Koganei Park and the Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum

Take a bus from JR Musashi-Koganei Station to Koganei Park, where you can take your time exploring relocated historic residences and shops at the open-air museum, the Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum. Afterward, stroll through the park's Cherry Blossom Garden and coppice woodland. Both areas are vast, making this a full-day course to enjoy both locations.

History and Regional Charms

The predecessor of Koganei Park was the "Koganei Great Green Space," planned in 1940 (Showa 15) as part of the project commemorating the 2,600th anniversary of the founding of Japan. After the war, the site was used as a temporary palace for the Crown Prince; although 40% of the land was lost during post-war agricultural land reforms, it opened as an urban park in 1954 (Showa 29). Centered in Koganei City and spanning Kodaira City, Nishi-Tokyo City, and Musashino City, it covers an area of about 80 hectares—five times the size of Hibiya Park.

Inside this park, the Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum opened in 1993. A branch of the Edo-Tokyo Museum, it relocated and restored 30 historical buildings that could no longer be preserved at their original sites. The visitor center at the entrance makes use of Kokaden Hall, a ceremonial hall built for the 2,600th National Anniversary ceremony in 1940. Commemorative events of that same year are tied to the origins of both the park and the museum.

From Edo-period farmhouses to the residence of a Meiji-era politician and Showa-era downtown merchant shops, this course lets you trace the transitions of Tokyo life through historic architecture, followed by a relaxing pause amid the coppice woods and cherry blossoms of Musashino.

Major Highlights

• ​Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum​​: The grounds are divided into three zones: West, Center, and East. In the West Zone, thatched-roof farmhouses offer a glimpse into the lifestyle of late Edo-period farmers. In the Center Zone, the Takahashi Korekiyo Residence contains the second-floor bedroom that served as the scene of the February 26 Incident. In the East Zone, the "Shitamachi-naka-dori" street features rows of "billboard architecture" (kanban kenchiku) shops and Kodakarayu, a public bathhouse designed with architectural elements reminiscent of shrines and temples.
• ​Koganei Park​​: About 1,400 cherry trees of approximately 50 varieties are planted throughout the park, earning it a place among the "Top 100 Cherry Blossom Spots." In the "Cherry Blossom Garden," where around 400 trees are clustered, various cherry blossoms bloom across a span of about a month. The 16-hectare coppice woodland, featuring konara oak, sawtooth oak, and Japanese red pine, has a large portion designated as a bird sanctuary area.

Recommended Route and Estimated Time

The estimated time required is about 5 hours. From the North Exit of JR Musashi-Koganei Station, take a bus and get off at "Koganei Koen Nishi-guchi" (Koganei Park West Entrance), from which it is about a 5-minute walk to the Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum. The entrance and exit to the museum is the Visitor Center in the Center Zone.

It is said that thoroughly viewing everything can take up to about 4 hours. After entering through the Visitor Center, proceed zone by zone: the thatched farmhouses and the Maekawa Kunio Residence in the West Zone, the Takahashi Korekiyo Residence in the Center Zone, and Shitamachi-naka-dori and Kodakarayu in the East Zone. A Tokyo city tram, a bonnet bus, and a round red postbox are also preserved across the grounds.

After exiting the museum, walk about 620 meters east to stroll through Koganei Park. In front of the museum stands a pair of 10-meter-tall fragrant olive (kinmokusei) trees, which bear fragrant small orange flowers in autumn. In the park, view the Cherry Blossom Garden and the Class C57 steam locomotive at the SL Display Area to its south, and walk across the open plazas that make use of the gentle undulations of the Musashino Terrace. For the return trip, in addition to heading back to Musashi-Koganei Station, you can also take the CoCo Bus from "Koganei Koen Iriguchi" to JR Higashi-Koganei Station.

Summary of the Experience

A sunken hearth in a thatched-roof farmhouse, a bedroom that became the scene of the February 26 Incident, and bathhouse walls painted with Mount Fuji. After walking through buildings from different eras and locations, step outside into the expansive park filled with coppice groves and cherry trees. Experience the historic life of Tokyo and the greenery of Musashino in a single day.