2025/10/18
Today's Events
Experience the Home of Gassho-zukuri Houses – Gokayama ! (Free Admission Day)
～Experience the home of gassho-zukuri houses - Gokayama.～
Enjoy free admission to the museum and experience traditional performing art and culture of Gokayama, the home of the 3 gassho-zukuri (steep-pitched roof) houses in Minkaen!This year is the 30th anniversary of the registration of Gokayama as a World Heritage Site. A variety of events are held on this day, including the performance of Gokayama folk song “Kokiriko”, stories of Gokayama told around the hearth, tourism promotions for Nanto City of Toyama Prefecture.
Please also drop in at the fair of indigo-dyed goods, and Cafe in the folk house.
*It may be crowed in the museum, so please refrain from sketching using easels, chairs and photographing using tripod. We appreciate your understanding.
*The events will be held in smaller scale if it rains.
- Date: October 18, Saturday, 2025 (Tama Ward Citizen Festival is held in the Ikuta-Ryokuchi Park on the same day!)
- Time: Varies from event to event. See details below.
- Fee: Free admission on the day.
Indigo Dyeing Fair (on Free Admission Day)
Indigo Dyeing Fair is held on free admission day only.
Art works by the staff of Traditional Indigo Dyeing Workshop are on exhibit, and Indigo dyed stoles, traditional hand towels, T-shirts and others can be purchased in the museum shop in the main building.
A workshop of indigo dyeing "Make snow flake pattern to a handkerchief" will be held (* only on October 18) in the Traditional Indigo Dyeing Workshop (The West Gate of Minkaen).
Art works by the staff of Traditional Indigo Dyeing Workshop are on exhibit, and Indigo dyed stoles, traditional hand towels, T-shirts and others can be purchased in the museum shop in the main building.
A workshop of indigo dyeing "Make snow flake pattern to a handkerchief" will be held (* only on October 18) in the Traditional Indigo Dyeing Workshop (The West Gate of Minkaen).
Exhibit of art works by staff / Sales of indigo-dyed goods
- Date: October 18 (Saturday), November 3 (Monday and national holiday), 2025
- Time: 9:30 ~ 16:45 on October 18, 9:30 ~ 16:15 on November 3
- Place: the museum shop in the main building
Workshop of Indigo Dyeing "Make snow flake pattern to a handkerchief"
- Date: October 18 (Saturday), 2025
- Time: [1]10:00 ~, [2]13:00 ~ *About 30 minutes for each
- Place: Traditional Indigo Dyeing Workshop (The West Gate of Minkaen)
- Everyone can participate (elementary schooler or younger children must be accompanied by the guardian) *1 accompany at most
- Reception: 9:50 ~ 11:15, 12:50 ~ 14:15. First come, first served
- Fee: 1,320 Yen (handkerchief and rubber gloves included)
[Please note]
*The indigo liquid may splash onto your clothes or shoes and stain them.
Annual Event Exhibition “Jusanya”: October 9 ~ November 3
Decoration for "Jusanya" (the 13th day of the 8th month on the lunar calendar) in the style of the Kitamura House is on exhibit.
- Period: October 9, Thursday ~ November 3, Monday and national holiday
- Time: 9:30 ~ 17:00 (*9:30 ~ 16:30 in November)
- Fee: the admission fee only
- Place: 15. The Kitamura House
Annual Event Exhibition “Kokiage”: October 9 ~ November 3
As a celebration for the harvest after threshing rice, farm tools are offered to the deity of farming.
- Date: October 9, Thursday ~ November 3, Monday and national holiday
- Time: 9:30 ~ 17:00 (*9:30 ~ 16:30 in November)
- Fee: Admission Fee only
- Place: 16. The Kiyomiya House
Exhibition of Straw Crafts, Bamboo Crafts and Woven Works by “Mingi-kai”: October 5~November 9
Straw crafts, bamboo crafts and woven works by "Mingi-kai" (Society for Preserving Arts and Skills of Making folk tools) are on exhibition.
