The Osaka Museum Of Housing and Living

Osaka

Cultural Immersion & Activities

# Machiya / Townhouses

# Kimono

# Museum

A bustling, high-angle view of the recreated Edo period Osaka streetscape, showing visitors and paper lanterns below a tall wooden fire tower.

The interior of a recreated Edo period dwelling, showing the doma (earthen floor) entrance area, kitchen items, and tatami living space.

The facade of a recreated Edo period shop (likely a small merchant or general store) with noren curtains and a low counter.

A smiling man in a blue yukata and a woman in a bright pink floral yukata posing in a recreated Edo period street setting.

Key Points

Experience an immersive reconstruction of an Osaka merchant town from the Edo period
Rent a kimono and wander the historic streets as day turns to night with authentic sounds
Explore how Osaka modernized through dedicated floors for not only Edo, but also the Meiji, Taisho, and Showa eras

The Osaka Museum of Housing and Living, located in Osaka City, is a specialized museum dedicated to the history of urban residential culture. It provides an immersive journey into the daily lives and architectural ingenuity of Osaka’s citizens across different eras, bridging scholarly research with an interactive visitor experience.
The museum’s centerpiece is a full-scale reconstruction of an Osaka townscape from the Tenpō era (1830 – 1844), a period of vibrant merchant culture in the late Edo period. This exhibit is the product of rigorous academic research, meticulously recreating not just buildings but the atmosphere of the time, from seasonal decorations to the wares sold in shops. Visitors can wander through streets lined with authentic machiya townhouses, including a pharmacy, a kimono merchant, and a public bathhouse.
Key architectural features are faithfully reproduced, showcasing traditional construction techniques like kokera-buki (shingle roofing) and the clever use of space with hako-kaidan (box stairs). The simulated transition from day to night, complete with ambient sounds of vendors and animals, brings the historic town to life. Today, visitors can enhance their experience by renting a kimono to stroll through the Edo-period setting exclusively on the 9th floor. Visitors can see how Osaka modernized through the ages by visiting floors dedicated to the eras after the Meiji Restoration.

Information

Spot information including address, access, and website
Address	Sumai Joho Center Building 8F, 6-4-20 Tenjinbashi, Kita Ward, Osaka City, Osaka
Access from Tokyo	(1) From Tokyo Station, take the Tokaido Shinkansen Nozomi to Shin-Osaka Station (approx. 2 hr 30 min). (2) At Shin-Osaka Station, transfer to the Midosuji Line Local to Umeda Station (approx. 6 min). (3) From Umeda Station, walk to Higashi-Umeda Station (approx. 5 minutes). (4) At Higashi-Umeda Station, take the Tanimachi Line Local to Tenjimbashisuji 6-chome Station (approx. 3 min). (5) From Tenjimbashisuji 6-chome Station, walk to the Osaka Municipal Housing Museum "Osaka Museum of Housing and Living" (approx. 3 minutes). Show route from Tokyo Station
Website	https://www-osaka--angenet-jp.translate.goog/konjyakukan?_x_tr_sl=ja&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=ja
Official SNS Accounts
Note	Details on Kimono experience can be found here. Details on Audio Guide can be found here.