Kaiyodo Hobby Museum Shimanto
海洋堂 ホビー館 四万十（Kaiyodo Hobby Kan Shimanto）
A must-visit museum for all anime lovers!
Nestled in the mountains around the Shimanto River basin is the Kaiyodo Hobby Museum, which displays over 8,000 different exhibits of anime figurines, model building kits, comics, novelty toys, and much more. The museum showcases the history and vast collection of Kaiyodo, a major figurine manufacturer, renowned for their elaborate designs, attention to detail and unusual motifs.
The journey into a whole new dimension begins as soon as you arrive, as the building exterior might catch you by surprise. The museum opened in 2011 and is housed in the repurposed gymnasium of an abandoned elementary school. The façade pops with energetic colors against the calming green of the surrounding forest, which gives it an almost surreal look. This reuse of the former school was part of a project to help revitalize this depopulated region, by bringing people together through the power of art.
The museum was expanded in 2022, with the addition of a comprehensive shop where you can purchase your own figurines and model building kits. There is also a comfortable lounge area to relax in, with a balcony with a view of the river that passes by the museum.
We hope you have a chance to visit Kaiyodo Hobby Museum and get a feel for all of the ways anime has significantly impacted Japanese pop culture through time, and continues to do so today. When you do visit, be sure to also check out the Kaiyodo Kappa Museum which is just 5 minutes away.
The journey into a whole new dimension begins as soon as you arrive, as the building exterior might catch you by surprise. The museum opened in 2011 and is housed in the repurposed gymnasium of an abandoned elementary school. The façade pops with energetic colors against the calming green of the surrounding forest, which gives it an almost surreal look. This reuse of the former school was part of a project to help revitalize this depopulated region, by bringing people together through the power of art.
The museum was expanded in 2022, with the addition of a comprehensive shop where you can purchase your own figurines and model building kits. There is also a comfortable lounge area to relax in, with a balcony with a view of the river that passes by the museum.
We hope you have a chance to visit Kaiyodo Hobby Museum and get a feel for all of the ways anime has significantly impacted Japanese pop culture through time, and continues to do so today. When you do visit, be sure to also check out the Kaiyodo Kappa Museum which is just 5 minutes away.
| Address | 高知県高岡郡四万十町打井川1458-1 （1458-1, Utsuigawa, Shimanto Town, Takaoka Gun, Kochi Prefecture, Japan） |
|---|---|
| Telephone Number | 0880-29-3355 |
| info@hobbykan.jp | |
| Open | March to October: 10:00-18:00 November to February: 10:00-17:00 *Last entry is 30mins before closing time |
| Closed | Tuesdays (If Tuesday is a public holiday, then the following Wednesday) December 28 to January 1 ※Open every day during the Golden Week holiday (April 29-May 5) and summer holidays (fourth week of July until the end of August) |
| Price | ●Age 16 and over : 1000 yen ●Between age 7 and 15 : 500 yen ●Age 6 and under : Free *Price includes taxes |
| Directions | About 30 min drive from Shimantocho-chuo IC on Kochi Expressway |
| Website | Website |
| Map Code | 466 830 831*33 |
