Why it stays with you
The permanent exhibition room is called 'Where a Film is Born'. It leads you through a series of small rooms that trace how a passing flash of an idea becomes, after a great deal of struggle, a finished film. It shows you the maker's hand rather than the finished work — that is what separates it from other museums. Admission is by reservation for a specified date and time, with entry slots every hour from 10:00 to 16:00, and you must enter within one hour of your slot. The museum closes at 18:00, so the earlier your slot, the longer you have inside. It's in the west garden of Inokashira Park, so it pairs neatly with a walk in the park for a half day. Closed every Tuesday.