The Nihon Minkaen in Kawasaki City has on display some fine examples of traditional Japanese architecture dating back to the 17th century. There are 25 historical buildings from all over Japan most of which are farm houses. The project of relocating these traditional buildings was undertaken in 1965. There is also a traditional water mill complete with mortars and wooden pestles and a complete Kabuki stage which was built in 1857. There is a Shinto shrine which was built in the 1860’s, and a ferry man’s hut which dates from 1925. There is also a gate of a samurai residence which was built in the middle of the 19th century and a traditional raised storehouse which was built in the late 19th century and brought here from the Amami archipelago in Kagoshima Prefecture.

The buildings are all in their original state having been moved intact and rebuilt on location using the same methods in which they were originally built.

Many of the buildings are either designated as Important Cultural Properties of Japan, Important Cultural Properties of Kanagawa Prefecture, or Important Cultural Properties of Kawasaki City.

Take a stroll through time and appreciate the design and construction of traditional Japanese houses and experience how life was for the Japanese people of the 17th to late 19th centuries.

The Hara house
Nakahara-ku, Kawasaki City 1911 Kawasaki City Important Historical Memorial

The Suzuki house
Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture in the early 19th century An Important Cultural Property Designated by Kanagawa Prefecture

The Ioka house
Nara City, Nara Prefecture in the late 17th century～the early 18th century An Important Cultural Property Designated by Kanagawa Prefecture

The Saji gate
Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture in the early 19th century An Important cultural property Designated by Kawasaki city

The Misawa house
Ina City, Nagano Prefecture in the mid- 19th century An Important Cultural Property Designated by Kanagawa Prefecture

The Water Mill
Nagano City, Nagano Prefecture in the late 19th century An Important cultural property Designated by Kawasaki city

Names of the buildings
The Sasaki house
Minamisaku-gun, Nagano Prefecture in the early 18th century An Important Cultural Property Designated by the Japanese Government

The Emukai house
Nanto City, Toyama Prefecture in the late 19th century～the early 18th century An Important Cultural Property Designated by the Japanese Government

The Yamada house
Nanto City, Toyama Prefecture in the early 18th century An Important Cultural Property Designated by Kanagawa Prefecture

The Nohara house
Nanto City, Toyama Prefecture in the late 18th century An Important Cultural Property Designated by Kanagawa Prefecture

The Yamashita house
Ono-gun, Gifu Prefecture in the formen half of 19th century An Important Cultural Property Designated by Kanagawa Prefecture

The Sakuda house
Sanbu-gun, Chiba Prefecture in the late 17th century An Important Cultural Property Designated by the Japanese Government

The Warehouse
on stilts Oshima-gun, Kagoshima Prefecture in the late 19th century An Important cultural property Designated by Kawasaki City

The Hirose house
Koshu City, Yamanashi Prefecture in the late 17th century An Important Cultural Property Designated by Kanagawa Prefecture

The Ota house
Kasama City,Ibaraki Prefecture in the late 17th century An Important Cultural Property Designated by the Japanese Government

The Kitamura house
Hadano City, Kanagawa Prefecture 1687 An Important Cultural Property Designated by the Japanese Government

The Kiyomiya house
Tama-ku, Kawasaki City in the late 17th century An Important Cultural Property Designated by Kanagawa Prefecture

The Ito house
Asao-ku, Kawasaki City in the late 17th century～the early 18th century An Important Cultural Property Designated by the Japanese Government

Kokagesan shrine
Asao-ku, Kawasaki City 1863 An Important Cultural Property Designated by Kawasaki City

The Iwasawa house Aiko-gun
Kanagawa Prefectur in the late 17th century An Important Cultural Property Designated by Kanagawa Prefecture

The Kabuki stage
Shima City,Mie Prefecture 1857 An Important Tangible Cultural Property Designated by the Japanese Government

Ferryman's hut
Tama-ku, Kawasaki City 1929 An Important cultural property Designated by Kawasaki City

The Kudo house
Shiwa-gun, Iwate Prefecture in the mid 18th century An Important Cultural Property Designated by the Japanese Government

The Sugawara house
Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture in the late 18th century An Important Cultural Property Designated by Kanagawa Prefecture