Toyama Memorial Museum
遠山記念館
A museum open to the public in the former residence built in the early Showa era by Toyama Genichi, founder of Nikko Securities (now SMBC Nikko Securities), for his mother who lived in his home village. The main residence, built in the sukiya-zukuri style, consists of three wings — the Central, East, and West Wings — and was designated a National Important Cultural Property in 2018. Visitors can view reception rooms and transoms crafted with the finest workmanship of leading artisans of the era, along with gardens that change expression through the seasons. The adjoining museum building displays a rotating selection from the roughly 11,000-piece collection amassed by Toyama Genichi over his lifetime, including Japanese and Chinese paintings, ceramics, textiles, Noh masks and dolls, and archaeological materials from the ancient Middle East and the Andes. Located in Kawajima, Hiki District, a bit removed from central Kawagoe, it remains a beloved hidden gem where visitors can quietly savor the pinnacle of modern Japanese-style architecture, offering an experience quite different from the kurazukuri streetscape.
Highlights: An Important Cultural Property Residence
The main residence consists of three wings — Central, East, and West — each showcasing sukiya-zukuri architecture with its own distinct character. Reception rooms incorporating shoin-zukuri and rustic farmhouse-inspired designs, along with lavishly crafted transoms and painted sliding doors, offer glimpses of the finest early-Showa-era architecture and art throughout, and the residence was designated a National Important Cultural Property in 2018.
Museum Collection
The museum houses a wide-ranging collection assembled over Toyama Genichi's lifetime, including Japanese and Chinese paintings, ceramics, Noh masks, dolls, and textiles, as well as archaeological materials from the ancient Middle East and Andean civilizations. Exhibits are rotated several times a year around different themes, so each visit offers a chance to encounter different works.
Strolling the Garden
The garden surrounding the residence changes expression through the seasons, looking especially beautiful amid fresh spring greenery or autumn foliage. Visitors can quietly appreciate, in a peaceful setting, the completed form of a modern Japanese-style residence where building and garden come together as one.
Visit Tips
- Suggested duration
- About 60-90 minutes
- Crowd levels
- Less crowded than central tourist areas, allowing for relaxed viewing
- Best time to visit
- Fresh greenery and autumn foliage seasons are especially recommended, paired with a garden visit
| Address | 675 Shiraizuma, Kawajima-machi, Hiki District, Saitama Prefecture |
|---|---|
| Hours | 10:00-16:30 (last entry 16:00) / Closed Mondays (open if Monday is a holiday, closed the following day instead), during exhibition-changeover periods, and year-end/New Year holidays |
| Admission | ¥700 (various discounts available) |
| Official Website | Visit official website |
Access
- 15 min walk from Kawagoe Station (Take the Tobu Bus bound for "Okegawa Eki Nishiguchi" and get off at "Ushigayato," about a 15-minute walk (bus recommended))