Kiso Toy Museum

The Kiso Toy Museum is housed in a 90-year-old wooden school building located in Kiso Town, Nagano Prefecture, at the foot of Mount Ontake. The historic checkpoint town has flourished as a political, economic and cultural center, and the museum was established as part of a sister toy museum network connected to Tokyo's renowned toy museum system. The facility serves as both a celebration of traditional Japanese craftsmanship and a community space designed to revitalize the Kiso region through interactive cultural experiences.

The museum showcases the region's deep connection to forestry through its extensive use of Kiso wood throughout the building and exhibits. The Kiso Goboku refers to five types of trees cherished in the region: Kiso Hinoki (Japanese cypress), Asunaro (Hiba arborvitae), Nezuko, Sawara (Japanese false cypress), and Koyamaki (Japanese umbrella pine). This timber has been valued since ancient times, and the museum demonstrates mokuiku, or wood education, teaching visitors about sustainability and the natural world through hands-on experiences with wooden toys and materials.

Visitors can interact with approximately 2,500 toys of 250 different types in this hands-on facility. Friendly volunteer staff known as "Toy Curators," recognizable by their red aprons, are available to teach visitors how to play with the toys. Beyond the toy galleries, the museum offers cultural activities including soba noodle making, miso preparation, and traditional craft workshops. The on-site Museum Café Shiki serves locally-sourced dishes, while the museum shop offers wooden toys and regional souvenirs for purchase.

The museum is located at 6959 Shinkai, Kiso Town, Kiso District, Nagano Prefecture. From Kiso Fukushima Station on the JR Chuo Line, the museum is 20 minutes by bus. By car, it is approximately 45 minutes from Ina IC (36 kilometers) or 75 minutes from Nakatsugawa IC (66 kilometers). Free parking is available on site. Admission fees are 800 yen for adults and 600 yen for children, with children under a certain age admitted free. The museum is closed on Wednesdays, though it opens on national holidays with a substitute closure the following day.