Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
A view of Brașov’s Old Town.
Romania • 12 days, 11 nights
Legends of Romania: Castles, Ruins & Culinary Delights
from
Balkans road trip
Bosnia and Herzegovina • 9 days, 8 nights
Balkans Road Trip: Serbia, Croatia & Bosnia and Herzegovina
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Parking Lot Shoeprints
Dewey Square Pylon & Bent 38
Black Rocks of Pungo Andongo
Abandoned Observatory of the Pioneer Palace
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Names on the bartop.
The Dive
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Japan Tokyo Meiji University Museum’s Criminal Materials Department

Meiji University Museum’s Criminal Materials Department

Exploring crime and punishment in feudal and pre-modern Japan.

Tokyo, Japan

Added By
Fred Cherrygarden
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
A guillotine and an iron maiden (replica).   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
  Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Feudal hanging.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Crucifixion beam.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Detail of the iron maiden.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

One of Japan's top private universities, Meiji University has its main campus in the Kanda area of Tokyo, in addition to several research centers and a museum exhibiting unique collections inherited from three different museums: archaeology, commodities, and criminal materials, established in 1952, 1951, and 1929, respectively.

The archaeological collection is widely considered to be its crème de la crème, containing several Important Cultural Properties such as Hoshikuso Pass obsidian, ancient Yamagata earthenware, and Paleolithic arrow points from the Iwajuku site. But more popular and infamous is its Criminal Materials Department, boasting a diverse collection of torture devices and artifacts related to the penal systems of feudal and pre-modern Japan.

There are legal documents from the medieval Kamakura period, weapons used by the feudal police of Edo such as jitte and sasumata, and miniature models depicting methods of execution in the early modern times. But the must-see section is at the end of the exhibit, where a replica of the French guillotine stands next to a 19th-century "Iron Maiden of Nuremberg."

Conceived in the early 19th century, the hoaxical, faux-medieval torture device spawned at least a couple dozen Nuremberg-made copies, which ironically became prized artifacts after the original was lost during World War II. They are so rare worldwide today, the Meiji University Museum's specimen may just be the only one of its kind in all of Asia, not only in the country.

Related Tags

Archaeology Crime Museums Museums Forensics Universities

Know Before You Go

The museum is housed in the Academy Common building of the university, located within a few minutes' walk from Ochanomizu station on the other side of the Kanda River. Admission to the permanent exhibition, including the archaeological, commodities and criminal materials collections, is free for all visitors.

Atlas Obscura Adventures

Hidden Japan: Sado Island, Nara & Kyoto

Explore a different side of Japan.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

Fred Cherrygarden

Published

August 5, 2022

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Meiji University Museum’s Criminal Materials Department
Kanda Surugadai, 1 Chome−1
Chiyoda City
Tokyo, 101-0062
Japan
35.698594, 139.76187
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Jimbōchō Book Town

Tokyo, Japan

miles away

Milonga Nueva

Tokyo, Japan

miles away

Kanda Myojin Shrine

Tokyo, Japan

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Tokyo

Tokyo

Japan

Places 220
Stories 13

Nearby Places

Jimbōchō Book Town

Tokyo, Japan

miles away

Milonga Nueva

Tokyo, Japan

miles away

Kanda Myojin Shrine

Tokyo, Japan

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Tokyo

Tokyo

Japan

Places 220
Stories 13

Related Places

  • Temple of Sargon at the Oriental Institute Museum.

    Chicago, Illinois

    Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures

    This surprising gem is a world-class archeological museum hidden at the University of Chicago.

  • Anthropomorphic fetish simulated by a manta ray fish.

    Madrid, Spain

    Reverte Coma Forensic Museum

    The morbid items in this small and hidden museum are not for the weak stomached.

  • The Mauer 1 jawbone

    Heidelberg, Germany

    The Mauer 1 Jawbone

    The jaw of one of humankind's earliest ancestors on display at an overlooked geology museum.

  • Lagoa Santa Man.

    Lapinha, Brazil

    Lagoa Santa Man

    The skeletal remains of an ancient human were found with the bones of giant ground sloths.

  • Durham, England

    'Seek Knowledge Even as Far as China'

    A tile mosaic displaying a saying from the prophet Muhammad presents the mission of Durham University's Oriental Museum.

  • Andover, England

    Danebury Meteorite

    The earliest meteorite ever discovered in Britain was nearly missed.

  • Sarcophagus of Chrodoara

    Amay, Belgium

    Sarcophagus of Chrodoara

    Since its accidental discovery in 1977, this sarcophagus has been described as "the greatest masterpiece of Merovingian sculpture north of the Alps."

  • Ilulissat Icefjord

    Ilulissat, Greenland

    Ilulissat Icefjord Center

    A remote Arctic museum focusing on the science of icebergs and the archaeology of an ancient Inuit settlement which lies just outside its doors.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.