Please drop in during the opening hours of the museum.
Please drop in during the opening hours of the museum.
- Date: October 5 (Sunday) ~ November 9 (Sunday). *PM only on October 5, AM only on November 9
- Time: 9:30 ~ 17:00 *9:30 ~ 16:30 in November
Straw Group
- Place: 14. the Ota House
Bamboo Group
- Place: 14. the Ota House
Woven Group
- Place: 0. the Hara House
Mini-Exhibition at Traditional Indigo Dyeing Workshop “Tie Dyeing – the Magic of Thread -“: October 1 ~ October 26
Artworks showing different expressions are exhibited. Know more about various techniques of tie-dyeing.
- Date: Wednesday, October 1 ~ Sunday, October 26, 2025
- Time: 9:30 ~ 17:00
- Fee: Free (only inside the Traditional Indigo Dyeing Workshop)
- Place: the Traditional Indigo Dyeing Workshop
You can experience indigo dyeing (charged) in the Traditional Indigo Dyeing Workshop. Please refer to the page of the Traditional Indigo Dyeing Workshop for more details.
Special Exhibition “Living in Gokayama – 30th Anniversary of the Registration as a World Heritage Site”: October 1 ~ May 24
Three Gassho-style houses from the Gokayama region of Nanto City, Toyama Prefecture have been relocated to the Minkaen.
To commemorate the 30th anniversary of the registration of the Gassho-style Villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama, the home of these three houses, as a World Heritage Site, a special exhibition will be held focusing on the lifestyle and culture of the Gokayama region.
To commemorate the 30th anniversary of the registration of the Gassho-style Villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama, the home of these three houses, as a World Heritage Site, a special exhibition will be held focusing on the lifestyle and culture of the Gokayama region.
- Period: October 1 (Wednesday), 2025 ~ May 24 (Sunday), 2026
- Hours: 9:30 ~ 17:00 (9:30 ~ 16:30 during November to February)
- Fee: Admission Fee only
- Place: the Exhibition Room in the Main Building
![the poster of the special exhibition of Gokayama](https://www.nihonminkaen.jp/wp/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/gokayama_poster.jpg")
Café in the Folk House Open in Autumn
Café in the folk house is open this autumn!
You can enjoy coffee, Japanese black tea, baked sweets, and have a relaxing time in the tatami room of the Hara house, which is an Important Cultural Property of Kawasaki City.Please drop in during your visit to Minkaen.
- Period: Saturday, Sunday and national holidays during September 27 ~ November 30 *There may be temporary closures.
Opening dates:
September
27 (Saturday), 28 (Sunday) October
4 (Saturday), 5 (Sunday), 11 (Saturday)*, 12 (Sunday), 13 (Monday, national holiday), 18 (Saturday), 19 (Sunday), 25 (Saturday), 26 (Sunday) November
1 (Saturday), 2 (Sunday), 3 (Monday, national holiday), 8 (Saturday), 9 (Sunday), 15 (Saturday), 16 (Sunday), 22 (Saturday), 23 (Sunday, national holiday), 24 (Monday, national holiday), 29 (Saturday), 30 (Sunday)
27 (Saturday), 28 (Sunday) October
4 (Saturday), 5 (Sunday), 11 (Saturday)*, 12 (Sunday), 13 (Monday, national holiday), 18 (Saturday), 19 (Sunday), 25 (Saturday), 26 (Sunday) November
1 (Saturday), 2 (Sunday), 3 (Monday, national holiday), 8 (Saturday), 9 (Sunday), 15 (Saturday), 16 (Sunday), 22 (Saturday), 23 (Sunday, national holiday), 24 (Monday, national holiday), 29 (Saturday), 30 (Sunday)
- Opening Hours:
11:00 ~ 16:00 (*13:00 ~ 16:00 on October 11) (Last order 15:30)*will close when sold out - Fee: admission fee for Minkaen is required.
- Place: 1st Floor of 0. The Hara house
