Miyoshi Mononoke Memorial Japanese Youkai Museum

The Miyoshi Mononoke Memorial Japanese Youkai Museum is a cultural institution in Miyoshi City, Hiroshima Prefecture, dedicated to Japanese folklore and supernatural creatures known as yokai. The museum opened to preserve and present the rich tradition of yokai mythology that has shaped Japanese culture for centuries, with particular emphasis on the Ino Mononoke Emaki scroll collection. These historic scrolls depict various supernatural beings and spiritual phenomena documented during the Edo period, forming the core of the museum's permanent collection.

Yokai represent a fundamental aspect of Japanese spiritual and cultural heritage, appearing in literature, art, festivals, and oral traditions across the country. The museum houses an extensive collection of yokai-related artifacts including ancient scrolls, woodblock prints, illustrated manuscripts, and contemporary interpretations by modern artists. The exhibits explore how these supernatural beings reflect historical beliefs about nature, morality, and the unexplained aspects of daily life in traditional Japan.

Visitors can view the museum's collection of approximately 5,000 yokai-related items, including rare Edo-period illustrations and modern artistic renditions. The facility features interactive displays explaining different categories of yokai such as shape-shifters, water spirits, and household creatures. Guided exhibitions present the cultural context of these beings, their roles in regional folklore, and their continuing influence on contemporary Japanese popular culture through manga, anime, and film. The museum shop offers specialized books, replicas, and yokai-themed merchandise unavailable elsewhere.

The museum is located near Miyoshi Station on the JR Geibi Line, approximately 10 minutes on foot from the station. Visitors traveling from Hiroshima city can take the JR Geibi Line directly, with the journey taking roughly 90 minutes. By car, the museum is accessible via the Chugoku Expressway, with parking available nearby. Adult admission is ¥600, with reduced rates for students and children.