It's about small buttons, but beyond the origins, history, and artistry of buttons, you can hear interesting stories about changes in materials, the skills of button craftsmen, and more, so if you have time you should do the guided tour. It's open almost only on weekdays, but I can recommend it not only to those interested in fashion but also to those interested in history and art.

I signed up for the guided tour. Just from buttons alone you can look back on history, and I got to hear lots of very interesting stories

Fully reservation-only, Reservation times are three sessions: 10:00–11:30 / 13:00–14:30 / 15:00–16:30 Viewing time is limited to 90 minutes. Parties of more than 10 are treated as groups, so please confirm by phone. *About the cancellation policy If you need to cancel after booking, please let us know as early as possible. If you neither arrive nor contact us more than 10 minutes after your reservation time, it will be treated as a cancellation; thank you for your understanding. That's what it says.