Like a time capsule, the Hakata Machiya Folk Museum preserves a tiny taste of the Meiji and Tasho periods, from 1868 to 1926, in the midst of Fukuoka’s most energetically modern district. The museum celebrates traditional arts, from weaving to doll making to the elaborate festival floats used in Kushida Shrine’s annual festival right across the road. Learn about the intricacies of creating the handicrafts in the modern museum. Then go next door to see them in action, as artisans sit at their work stations, demonstrating the skills needed to create the work.
Start on the ground floor of the museum, which is filled with dioramas and other items showing how Hakata looked at the beginning of the 20th century. Pick up one of the period telephones to hear a recording of the area’s distinctive Hakata dialect. Other exhibits explain the history of Hakata’s two main festivals, the Matsubayashi or New Year’s Festival, and the Hakata Gion Yamakasa with its famous foot race.
Next door, immerse yourself in the world of the Meiji era in a well-preserved house that celebrates the folk arts of the region. Watch as artisans craft elaborate paper dolls, make paper mâché sculptures or carve wooden figures. Observe master craftsmen operating the huge loom. The building was once a working weaving workshop. Stop at the well-stocked gift shop afterward to bring home a bit of the work you now know all about.
Hakata Machiya Folk Museum is in the heart of Hakata’s tourist area, just across the street from the Kushida Shrine and steps away from Canal City. The closest subway station is a 5-minute walk away. Drive or take a taxi from the airport in 15 minutes or from the train station in 5 minutes.
The museum is open daily from mid morning to early evening. Last admission is 30 minutes before the museum closes. Join the daily city walking tour leaving the museum in early afternoon the guide is likely to speak only Japanese. Pay the admission fee for the museum, but enter the Meiji house, shop and gardens for free.
