index

• About Kadokawa Culture Museum
• Architect Kengo Kuma’s “Rock” shaped masterpiece
• Go down Book Street to the Bookshelf Theater
• Manga & Light Novel Library - You can find the most extensive collection o f light novels in Japan
• Experience meals made with local produce

Photo gallery [11 images]

About Kadokawa Culture Museum

Kadokawa Culture Museum is a 10-minute walk from JR Musashino Line, Higashi-Tokoro zawa station. It is an all-in-one cultural complex combining a library, art gallery and museum, which opened in November 2020.

“KADOKAWA” in the name of the museum is a major Japanese publishing company. In this article, we will introduce how to enjoy the must-visit museum.

Architect Kengo Kuma’s “Rock” shaped masterpiece

The eye-catching exterior and interior of the museum were designed by Kengo Kuma, one of Japan’s leading architects.

The exterior, constructed from a combination of approximately 20,000 pieces of gra nite, looks as if it has been raised from the Musashino plateau.

When you get closer and touch it, you can see the bumpy surface and the different shades of color. The super-polygonal architecture, bent with calculated irregulari ty, is breathtaking.

The expressions differ depending on the viewing angle, so please walk around and enjoy the view.

Inside the museum, there are a variety of books on literature, animation and art, as well as numerous art works.

Go down Book Street to the Bookshelf Theater

When you get off the elevator on the 4th floor, you will see “Edit Town”, which is a space leading up to the Bookshelf Theater.

The street that runs through this Edit Town is called Book Street, and about 25,00 0 books selected under the supervision of the museum director, Mr. Matsuoka, are l ined up.

What’s innovative here is how to display their book collection. Supervised by Mr. Matsuoka, the books are collected under “nine contexts” to better understand the world.

The street itself also looks like an art work, you can enjoy just walking around e ven if you don’t understand Japanese. There are also a variety of special exhibiti ons held here.

At the end of Book Street, you can see the Bookshelf Theater.

Enormous eight-meter-tall bookshelves encircle the fourth and fifth floor. It hauses about 30,000 titles, including the publications of KADOKAWA and personal collection of authors or researchers related to KADOKAWA.

As the name suggests, the theater conducts projection mapping at 20 minute interva ls.

Please enjoy this magnificent floor-to-ceiling library.

Manga & Light Novel Library – You can find the most extensive collection o f light novels in Japan

Located on the ground floor, this library, as the name suggests, is for manga and light novels.

Almost all of the light novels published by KADOKAWA and books from various publis hers are on display, making it the library with the most extensive collection of l ight novels in Japan.

There are also children’s books and digital picture books, so parents and children can have fun together.

Furthermore, books here can also be read in the adjoining “Genyoshi Garden”. Why not read a book while enjoying the seasonal plants?

Experience meals made with local produce

There are two places to eat and drink at the museum. KadoCafe on the second floor is a great place to stop by when you’re feeling a bit peckish.

You can enjoy sweets made from sweet potatoes, a Tokorozawa-City speciality. On the fifth floor, SACULA DINER offers a varied menu for both lunch and dinner. This restaurant, with artworks on display, serves dishes made with locally sourced ingredients.

Lastly,

Don’t forget to stop by the “Rock Museum Shop” opposite the Ticket Counter on th e second floor. This shop offers a broad selection of products including original museum goods and exclusive items for each exhibition. A local speciality “Sayama tea” is also sold in original packaging. There are many Japanese goods and small items that make for perfect souvenirs.

For information on the Musashino Reiwa Shrine and EJ Anime Hotel, which are locate d in the same Tokorozawa Sakura Town as the Kadokawa Culture Museum, please click here.

The Kadokawa Culture Museum is a fun place no matter how many times you visit, as the exhibitions and events change depending on the time of year. Why not visit for a special experience that will expose you to a variety of culture and discovery?

Photo gallery [11 images]

View all photo >