Museum by TEPCO

How come we can have light in our houses during the night? What makes the figure on the traffic light turn green when it's safe to cross the road? Where does the power for the TV games come from? Perhaps your children have asked you those questions, and what did you answer? Electric energy is all around us, but adults rarely give it a second thought. Tokyo Electric Energy Museum (Denryokukan) explains the "magic" (or tragic, for environmentalists) aspects of electricity in an easy way with a lot of models and experiments. Conveniently located in the Shibuya area, with free admission, this is a great excursion destination for accompanied younger kids. I also saw several junior high school students dropping in during their lunch break, and entire classes on official visits with teachers.

The recommended route starts up on the 7th floor. Here you find information on Energy and the Environment, Distributing Electricity, Thermal Electric and Hydroelectric Power Generation. Of course most information is in Japanese, but the museum provides some information in English explaining the models. The really clever models manage to make their point all by themselves. You can try operating a remote-controlled manipulator which helps electricians carry out repairs safely without being exposed to electric shocks.

The next floor down poses the question, how will we generate electricity in the future? The answer for Japan seems to lie in nuclear power. There are alternatives, though, as explained on the 5th floor through solar power, geothermal power, and wind power exhibits. Several experiments are ongoing in the science laboratory. Kids will especially enjoy finding out about static electricity -- how it causes their hair to stand on end.

TEPCO Cooking Room on the 4th floor exhibits safe and clean electrical kitchen appliances, and cooking classes are also held. This kitchen demonstrates that electrical appliances are the most efficient, economical and safe, and how you can reuse waste heat. Only chefs would push for the advantages of a gas cooker.

You would certainly like to live in the ordinary rooms that are on display -- from being very good looking, they are also energy saving. But most activities are located on the 3rd floor, and the most fun include the Touring Adventure "cars," steering a bee by using a light ray and a Visual Labyrinth electrical floor which is as mysterious as it is compulsive.

And of course there are purikura (print club) photos. With a mirror, or waves, your face gets distorted, double or half of it disappears -- for only 100 yen.

TEPCO Electric Energy Museum (Denryokukan)

TEPCO (The Tokyo Electric Power Co., Inc.)

1-12-10 Jinnan, Shibuya Sta. Hachiko Exit, walk 5 min. past Seibu and Marui dept. stores.

Open: 10am-6pm

Closed: Wed. & during New Year hol.

Admission: FREE.

Tel: (03) 3477-1191. Call for event and experiment schedule.

(URL: http://www5.mediagalaxy.co.jp/Denryokukan/) in Japanese only but the titles of films showing on Mondays at 10:30am, 1pm & 3:30pm (confirm before you go) at the 8F TEPCO Hall for 100 yen, are in English (look for Ibento Joho/Getsuyo Eiga Gekijo)