Meiji Mura

What to know

Meiji Mura (明治村, meaning "Meiji Village") is one of Japan's best open air museums, displaying over 60 buildings primarily from the Meiji Period (1868-1912), which followed the end of Japan's feudal age and whose architecture shows increasing Western influence.

The theme park-like museum is located in Inuyama, one hour north of Nagoya, in a vast wooded area next to Iruka Pond. It takes at least half a day to explore the spacious museum grounds and cover all of its exhibits.

Few of the buildings constructed in the Meiji and subsequent Taisho periods survive in Japan today, as many of them were destroyed during the war or lost to city redevelopment. A collection of representative buildings from across the country have been relocated to Meiji Mura in order to preserve the architectural and cultural heritage. Among them are the entrance hall of Tokyo's old Imperial Hotel and Kyoto's St. Francis Xavier's Cathedral.

Other attractions include the former Kanazawa Prison, Sapporo's telephone exchange, Mie's prefectural office, Nagasaki's foreign settlement, as well as hospitals, sake breweries and schools. Some buildings have been converted into cafes, candy stores or traditional game stalls for visitors to enjoy. There is also a village bus which runs the length of the village, as well as a tram and a steam locomotive.

Meiji Mura is located in Inuyama, about one hour outside of Nagoya.

From Nagoya Station, take the Meitetsu Inuyama Line to Inuyama Station (30 minutes, 630 yen one way) and transfer to a Meitetsu bus to Meiji Mura (20 minutes, 500 yen, 1-2 departures per hour). The Japan Rail Pass is not valid on Meitetsu trains and buses.