A sunny day at the open air architectural museum
The Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum is placed in Koganei Park west of Shinjuku. It is as the name indicates an outdoor exhibition with all kinds of houses and buildings all the way back from the Edo period and until just a few years ago. What I like most about this place is that you can get into every room of most of the houses. Since I came to Japan the first time I have always been curious to get into the old traditional houses. Here is the chance to do that.
Actually I am not very interested in architecture, but I like this place very much. Maybe because I enjoy being outside when the weather allows it, but also because there is something special about seeing the development and traditions in the Japanese living.
The only minus I can think about is that you get a small folder with a short description of each building. who owned it, when is it from and what has it been used for. The rest of the information on sign located around and inside the buildings are in Japanese.
It is not only the buildings, that fascinate me here. It is also all the small details placed all around the park and inside the buildings. As for example this old Sony television. If you like looking at all these small details you can spend a whole day here, which is what we did.
At one end of the park you can cross a small bridge which leads you to an old police station and a tram, which makes me think:"what happened?" The police stations you see in Tokyo today it doesn't really shine of architectural care. It is more or less just a concrete box, that looks as simple and cheap as possible.
Just after the police station and the tram there is a street to the right with old Japanese shops and bars. Here you can really spend time looking at old posters, bottles, cashiers and much more.
At the end of this street you can enter and old bathing house separated into men and women entrances.
I will recommend anyone to visit the Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum, even if you are not interested in architecture. I really enjoyed it, but of cause we were lucky with the weather as well. I am not sure it would be as good an experience if it was raining. Anyway please go and have a look, and I am sure you will enjoy is as well as I did.
Please find information and a map with location below.
You can also find it in my overview map
October 2012
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