The Daimyo Clock Museum in Yanesen

The Yansen area is filled with a vast variety of famous museums, among which the Daimyo Clock Museum stands out as a popular tourist hot spot, and houses lavishly beautiful antique clocks.

The museum is tucked away down a backstreet surrounded by peacefully quiet residences.  Around there, you will enjoy an exceptional calm and chic vibe.  Are you a pre-modern clock admirer?  Don’t miss it!

If you want to know museums including Daimyo Clock Museum, please also see “4 spots to touch the Japanese art at museums in Yanesen.”

The Daimyo Clock Museum

“Daimyo Clock” refers to a clock that was made in Japan about 100 years ago. Unlike the conventional clocks consisting of 24 equal hours, The Daimyo Clock employs temporal hours based upon the fact that sunset and sunrise times change with the seasons.

“Daimyo” refers to feudal lords who own the abundance of vast lands. In the Edo period in Japan, affluent people like Daimyo only could afford to own those expensive clocks. With this background, the clock was named “Daimyo Clock.”

source: http://www.geocities.jp/mitsu_present/holiday_41.html

Mr Gro Kamiguchi, a famous Japanese ceramicist, a keen clock collector established this museum with an intention to display his collections to the public.

The most popular exhibitions are “ Makura clock” which is an alarm clock, and “Yagura clock” which moves by weight.

Must-see exhibitions at The Daimyo Museum

Who is Mr Guro Kamiguchi ?

source: https://kurodatouen.com/gallerydata/497

Mr Guro Kamoguchi is a founder of The Daimyo Museum, and also a ceramicist cum clock collector. He is also reputed for the study of the Edo Period Daimyo clock. The rarity and the superiority of the clocks are highly appreciated by collectors and experts worldwide.

Various Daimyo Clocks will never let you get bored!

source: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%92%8C%E6%99%82%E8%A8%88

What is the charm of the Daimyo Clock Museum?

You will view extensive collections, such as a spring clock called “Entenpudai clock,” and Daimyo clock attached with a music box.

How about checking out the Edo Daimyo’s taste at the Daimyo Museum?

The Daimyo Museum-Outline-

  • Address: 2-1-27 Yanaka Taito-ku, Tokyo 116-0013
  • Telephone Number:03-3821-6913
  • Opening hours: 10:00-16:00
  • Closed: Monday, Summer holiday(ask the museum), 25th December-14th January
  • Access : 4 minutes on foot from Uguisudani station served by JR Yamanote Line
  • Travel Time from Haneda Airport / Tokyo Station

About 60 minutes from Haneda Airport

About 80 minutes from Narita Airport

About 30 minutes from Tokyo Station

  • Official site: none

Map

If you want to go to Yanaka with the local person, you can also join our tour, “Nostalgic Town Walk Yanaka”. The local guide bring you to Yanaka shopping street and really good shops and cafe not many people know about, and you can try to take Japanese bath (Sento).