Nihon Minkaen – Japan Open Air Folk House Museum

This lovely open air museum is another favourite of mine. It is close enough to my house to cycle or walk to. Located in the Tama Hills in a shady green valley it contains 25 houses dating from the 17th century. They have been sourced from around the country, deconstructed and reassembled on site. From the entrance way to the end, it is a pleasant 2km walk. Once at the end, it a lovely walk down through a park back to the entrance way.

The Exhibits

The houses include traditional farmhouses, such as a gasshozukuri farmhouse from the Shirakawako area, samurai and merchant houses, houses from post towns and fishing villages, a water wheel, a shrine and a kabuki stage. One of the farmhouses has a soba restaurant.

I  was pleasantly surprised at the amount of excellent information available in English and many other languages explaining each house and the exhibits. There are volunteer guides available including English speaking guides. They were very informative and pointed out lots of features I would have otherwise missed

On Sundays demonstrations of traditional handicrafts, straw and bamboo craft making, and cloth weaving can be seen. You can try your hand at traditional indigo dying for a small extra charge .  A variety of other cultural events and festivals, such as rice cake pounding, a kabuki play and dances are held at different times during the year.

How to get there

Mukogaokayuen Station on the Odakyu Odawara Line (20 minutes, 250 yen by express train from Shinjuku,) is a 15 min walk away or it is a 25 minute walk from Noborito Station on the JR Nambu Line. (30 minutes, 310 yen from Kawasaki Station).

Opening Hours

• [Mar. – Oct.] 9:30 – 17:00
• [Nov. – Feb.] 9:30 – 16:30
• last admissions 30 min before closed time

Closed On

• Monday (open on holiday)
• The day after Japanese national holidays (open on Saturdays and Sundays)
• Year-end holidays and New Year’s holidays (from December 29 to January 3)

Admission Fees

• Adults ・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・500 yen
• Students(Senior High School, College) ・・・・・・・・300 yen (ID cards required)
• 65 years and over(Kawasaki City residents: Free) ・・・300 yen (ID cards required)
• Children(Junior High School and under) ・・・・・・・・Free
• Handicapped Persons・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・Free

I have sent 3 groups of my guests there to date, The Australians, my Kiwi family with kids and the intrepid Canadian crew and I am sure they would all agree it is well worth a visit.

Jizo statues

Kabuki Theatre

Commoners were not allowed to use straight wood for beams

Iris Japonica

Close up of thatch

A Roof top garden?

Koinobori, Carp flyers for Boys’ day

A roof top garden

Top of the Kabuki Theatre

Shrine

Cooking fire inside also helps keep thatch waterproof and insect free

Outdoor Folk Museum

Tiles held down by stones

Yoroshiku Onegai shimasu

Leanne