The National Museum of Japanese History (NMJH) known as 歴博（Rekihaku) was founded in 1981 and since then, it has been promoting research on Japanese history, folklore, and archeology.
This grand-scale museum stands by the empty moat of Sakura Castle which was built in 1500s and demolished in 1873.
The NMJH holds permanent and temporary exhibitions.
An audio headphone is available free of charge. Please ask at the front desk.
All the exhibitions will surely help you to deepen your understanding of Japanese history and culture.
The permanent exhibition spans six galleries which display the real materials, replicas, and scale models as well as pictures of each era according to the historic and thematic events.
Gallery 1 covers the period from when humans first appeared around 40,000 years ago to the Nara Era(8th century), when the ancient state of Japan was formed.
⁂Earthen wares, mounted tombs, clay figures(埴輪), Shosoin Documents, and so on are displayed.
The highlight of this gallery is the replica of the oldest earthen ware in Japan, which was supposed to be an advent of clay figures.(below)
⁂ This is a full sized model of a Nauman elephant below.
Gallery2 covers a period of the medieval era, from the 10th to the 16th century, (from the Heian era to Azuchi-momoyama era).
You see the displays which show you the daily life of commoners, nobles, and Samurai.
⁂The replica of a national treasure "a folding screen depicting Kyoto "（洛中洛外図）is displayed.
⁂A model of a Shuinsen trading ship, is displayed.
The Age of Geographical Discovery has come: guns and Christianity were imported.
Gallery3 covers a period of the early modern Era, from the late 16th century to the middle of 19th century (the Edo era).
You see the lives and culture in the Edo era.
⁂Under the Tokugawa reign, transportation developed, many people began to engage in commercial activities, which contributed to the economic development. Consequently, they came to find entertainment in travelling, going to Kabuki theaters, reading books, studying, and so on.
You see a model which shows those people on the hustling streets in Edo, present Tokyo.
source: brochure of National Museum of Japanese History
Gallery4 introduces the folk culture that has been passed down to us today such as local foods ways on the festivals, homes not only for living, but also as a place for producing and as a place for praying, anxiety for superstition, ceremonies, and how to face with death.
This gallery also displays the people's skills such as brewing Sake, fishing boats, ceramics production, a reconstructed 200-year-old house, and so on.
Some folklores are changing and passing down.
⁂The picture below is one of the Japanese legendary animals called Kappa which was supposed to do both good and bad behaviors to people.
source: brochure of National Museum of Japanese History
Gallery 5 covers the modern Japan from the late 19th to the 20th century (from the Meiji era to the Taisho era).
It displays how to accelerate modernization such as international trades, silk production, steel manufacturing, and the development of Hokkaido.
You see a new urban lifestyle of 3 million populated city in the 1920s. The popular entertainments were silent movies, cabaret, and so on.
⁂The Great Kanto earthquake occurred on September 1st, 1923.
⁂The picture below is good-quality silk which was exported. The government proposed farmers to grow silk worms.
⁂The picture below is Commodore Matthew Perry who made Japan to open to the world after visiting Japan twice in 1853 and 1854.
Gallary 6 introduces contemporary Japan between the 1930s and the 1970s(the Showa era),
with visual images such as films, commercials, newscasts, models, and dioramas.
It shows you the life under and post several wars; the Shino-Japanese and Russia-Japanese, World War 1, and World War 2.
Especially after World War 2 ceased, Japan performed a strong economy with the people centralizing in big cities.
⁂The photograph below is the scene of the foot soldiers of Sakura regiment going to Manchuria in China in 1936(Showa 11).
source: brochure of National Museum of Japanese History
Access:
By Keisei Railways.
Limited express trains operate every 20 minutes between Narita Airport and Keisei Sakura Station (20 minutes, 470 yen), stopping at Keisei Narita Station (10 minutes, 270 yen) along the way. From Keisei Sakura Station, the museum can be reached in a 15-20 minute walk or a 5 minute bus ride.
By JR (Japan Railways).
Rapid trains operate one an hour between Narita Airport and JR Sakura Station (25 minutes, 420 yen), stopping at JR Narita Station (15 minutes, 240 yen) along the way. From JR Sakura Station, the museum can be reached in a 15 minute bus ride.
By car.
It takes about 30 minutes to reach the museum from Narita Airport by car if using the expressway (780 yen expressway tolls one way, get off at Sakura IC) or about 45 minutes by toll free roads.
Hours:
9:30 to 17:00 (until 16:30 from October to February)
Admission ends 30 minutes before closing.
Closed on Mondays (or the following day if Monday is a national holiday), December 27 to January 4
Admission; 600 yen (permanent exhibition), varying fees for temporary exhibitions
There is a botanical garden nearby.
There is a Sakura Joshi Park where you can view seasonal flowers.
This is a map of National Museum of Japanese History
For the further information, please access