Step into a space where the air resonates with the history of global melody, just northeast of the Act City Tower. Here, the first public museum dedicated to musical instruments in Japan preserves a vast sonic heritage, offering you an intimate encounter with over 2,000 kinds of ethnic instruments from across the globe.
Explore Global Sounds and Local Traditions
You can wander through diverse collections that span continents and centuries. The museum houses around 1500 musical instruments, including 19th-century pianos and a wide array of international pieces such as gamelans from Bali and Java, and Hsaing waing percussion instruments from Myanmar. If you prefer local history, the collection features 200 exhibits on Japanese musical instruments, including Taishōgotos. You can also explore a dedicated section for electronic music, where you will find synthesizers, organs, and various models from makers like Yamaha, Casio, and Korg, including the Moog synthesizer and the Roland System 700.
Interactive Experiences and Historical Exhibits
This is not a silent gallery; it is designed for active engagement. You can visit the hands-on room to personally play various instruments, ranging from drums and xylophones to sitars and traditional Japanese instruments. Every instrument in the collection features a display with headphones, allowing you to hear the specific notes of each piece. Special exhibitions offer deeper dives into specific histories: look for showcases on the origins of the Biwa (including Heike-biwa and Satsuma-biwa), or explore the history of reed organs, where you can see early models like the Tsuru Sho produced by Yamaha in 1881.
Maximize Your Visit
Plan for a focused visit to experience both the historical displays and the interactive rooms. A highlight not to miss is the electronic music section, which features notable pieces like the Yamato organ from the Meiji and Taisho eras and the Korg M01. The museum is open from 9:00 to 17:00 daily, though it closes on the second Wednesday of every month. If you enjoy historical performance, keep an ear out for concerts performed with instruments of high historical value; these are recorded and released as part of the "Hamamatsu City Musical Instrument Museum Collection Series."
After exploring the vast musical landscape of the museum, you can head nearby to see other local landmarks such as Act City Tower or visit the neighboring Nakatajima Sand Dunes. Begin planning your trip today to experience the unique sounds of this musical sanctuary.