Special Exhibition 100 Years of Showa and the Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum

■ Exhibition Period:
March 20 (Fri.) to June 21 (Sun.), 2026
■ Venue:
Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum Exhibition Room〈Location〉
■ Museum Hours:
Until March 20 (Fri.) -9:30 AM to 4:30 PM （Admission until 4:00 PM）
From March 21 (Sat.) -9:30 AM to 5:30 PM （Admission until 5:00 PM）
■ Closed Days:
Mondays　*If Monday is a national holiday, the museum will be closed the following weekday.  *Open temporarily on March 23 (Mon.) and 30 (Mon.).
■ Organizers:
Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum (Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture)
■Admission Fee:
The Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum admission fee applies for this exhibition.〈Admission Fee〉

100 Years of Showa and the Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum

　2026 will be the 100th year since the beginning of the Showa period. It was marked by times of hardship and prosperity, earning it the name the “Turbulent Showa Period.”
　The buildings that were relocated when the Open Air Architectural Museum opened had served broadly the same functions for periods ranging from several decades to over a century since their construction, remaining part of the landscapes of the areas they were originally built in. Even as society underwent rapid changes, the landscapes surrounding each building likely experienced a more gradual passage of time.
　By contrast, the site of the Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum and Koganei Park underwent transformations as different times called for it to fulfill distinctive roles. The building that was successively renamed from Shikiden to Kokaden and later to the Visitor Center, and the facilities that surrounded it, including the National Physical and Spiritual Training Camp, the Togu-Karigosho (Crown Prince’s temporary residence), and the Musashino Folklore Museum—these are the names of the buildings and institutions that were once located on this site. They each had historical contexts unique to the Showa period.
　Drawing on the changes in these buildings and facilities, we will look back on the “Turbulent Showa Period” as experienced on this site.

Exhibition Overview

Prologue:The Cherry Blossoms of Koganei

Chapter1. 

Projects Celebrating the 2,600th Anniversary of the Founding of Japan:
The Tokyo Green Space Plan and Kokaden

Chapter2. 

The Postwar Period:
The Temporary Koganei Residence of the Crown Prince and Gakushuin

Chapter3. 

Japan's Period of Rapid Economic Growth:
Koganei Park and the Musashino Folklore Museum

Chapter4. 

From the Heisei Period (1989–2019) to the Reiwa Period (2019–Present):
The Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum

Epilogue:Insights from Aerial Photography

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1. Commemorative Picture Postcards for the Ceremony for the 2,600th Anniversary of the Founding of Japan, Decorated Train and Ceremonial Venue　2. Kokaden during the Musashino Folklore Museum Era　3. Exterior of the Visitor Center after the Completion of Renovations in Fiscal Year 2023　4. Picture Postcard with Memorial Stamp Commemorating the 2,600th Anniversary of the Founding of Japan, Ceremonial Hall　5. Badge for the Ceremony for the 2,600th Anniversary of the Founding of Japan　6. Commemorative Cup for the 2,600th Anniversary of the Founding of Japan　7. Meritorious Member Medal for the Celebration for the 2,600th Anniversary of the Founding of Japan　8. Picture Postcards: Koganei Grand Green Space, Model Airplane Competition　9. Illustration of Three Ancient Cities’ Castles and Other Places: Diagram of the Kyoto Imperial Palace Shishinden Hall　10. Tokoname Jar with One-Sided Lid Excavated from Otsuka, Nogemachi　11. Dugout Canoe from the Jomon Period　
Items 2, 3, 10, and 11 are from the collection of the Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum　All other items are from the collection of the Edo-Tokyo Museum

Related Events

Museum Talks

＜With sign language interpretation＞

Highlights of “Special Exhibition: 100 Years of Showa and the Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum”
Date and Time: March 28 (Sat.) and May 23 (Sat.) From 14:30 　Curator: Shinichi Saito

展示Exhibition