SMALL WORLDS Miniature Museum

Small Worlds is an indoor miniature museum in Ariake, Koto, with a total area of about 7,000 square metres. The museum describes itself as one of the largest miniature museums in Asia. Most of its scenes are built at 1:80 scale, and many of them move, light up and change from day to night.

The areas

The museum is divided into nine areas, each a separate world in miniature.

Space Center
A launch site of the 1960s Apollo era with a Saturn V rocket stands beside a spaceport of the future where a shuttle waits for launch. Crowds and crews gather around each launch pad.

Diaclone
Machines from Diaclone, a science-fiction toy series Takara Tomy launched in 1980 with 1:60 figures, robots, bases and vehicles. The name joins diamond, for firm friendship, and cyclone, for strong allies. From 1982 the series included real cars that turned into robots, and many of its items became the core of the later Transformers. It was restarted as a toy line for adults in 2016.

Global Village
Five imaginary countries of Asia and Europe in an industrial-revolution setting of the 1900s, mixing steampunk and fantasy. Each has its own climate and townscape, and their stories connect: a village that lives with dragons, miners at work, a library that gathers the knowledge of the world.

Creators Gallery
Work by leading Japanese miniature artists, shown and partly sold together with two Tokyo galleries, Sakatsu Gallery and Dollhouse Gallery Misceal.

Shibuya
Shibuya at 1:80, centred on the Scramble Crossing, with Center Gai, the Hachiko statue, the station and its trains, from the Toyoko and Fukutoshin lines five floors underground to the Ginza Line platform on the third floor. The 47-storey Shibuya Scramble Square has about 3,000 LEDs inside, and about 5,000 figures fill the streets as day and night take turns. Small Worlds built the area with Cityscape Studio over half a year, and it opened on 11 June 2026.

Kansai International Airport
A model of the airport near Osaka, with engine sounds at every take-off and landing and planes taxiing along the runways. After about ten minutes evening falls and the airport lights come on beside the night view of Kobe.

Evangelion Hangar
A dark passage leads down to the hangar from the anime Evangelion, where Units 01, 00 and 02 stand. When an Angel attacks, the restraint panels come off, the units move on linear rails to the launch lanes and are launched one after another, as in the series.

Evangelion Tokyo-3
The city of Tokyo-3 above the NERV headquarters. Sirens sound, cars clear the streets and the city sinks underground as an Angel arrives. In the old town, Shinji and his friends go about their daily lives, and Misato's apartment and Rei Ayanami's flat can be found.

Ariake Arena
A model of the nearby Ariake Arena. The main arena is filled with 1:150 spectators, each with a raised hand. At the press of a button the roof of the sub-arena opens on 1:35 figures in music and lights; the artist or team shown changes from time to time.

3D figures and workshops

A 3D scanner in the figure studio turns visitors into figures of themselves in four sizes: S (1:80), M (1:35), L (1:24) and LL (1:12). Figures can be made alone, as a group or with a pet. They take about 30 days and are sent by post, in Japan or abroad. For an extra fee an S-size figure can also be placed in one of the dioramas, and some annual passes include a figure that lives in an area for a year.

Workshops, charged separately from admission, include painting and assembling Evangelion plastic models and miniature kits.

PET DAY

On six days each month (the 10, 11, 12, 21, 22 and 23), dogs and cats vaccinated against rabies may come in. They stay in a pet cart, carrier or sling and are allowed everywhere except the second-floor cafe and Gallery B. Owners fill in a consent form online beforehand, and there is a pet toilet room. On these days owner and pet can be scanned together for a two-shot figure; pets must weigh 10 kg or less to be held for the scan.

Cafe and shop

The museum cafe on the second floor serves meals and sweets. The Airport Lounge has sofas that were used at Kansai International Airport, and the museum shop sells Small Worlds goods.