From The Japan Folk Crafts Museum and the Former Maeda Family Residence Western-style House in Komaba to the Town of Shimokitazawa

From Komaba-todaimae Station on the Keio Inokashira Line, this tour visits The Japan Folk Crafts Museum, established by Yanagi Muneyoshi and his contemporaries, and the Former Maeda Family Residence Western-style House, which once served as the mansion of the head of the former Kaga Domain Maeda family. After viewing these two buildings in Komaba, you will walk west and take a leisurely stroll around Shimokitazawa, a town renowned for its vintage clothing, music, and theater.

History and Local Charm

Marquis Maeda Toshinari, the 16th head of the Maeda family of the former Kaga Domain, spent many years residing in Europe as a student and military attaché. The Maeda family's main residence was originally situated in Hongo, on the grounds where the University of Tokyo stands today. The Western-style residence in Komaba was constructed between 1928 (Showa 3) and 1930 (Showa 5) as a home fit for entertaining distinguished domestic and foreign guests. It was said to have astonished onlookers at the time as the greatest mansion in East Asia.

The term mingei (folk crafts) was coined in 1925. Yanagi Muneyoshi, focusing on the beauty of everyday utilitarian objects used by common people, coined this name together with Hamada Shoji, Kawai Kanjiro, and others to refer to crafts made by anonymous artisans. The Japan Folk Crafts Museum was founded in 1936 to serve as the headquarters of this folk craft movement.

Walking west from Komaba leads to Shimokitazawa, a neighborhood with an entirely different character. Shimokitazawa is also known as a "theater town"; The Suzunari opened in 1981 (Showa 56), followed by the Honda Theater in 1982 (Showa 57). Specialty shops for vintage clothing, vinyl records, and more line the shopping streets extending from the station. This half-day walking route connects an aristocratic marquis's Western mansion, a folk craft museum celebrating daily utilitarian objects, and a town brimming with distinct cultural identity.

Key Highlights

• ​The Japan Folk Crafts Museum​​: Houses approximately 17,000 old and new craft items from Japan and abroad, curated through the aesthetic eye of Yanagi Muneyoshi. Completed in 1936, the main building's historic hall was designed primarily by Yanagi, featuring a foundation of Japanese-style design subtly infused with Western elements throughout. Together with the stone wall along the road, it was designated as a Tangible Cultural Property by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government in 2021. Across the street stands the West Hall (the former Yanagi Muneyoshi residence), which includes a stone-roofed nagayamon gate relocated from Tochigi Prefecture.
• ​Former Maeda Family Residence Western-style House​​: Designed by Takahashi Teitaro, the exterior is designed in the manner of an English country house, the residence of the aristocracy, in the traditional and dignified Tudor style. The fireplaces and ceiling chandeliers in the large reception room, small reception room, and large dining room on the first floor remain largely as they were when constructed. It is connected to the Japanese-style hall by a covered corridor (watari-roka) measuring about 30 meters. It was designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan in 2013 (Heisei 25).
• ​Shimokitazawa​​: A district centered around Shimokitazawa Station on the Odakyu and Keio Inokashira lines. With about 10 theaters, including the 386-seat Honda Theater and The Suzunari, it hosts the Shimokitazawa Theater Festival every February. Along the roughly 1.7-kilometer stretch of former railway land created by putting the Odakyu Line underground, new spots such as shops and an onsen ryokan (hot spring inn) have emerged in the "Shimokita Senrogai" area.

Recommended Route and Duration

The recommended duration is approximately 4 hours. From the West Exit of Komaba-todaimae Station on the Keio Inokashira Line, it is a 7-minute walk to The Japan Folk Crafts Museum. Before stepping inside, stand on the street to compare the main building on the east side with the nagayamon gate of the West Hall on the west side; the main building was designed to harmonize with this nagayamon. Slippers are worn inside the museum. The West Hall has limited opening days.

The Former Maeda Family Residence Western-style House is located inside Meguro City Komaba Park, about 180 meters north-northeast of The Japan Folk Crafts Museum. The granite paving stones and curbstones in front of the main gate were originally used at the former Hongo residence. Passing through the stone gate, the Japanese-style hall comes into view through the trees on the left, and walking further leads to the Western-style residence. After viewing the house, head around to the south lawn garden, where the marquis's family is said to have enjoyed horseback riding and skiing.

Shimokitazawa is approximately 1.2 kilometers west, as the crow flies, from the Former Maeda Family Residence Western-style House. Instead of walking, you can also take the Keio Inokashira Line from Komaba-todaimae Station to Shimokitazawa Station. In Shimokitazawa, take a leisurely stroll through the shopping streets around the station while dipping into the alleys. Enjoy browsing vintage clothing, retro sundries, record stores, and specialized bookshops, or sample spiced cuisine in Shimokitazawa, which is also well known as a town of curry. Be sure to also stroll through the verdant Shimokita Senrogai path adorned with trees and seasonal plants. For your return journey, Shinjuku Station is about 7 minutes away via the Odakyu Line.

Experience Summary

A folk craft museum that found beauty in daily tableware and fabrics made by anonymous craftsmen, and a marquis's residence styled after English nobility. In the same neighborhood of Komaba, you can encounter two completely contrasting aesthetic senses. Following that, head to Shimokitazawa, lined with intimate theaters and vintage shops. This itinerary allows you to appreciate architecture and crafts in depth before enjoying a casual town walk, offering a glimpse into the diverse breadth of Tokyo's culture.