Overview
Believe it or not, there is only one museum in the little location that is Hamura City and no art galleries. Surprising to be sure given just how prevalent museums and galleries are in Tokyo, even in the Tama region. Still, with its shrines, zoos and stunningly gorgeous cherry-blossoms, the city is clearly not without its charms. As for that lone museum, it actually turns out to be quite a good one with some pretty interesting exhibits, both indoors and out. Here is an introduction to that museum and how to reach it.
Hamura City Kyodo Museum
The standout item in the collection of the Hamura City Kyodo Museum is most definitely its fully restored traditional Japanese thatched-roof farmhouse. Registered as a Tangible Cultural Property of Tokyo, this mid-19th century house was inherited by the Shimoda family and relocated to the museum in 1982. Inside, visitors will find just how life was like in the old days with the irori sunken fire hearth particularly appealing.
Visitors will also find a beautifully red-coloured entrance gate that is said to date back to the Edo period. Relocated from Saitama Prefecture to its current location in 1984, the gate is known as the Aka-mon or, literally, Red Gate. Another gate from the Edo era is the former Nagayamon gate of the Tanaka family, part of a rowhouse that often served to house low ranking samurai.
The museum's outdoor appeal continues with quite a lot of information about the famous Edo-period Tamagawa Aqueduct system that was built to provide drinking water and fire-fighting water to what is now Tokyo. The sluice gates that are on display are impressive.
Free to enter, the museum turns out to be quite the impressive location and well worth the visit when in the area.
A 20-minute walk from Hamura Station on the JR Ome Line.
