Under the theme ‘Connecting people and nature Connecting tradition and innovation’, this is the only museum in Japan dedicated to carpentry tools.In 2014, the building was relocated near Shin-Kobe Station, and the Japanese-style architecture constructed at that time is also a highlight.The Japanese style modern architecture combines modern architectural techniques with traditional wooden building techniques, and the chairs in the building are made by craftsmen and woodworkers from the Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe area.
The courtyard, which is normally closed to the public, houses a tea house building, which is open to the public on special occasions in spring and autumn (tours are only available from outside, on application).Of the three tea rooms in the tea house wing, the three-tatami-mat booth named ‘ITTEKI-AN’ is a copy of ‘SA-AN’ in Gyokurin-in, Daitoku-ji Temple, known as a famous tea house, and the seven-tatami-mat hall is a copy of a favorite of Sotsutakusai, the Omotesenke headmaster, both by FUEFUKI Kaichiro, who is regarded as a master builder of Kyoto's sukiya style.A structural model of a tea house that reconstructs that Sa-an is on display in the permanent exhibition, so you can see up close the delicate handiwork of the sukiya carpenters before the clay walls are painted.
The permanent exhibition features carpentry tools and video archives, as well as a full-scale model of the pillars and framework of the Golden Hall of Toshodaiji Temple and a hands-on exhibition, allowing visitors to appreciate the skills and spirit of the carpenters and craftsmen who have supported Japanese wooden architecture from many angles.
Special exhibitions are held several times a year, as well as seminars and lectures. Workshops in the woodworking room, where you can experience planing and make crafts by touching carpentry tools, are also popular ( please check the official website for details on dates, times and how to apply).
The museum shop in the museum sells a range of goods unique to the TAKENAKA CARPENTRY TOOLS MUSEUM, based on the concept of wood and tools ( not available for online sales).
Access and Visitor information for the TAKENAKA CARPENTRY TOOLS MUSEUM
Address | 7-5-1, Kumochi-machi, Chuo-ku, Kobe |
Tel | 078-242-0216 |
Access from the nearest station | 3-minute walk from JR Sanyo Shinkansen and municipal underground “Shin-Kobe Station”. 2-minute walk from “Kumochi 6-chome” bus stop on Kobe City Bus routes 2 and 18. |
Opening hours | 9:30～16:30 (Admission until 16:00) |
Closed day | Mondays (or the following day if the Monday is a public holiday) Year-end and New Year (29 Dec - 3 Jan) |
Admission fee | Adults 700 yen / University and senior high school students and those aged 65 and over 500 yen / Junior high school students and younger and those with disability certificates free of charge |
Facilities | Multi-purpose toilets, lift, ramp, lockers, parking, museum shop, audio guide ( available in Japanese, Chinese, English and Korean). |
Notes | ・Parking spaces are available for 5 vehicles (plus 1 for disabled persons), free of charge. If the car park is full, use a nearby toll car park. ・Due to the small number of lockers, visitors in large groups are advised to use coin-operated lockers at nearby train stations. ・Workshops are conducted in Japanese. |
Official website |