The Otaru Music Box Museum, known in Japanese as Otaru Orgel-dō, is a museum of mechanical music set in a historic brick building in Otaru, a port city on the coast of Hokkaido in Japan. Its address is 4-1 Sumiyoshicho, Otaru, Hokkaido 047-0015.
What you will see
The museum holds thousands of music boxes from around the world. Their tinkling melodies fill the rooms, and the variety of designs, from small decorative pieces to larger mechanisms, shows how the instrument has been made and enjoyed over time. Because the collection is so large, a visit can be as brief or as leisurely as you like.
Planning your visit
- The brick building itself is part of the experience, as it sits among the older streets of Otaru.
- It is one of the city's best-known attractions, so you may find it busy at popular times.
- For questions before you go, the museum can be reached by phone at +81-134-22-1108.
The area around it
Otaru is known for its canal, old warehouses and stone-built streets near the harbour, and the museum makes a natural stop on a walk through this part of town. Visitors often combine it with other sights in the city, so it works well as part of a half-day or full-day plan in Otaru.
