International Museum Day is the best time to look across the globe to Japan where museums are anything but usual. Where else would you find one entirely devoted to everything 'toilet', like the TOTO Museum on Kyushu? Japan has plenty of show stopping options but here's a list of some our favourites:
Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum
Every ramen enthusiast needs to remember this name because it offers a glorious combination of a museum, a foodhall and a theme park! Ramen is a delicious noodle soup with various toppings and what’s even better, each part of Japan has its own version of it. Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum boasts a wide range of ramen which you can try in smaller taster bowls at its 9 ramen shops. We have great news for those worried about their dietary requirements, too - it offers vegetarian and pork-free ramen to boot. The museum’s interior is set to resemble the streets of Japan in 1958, the year cup noodles were invented and the peak of ramen obsession in Japan. This museum is a must-visit for all foodies and instagrammers alike, with the added plus of getting to taste and learn about the history of this staple dish. Just remember to come hungry!
House of Light
Explore the beauty of light through a stay at the House of Light, a veritable superstar among museums: amazing experience during the day, hotel with an incredible light show by night. The installation is located in a traditional Japanese house and was created in 2000 for the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale by the artist James Turrel. The idea to combine media and colourful lights with the traditional way of using light in a Japanese house was inspired by Junichiro Tanizaki’s essay in ‘Praise of Shadows’.
The exhibition’s main room called ‘Outside In’ manipulates light to match it with sunrise and sunset coming into the room through the open roof (you can keep it closed in case of rain). Staying overnight is very affordable and the hotel can house up to three families with shared amenities. Do remember to book in advance, though, and look forward to a magical night in Niigata’s Tokamachi.
Towada Art Center
When art blends with reality and seeps into your subconsciousness, you know you have arrived at Towada. Tucked away in the northern Aomori prefecture, Towada Art Center was opened in 2008 and houses works created by famous artists such as Yoko Ono, Yayoi Kusama, Ron Mueck and many more. The museum itself is a priceless architectural gem designed by Ryue Nishizawa as a part of a regional revitalisation project which resulted in the city’s thriving art scene. The museum has inside spaces devoted to each artist connected with glass corridors and an outside Art Square where you can admire the seemless blending of art and everyday life.
Omiya Bonsai Art Museum
These adorable trees have been associated with Japan and beloved by devoted gardeners for years but the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum is the first place of its kind - a museum solely devoted to bonsai! It’s located in the Omiya Bonsai Village, in Saitama, where many bonsai nurseries moved after the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1925. The museum exhibits over 120 bonsai trees and some of them are over 1,000 old! It holds workshops throughout the year so if you've always wanted to shape your own bonsai, now is your chance! It takes 30 to 45 minutes to get here from various locations in Tokyo, so is a cinch for day-trippers, but we recommend taking a little more time to check out what else Japan's 'uncoolest' prefecture has to offer, before turning back.
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