Authentic Traditional Cultural Experiences in Tokyo: Discover the Kigumi Museum and Kagurazaka Walk Tour
Our ninth experience in the "Authentic Traditional Cultural Experiences" series around Tokyo’s Kagurazaka area is the "Kigumi Museum and Kagurazaka Walk Tour." We’d like to introduce "what you will gain" through this experience.
So far, our tours have received a high rating from participants, with an average score of 4.94 out of 5 (equivalent to 98.8 out of 100) as of November 17, 2024. This very high satisfaction rating indicates that participants have gained “something special” through our tours. We believe that the comments published in "Users’ Voices" reflect this "something special" and the happiness it brings. Here’s a brief introduction to what you will gain from each tour.
No.9 Kigumi Museum and Kagurazaka Walk Tour
What You Will Gain from This Tour
Learn about Japan’s ancient wooden architecture techniques that use no nails.
Discover various Japanese building techniques, including "plastering," "lacquering," and "coloring," designated as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, all in one place.
Experience these skills hands-on, allowing you to fully appreciate traditional Japanese construction.
Experience the Ancient Art of Wood Joinery: Earthquake-Resilient Architecture and Hands-On Craftsmanship at the Kigumi Museum
Wood joinery is a traditional Japanese method said to have been used since the Asuka period (592–710). Horyuji Temple, a representative structure from the Asuka period, was founded in 607, and after a fire in 670, its Kondo (Main Hall) and Five-Story Pagoda were rebuilt, making them the world’s oldest wooden structures.
Wood joinery is a highly precise technique that assembles buildings almost entirely without metal hardware like nails, intricately carving and fitting the ends of wood pieces together to secure them firmly. The fact that wooden structures like five-story pagodas, built without nails, can withstand earthquakes in Japan, a country highly prone to seismic activity, is fascinating not only to foreigners but also to Japanese people.
Because these joints are not fastened with nails or bolts, they allow for some "play (gaps)," which effectively absorb seismic movements, enabling the structure to withstand earthquakes. At the Kigumi Museum, you can experience this wonderful wisdom of ancient craftsmanship by actually touching and assembling the wood joinery yourself.
At the Kigumi Museum, in addition to "Kigumi (wood joinery)," you can learn about many traditional Japanese architectural techniques, such as Sakan (plastering), Urushi nuri (lacquer), Saishoku (building coloring), Wakugi (Japanese nails), and Onigawara (demon tiles). This is a rare opportunity to learn about construction techniques registered in 2020 as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, all in one place.
A Tactile Experience: Exploring Wood Joinery and Art for Visually Impaired Visitors at the Kigumi and Touchable Museums
In fact, you can touch not only wood joinery but all the exhibits, which is why visually impaired visitors sometimes come to the Kigumi Museum. Additionally, about a 15-minute walk from the Kigumi Museum, there is the "Fureru (Touchable) Museum," an accessible facility for the visually impaired. Here, famous paintings like Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper are created in a three-dimensional format so visitors can enjoy them by touch. Usually, the Kigumi Museum is paired with a Kagurazaka walking tour, but if you prefer, we can arrange a visit to the Touchable Museum instead. Please let us know your preference.
Enhance Your Understanding of Traditional Japanese Architecture with Our English Guide at the Kigumi Museum and Anahachiman Shrine
The Kigumi Museum is a fantastic museum, but the exhibit descriptions and explanations from the curator are in Japanese. Therefore, our English-speaking guide will support you, ensuring that you fully understand Japan’s traditional architectural techniques. Next to the Kigumi Museum is the Anahachiman Shrine, a historic site associated with the Tokugawa Shogunate, where you can observe traditional architectural techniques still in use. Our guide can also teach you the proper way to pray at the shrine.
This rich and immersive experience will surely become a lifelong memory, just as it has for past participants!
Tour Details
Tour Duration: 3 hours
Location: Kigumi Museum and Kagurazaka. The nearest stations are Waseda Station on the Tokyo Metro Tozai Line, Kagurazaka Station on the Tokyo Metro Tozai Line, Ushigome-Kagurazaka Station on the Toei Oedo Line, and Iidabashi Station, which is served by the JR Line and four subway lines.
Price: 18,000 yen for groups of 1-5 people (includes Kigumi Museum visit and Kagurazaka walking tour)
Age Requirement: 6 years and above
Booking Period: Next-day bookings available
Accessibility: Wheelchairs and strollers are welcome
Meeting Point: The meeting location will be decided upon consultation with the customer. Hotel pickup is also available for an additional fee.
Book Each Experience
How to Access Kagurazaka
The Kagurazaka area is conveniently located within 30 minutes from any major station in Tokyo. This is because Kagurazaka is situated in the heart of Tokyo, at the center of the Yamanote Line. Please come and visit this convenient and charming Kagurazaka.
Comments