Kawaguchiko Music Forest Museum

Kawaguchiko Music Forest Museum is a museum where you can experience a small European town along with histrical and rare automatic music instrulments, dance organs, and precious music boxes.

The buildings in the museum are built with old cobblestones, roof tiles, stone pillars and decorations imported from Europe, so you can feel the local atmosphere.

It opened in 1999 as “UKAI Kawaguchiko Music Box Forest" and changed its name to “Kawaguchiko Music Box Forest Museum" in 2011. And it was renamed “Kawaguchiko Music Forest Museum", which is its current name in 2020. The locals of Kawaguchiko have long called it the “Music Box Museum.

Introduction Video

“Dance Organ" in the Organ Hall

Dance Organ Belgium, Mortier, C.1920.
This instrument is the work of Marc Fournier & Sons, a typical modern manufacturer of fairground organ, restoring the original organ made by Mortier, and adding a newly fabricated facade. Their work have revived its marvelous appearance and rich music performance.

This building was specially designed to accommodate this organ. The facade is of the largest class in the world, and 13 meter wide and 5 meter tall. The performance of 43 figures arranged in this organ and also on the both side walls of this building, moving harmonized with the music is so spectacle.

800 pipes to bring out the tones of flutes, trumpets and violins, accompanied with snare and bass drums, cymbals, bells and xylophone play stunning music, comparable to an orchestra organized with dozens of musicians.

This kind of organ was called “Dance Organ" as many of them were installed in skate links and dance halls.

Precious music boxes with historical value

There are dozens of large, elaborate music boxes and automata (automatic dolls) on display that could be described as works of art. The only surviving music box that escaped the disaster, the music box that was enjoyed by European aristocrats in the early 1900s, and other rare and valuable music boxes are all on display.

All of the music boxes are still in working order and carry their beautiful tones to this day. If you ask the museum staff, you can enjoy a performance of the music box along with an explanation of the music box.

Automatic musical instruments and concert halls

In the concert hall with automated instruments, there are several concerts a day, each time with a different automated instrument. Everyone listened to the soothing tones. There is also a model that was supposed to be loaded on the Titanic. If you have time, please enjoy it.

• Address … 3077-20 Kawaguchi, Fujikawaguchiko Town
• Phone … 0555-20-4111
• Admission … Adults: 1,800 yen, College and high school students: 1,300 yen, Junior high and elementary school students: 1,000 yen
• Hours … 10:00 – 17:00 (last entry at 16:00)
• Parking … Free (300 standard cars / 30 large buses)

Map