I found this museum while watching The Making of Spirited Away Documentary and have always wanted to go, yesterday I just felt like wandering around on my own, so I figured it was the right time to go. Some of the buildings here are the inspiration for the town that Chihiro walks into in the beginning of Spirited Away.
The entrance fee is only 400yen, and 320yen for students. The Museum is divided into two sections called the West Zone and East Zone. The east zone is where all "Spirited Away lookalike" buildings are at. Naturally, I went to that part of the museum first.
The first house I went into is a kitchenware store, I like how everything is arranged, especially the hanging pots. There is also a flower shop next to this building but there is an alleyway that leads you to the back of this building.
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\I kind of walked around in circles because I didn't know where to start, and took about an hour to finish exploring this place. It wasn't crowded at all, apart from several tourists, there was a group of elderly citizens and that was it. Definitely somewhere nice to just walk around and take photos.
I went to a Soy Sauce shop next, the products in there are all fake obviously but the packaging were vintage prints which kind of reminded me of my childhood.
At the end of the street is a public bathhouse which I think I enjoyed the most, (no, you can't use the baths) because of the painted walls. The colour palette for them was just dreamy.
I always wanted to go to a Sento because I am really bored with going to the usual onsen. Also, I heard that Sento(s) are more accepting of tattoos. Though mine are small and easy to cover up, I am planning on getting more in the future, so it'll be good to know somewhere that I can still use the bathhouse without having to worry about whether I am allowed in.
Tracking backwards, I went to the izakaya next and then the flower shop.
And then to the grocery store opposite...
The cigarette stand is really cute and the packaging for the cigarettes then are so pretty as well!
Lastly, I took some photos on the way out of the east zone. The green-blue buildings are my favorite.
cutest police box and post box.
A fire department watch tower (upper section) built in 1925 and used until the 1970s.
I walked over to the west zone but there was nothing interesting except for some Western styled old houses which you can enter and roam around in but it doesn't look nice in photos. Also, some farmhouses which smelled like charcoal and very dark in the houses itself.
I left back to Musashi Koganei station in the early evening and went home. I can finally cross out another place of my list of interesting places to visit in Tokyo.
I have been stressed out lately writing resumes, going for job interviews and studying. I dont't really feel like talking to people and the only person I've been meeting is H. I spent my long weekend with him celebrating his birthday in Hyogo which was a nice change of scenery honestly.
Maybe I am sick of city life right now. Tokyo is a fascinating metropolis but it gets to you because of how everyone is always in a rush to go somewhere, how everyone is always doing something, everything is just so busy and noisy. I need to escape from it sometimes and that's exactly what I am doing this weekend. Can't be any more excited to explore another side of Japan.
Other than feeling stressed, I am feeling pretty good about creating new things. I have been painting, drawing, making and doing a lot of research for my own art lately and I have never felt so at peace with that side of me.
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