- Culture
- Osaka
Osaka Museum of Housing and Living
A specialized museum that introduces the houses and lifestyles of Osaka, an economic center since the Edo Period
Located in Tenjinbashi, Osaka, the Osaka Museum of Housing and Living is a museum where you can experience the transition of lifestyles in Osaka and the city itself from the Edo Period (1603-1868) to the Meiji (1868-1912), Taisho (1912-1926) and Showa (1926-1989) eras. Actual townhouses built by traditional methods line the floor, exhibiting the recreation of early modern town of Osaka about 200 years ago. On the modern era floor, diorama models and videos showcase the houses and lifestyles of the Meiji, Taisho and Showa eras.
A day in a townhouse of Naniwa Osaka
On the ninth floor, which recreates the town of Osaka from 200 years ago, is an area exhibiting the seasonal chronicles of a Naniwa (an old name for Osaka) townhouse, where you can experience an entire day by the changes in sound and lighting to recreate the hours of the morning, afternoon and evening. In the Edo Period, the time from sunrise to sunset was designated as day, and the time from sunset to sunrise was designated as night; the day and night were divided into six each. In the day of a townhouse, the town's wooden gate opened at sunrise of the sixth hour, the shop was opened around fifth hour of the morning, and at the ninth hour of the day was lunchtime. The name of the times were different from today, and time advanced differently depending on the season.
Summer festival scenery in the seasonal chronicle of a Naniwa townhouse
In the summer festival season, the shitsurai (room decorations) of the Tenjin Festival are reproduced. The townscape is recreated according to historic records, as the merchant houses' foyers are also rearranged for the festival day. Large paper lanterns on poles stand along the streets and Manmaku (a long horizontal curtain stretched around the house during celebrations) were hung under the eaves of houses, while heirloom folding screens and elaborate ornaments decorated the shops. You can feel the exciting atmosphere of the time when the streets and townhouses came together to enjoy the festival.
Modern Osaka
The Modern Osaka Panorama Tour on the eighth floor exhibits houses and lifestyles in Osaka from the Meiji, Taisho and Showa eras. Sophisticated models introduce six scenes of living in Osaka, including detailed reproductions of buildings, lifestyles and customs, the development from Westernization to the Great Osaka, as well as the history of war damage and post-war reconstruction. There are a lot of fun exhibits, such as introducing the story of a family's relocation on video, and a moving diorama model showcasing Tsutenkaku, which has become Osaka's new tourist attraction, the Tenjin Festival and the bustling Shinsaibashi Shopping Arcade. The panoramic map of Osaka from 100 years ago displayed along the floor is also a must-see.
Location
| Name | Osaka Museum of Housing and Living |
|---|---|
| Website | https://osaka-info.jp/en/page/osaka-museum-housing-living |
| Address | 8F, Sumai Joho Center Building, 6-4-20 Tenjinbashi, Kita-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka |
| Access | Direct access from Tenjimbashisuji Rokuchome Station Exit 3 on the Osaka Metro Tanimachi Line and Sakaisuji Line as well as Hankyu Railway From Temma Station on the JR Osaka Loop Line, turn right (north) at the shopping street and walk approximately 7 minutes. By taxi: From JR Osaka Station Midosuji Minami Exit, take the Miyakojima Street and ride for approximately 7 minutes. By car: From Nagara Exit on the Hanshin Expressway Moriguchi Line, take the Miyakojima Street and drive for approximately 5 minutes. |
| Business Hours | 10:00 to 17:00 (admission until 16:30) |
| Closed | Tuesdays, year-end and New Year's holidays (December 29 to January 2) |
| Inquiries | TEL: 06-6242-1170 FAX: 06-6354-8601 |
| Admission | General admission: 600 yen General group admission: 500 yen (group of 20 or more) High school and university students: 300 yen High school and university student group: 200 yen (group of 20 or more) *1 Free admission for junior high school students and under, visitors with disability certificates (including one caretaker), Osaka-shi residents age 65 and over (Must present original ID) Additional fees apply for special exhibition admission.
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