Museums in Japan

What makes the Toyota Automobile Museum truly unique is its systematic presentation of the evolution and culture of automobiles from around the world, regardless of manufacturers and covering everything from the world’s first gasoline-powered car to modern electric vehicles. Almost all the exhibited vehicles are maintained in roadworthy condition, positioned spaciously along a natural viewing route. Equally fascinating are some 4,000 pieces of automobile-related cultural items on display.

This museum was designed to show visitors this type of "making things, through the textile machinery and automobile industries with which the Toyota Group has been involved, and to show the transitions in industry and technology.

Toyota Kuragaike Commemorative Hall was built in September 1974 in commemoration of the manufacturing of Toyota's 10 millionth vehicle. Toyota Motor Corporation has reached its "second establishment period", and is currently putting efforts into various structural reforms. Taking this opportunity, the Exhibit Room has been renewed into the "Toyota's Establishment Exhibit Room", and the residence of the founder of Toyota Motor Corporation, Kiichiro Toyoda, has been rebuilt at a corner of this site for bringing to mind those early days.

Toyota Corolla Hachinohe is a new car dealer, which was founded by Hirohisa Tsukahara in the 1950s. The family opened this museum in 2003, displaying a selection of 1920s and 1930s cars, including a Renault, a Delage, a Rolls-Royce and more.

A small collection of elegant British cars, focusing mostly on historic Rolls-Royce and Bentley cars.

Yamaha Communication Plaza has become a space for explaining the past, present and future of Yamaha Corporation. Take a look at some of the epoch-making products and imagine what the future has in store at Yamaha Motors with its corporate philosophy of "Providing new inspiration and prosperity to people around the world". On the first floor the first thing that meets your eye when you enter is the "Symbol Zone". The YA-1 (nickname Akatonbo) from which Yamaha Motors first started, and the latest products are lined up next to one another.

Yanmar Museum is an experience-based museum that was opened to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Yanmar as a world-class Japanese technology company. Yanmar’s founder Magokichi Yamaoka was born in Nagahama City, and was the person who first succeeded in miniaturizing the engine invented by Dr. Diesel of Germany. The life of Magokichi Yamaoka, the history of Yanmar, Yanmar's manufacturing system, etc. can be experienced through abundant exhibitions and videos, simulators, etc.

The founder of Yufuin Retro Motor Museum, a town local, has amassed quite an impressive collection of motor vehicles. With a collection of 70 cars, 30 motorcycles, tricycles, small airplanes and retro buses, he is one of the region’s biggest amateurs and opened the museum in 1988. Get a sense both of his own idiosyncratic tastes and the history of Japan’s mechanized transport at a museum right off Yufuin’s main street.