Otaru Music Box Museum — Attraction in Otaru

The Otaru Music Box Museum (小樽オルゴール堂) in Hokkaido is a captivating destination that beautifully combines history, craftsmanship, and nostalgia. Housed in a charming 1912 red-brick building, the museum offers an enchanting atmosphere filled with the melodies of over 25,000 music boxes from around the world .  

Highlights • Diverse Collection: The museum showcases an impressive array of music boxes, ranging from antique European pieces to modern designs featuring popular themes like anime, J-pop, and classical tunes .  • Interactive Experiences: Visitors can engage in hands-on activities, such as customizing their own music boxes at the You-kobo Handicrafts Studio, adding a personal touch to their visit .  • Architectural Charm: The building itself is a historical gem, with its European-style brick facade and wooden interiors, complemented by a 5.5-meter-high steam clock that plays melodies every 15 minutes . 

Visitor Tips • Best Times to Visit: To avoid crowds and fully enjoy the serene ambiance, it’s recommended to visit early in the morning or on weekdays .  • Souvenir Shopping: The museum offers a wide selection of music boxes for purchase, with options ranging from affordable machine-made pieces to handcrafted designs. For purchases over ¥5,000, tax-free shopping is available—remember to bring your passport .  • Accessibility: The museum is easily accessible and open daily from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, with free admission . 

Overall Impression

The Otaru Music Box Museum offers a delightful experience for visitors of all ages. Whether you’re a music enthusiast, a fan of intricate craftsmanship, or simply looking for a unique cultural experience, this museum provides a harmonious blend of history and artistry. Its enchanting ambiance and diverse exhibits make it a must-visit...

Otaru Music Box Museum offers visitors a captivating blend of history, craftsmanship, and musical enchantment. Housed in a beautifully preserved red brick building constructed in 1912, this museum stands as a testament to Otaru's rich cultural heritage.

Originally serving as a rice merchant's office, the museum's main building has been designated a historical landmark by Otaru City. Its Renaissance-style architecture, featuring arched windows and natural stone cornerstones, adds to the charm of the surrounding Marchen Crossroads area. The building's historical significance is further accentuated by its well-preserved interiors, including decorated ceilings and handrails that transport visitors back in time.

The museum boasts an impressive collection of over 25,000 music boxes, encompassing more than 3,400 different types. From intricately designed glass and wooden boxes to plush toys and sushi-shaped music boxes, the variety is astounding. The first floor serves as a spacious hall where visitors can browse and purchase a wide array of music boxes, each emitting gentle melodies that fill the air with nostalgia.

Ascending to the second floor, guests are treated to a display of high-end and antique music boxes, some dating back to the 19th century. This area also features a three-dimensional model illustrating the history of music boxes, offering insights into their evolution over the centuries. The museum's knowledgeable staff are available to provide detailed explanations, enriching the...

No entrance fee, so you can just come inside. It’s kind of not accurate to refer it as just museum, because they do sell so many things inside not just music box. Please be careful when walking through all the music box as to not drop it by accident and extraaaa careful when you’re touching the music box as to not drop it. The music box museum has a wide variety of music such as pirates of Caribbean soundtrack, disney music, ghibli, and classical music, and it’s free to hear.

It is a three-storey building. The first floor display a wide variety of music box starting from the small ones, medium ones, big ones, and even the tiniest ones such as a wall-hanging type music box. The second floor display just a little bit of music box. But they also display toys, dolls, and many other things. On the other side of that very second floor, you can wonder into the collection of music box that are not for sale. You can look, take a photo, hear the sounds and melody coming out from the music box, but no recording please. The third floor is more cramp than the other two and only display a few things. They also have Ghibli things there so you might encounter totoro, ponyo, gudetama and many other.

Please just be extra careful when walking inside and watch your step when you go up and...