The Japan Folk Crafts Museum

The Japan Folk Crafts Museum was opened in 1936 by Japanese philosopher Yanagi Muneyoshi and his fellow philosophers. It has the main building, the West building (the former residence of Yanagi Mineyoshi), and a museum shop. The large hall in the main building is called the old wing, and the stone wall along the street is designated as a Tangible Cultural Property of Japan. The museum displays handicrafts and folk crafts, mainly Japanese antique ceramics and dyed or woven textiles, collected from Japan and overseas. It houses a collection of 17,000 items, mainly selected by Yanagi Muneyoshi. Special exhibitions are held according to the season, such as textiles from Okinawa during summer and kawabaori (coat made out of leather) during winter. The West building, facing the main building, was designed by Yanagi Muneyoshi in 1935. The West building was the base of the daily life of the Yanagi family; there is Yanagi's library, where he engaged in writing, and his musician wife Kaneko's piano room. In the museum shop, handicrafts collected from all over Japan are sold, such as yunomi (tea cups) and plates, as well as Japanese souvenirs, such as handwoven scarves and paper crafts. It is a seven-minute walk from the Keio Inogashira Line Komaba-todai-mae Station West Exit.