An open-air museum that recreates buildings and landscapes from the late Edo period to the early Meiji period, modeled after traditional townscapes and farmhouses preserved in Chiba Prefecture, including those in Sawara.
The merchant townscape is richly detailed, complete with an Inari shrine, a Jizo statue, and a fire lookout tower. The rural area recreates the farmhouse of a village headman along with fields and rice paddies, making you feel like a time traveler who has wandered into the past. Visitors can experience traditional culture firsthand through activities such as weaving and painting papier-mâché crafts. The museum offers an immersive look at the traditional lifestyles and craftsmanship of the Boso region.
In addition to samurai residences, merchant houses, and farmhouses, the museum recreates a watermill that once stood in the Boso region until the early Showa period and a rural kabuki stage used for local theatrical performances. At the Fudoki-no-Oka Museum, visitors can see exhibits including a reconstructed skeleton of a Naumann's elephant excavated from Lake Inbanuma and artifacts unearthed from ancient burial mounds. The expansive grounds are also home to the Ryukakuji Kofun Cluster, one of the largest groups of burial mounds in Chiba Prefecture, as well as haniwa figures and reconstructed burial mounds.
Another highlight is the collection of relocated historic buildings set amid the lush satoyama landscape, including the Former Main Hall of Gakushuin Primary School, which is designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan.
Highlights
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Many hands-on craft activities are available with same-day registration, including making hard candy, decorating candles with chiyogami paper, and making tatami coasters. Additional fees apply.
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Some activities require advance reservations, so check the official website before visiting.
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With so much to see and hands-on activities to join, arriving when the museum opens is recommended.
