Osaka Museum Of Housing And Living

Ever wondered what Osaka was like in the Edo period? Visit the Osaka Museum of Housing and Living near Tenjinsujibashi Station and find out for yourself! The interactive exhibits and cultural events make this an especially great rainy day option for families.

[Osaka Museum of Housing and Living - image © Florentyna Leow]

Going to museums can be a hit or miss experience, especially if the exhibits consist only of text-heavy captions and staid object displays devoid of context. Luckily, a visit to the Osaka Museum of Housing and Living is anything but boring. It’s a great little museum that makes learning about the city’s history and development a tremendously fun experience.

[Osaka Museum of Housing and Living - image © Florentyna Leow]

While it’s nowhere near the scale of the Edo-Tokyo Museum in Ryogoku, conceptually speaking, it’s not so dissimilar. On entering, you’ll get to explore a beautifully-recreated section of Osaka’s late Edo period townscape. There’s an old kimono shop, a toy shop, and a bathhouse. It’s the attention to detail that’s particularly charming here: a cat on one of the roofs, lights that dim and brighten to signify the passing of time, and even the sound of rain to mimic inclement weather in town.

[Osaka Museum of Housing and Living - image © Florentyna Leow]

It’s not all about the late Edo period, though - there are also displays on Meiji, Taisho, and Showa period Osaka, which provide great insights into how the city evolved throughout the late 19th and 20th centuries.

Additionally, the museum also hosts cultural events from time to time. These events change with the seasons: you might have rakugo (comic storytelling) events, musical performances, and even craft workshops for visitors.

In a bid to cater to tourists, they’ve also begun offering kimono rental services. It might be a little cheesy, but it’s fun for most people to take photographs of themselves in traditional dress on the ‘streets’ of Edo period Osaka.

English name:
The Osaka Museum of Housing and Living

Japanese name:
大阪くらしの今昔館

English address:
8F Sumai Joho Center bldg., 6-4-20 Tenjinbashi, Kita-ku, Osaka-shi, 530-0041

Japanese address:
〒530-0041 大阪市北区天神橋6-4-20 住まい情報センタービル8F

Opening hours:
10am-5pm (last entry 4:30pm)
Closed Tuesday

Admission:
Adults: 600
College and high school students: 300

Nearest Transport:
Subway and Train: Directly connected to exit 3 of Tenjimbashisuji 6-chome Station on the Osaka Metro Tanimachi and Sakaisuji Lines, and Hankyu Senri Line.

Nearest Hotels:
Check availability and pricing for hotels near Osaka Museum of Housing and Living on Booking.com or Agoda.com.

Telephone:
+81-6-6242-1170

Website:Official website (Japanese, click English at top of screen for machine translation)

Near To Here:
The Osaka Museum of Housing and Living is located in Osaka’s Kita and Umeda district. See our complete list of things to do in the Kita and Umeda district, including places to eat, nightlife and places to stay.

Where Are These Places Located?

• Open the Osaka map
• You will see the list of places on the left hand side. (Click the 3-line icon in the top left corner if not). Scroll down or use the map search (the magnifying glass icon) to find the place you want.
• Click the name of the place in the list. Its location pin will be highlighted on the map.
• Map pins are color coded - BLUE: Hotels / Ryokan / Guesthouses | VIOLET: Ryokan | PINK: Places to Eat | GREEN: Shops | YELLOW: Things to See and Do
• If you’re using the map on your phone, open the map and then search for the name of the place. The map will then zoom in on its location.

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