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Kanazawa Phonograph Museum

One of Japan’s finest collections of phonograph players and records

The phonograph record was the dominant medium for recorded music for over a century until the digital compact disc (CD) nearly brought about its extinction in the late 20th century. Due to the richness and warmth of the sound they produce, the phonograph has made a comeback in recent years, although many people have never actually heard one played. 

The Kanazawa Phonograph Museum showcases the collection of Hiroshi Yokaichiya, one of Japan’s leading collectors. Yokaichiya was the owner of a record shop in Kanazawa  who began a collection which has grown to over 40,000 phonograph records and over 600 phonograph players, each of them still functioning beautifully today.

Tour the museum to learn the history of phonographs and how they work and see the historical phonographs from different eras of Japanese history. Watch and listen to demonstrations of historical phonographs being played at demonstrations three times per day. Best of all, pick out some of your favorite music and listen to the rich sounds of them played on a phonograph LP record in the listening corner of the museum.

Visitors will not want to miss the demonstrations of the self-playing Mason & Hamlin Ampico piano which dates from 1927. This piano plays music from a roll of hole-punched paper, so you can listen to actual performances from years gone by. The museum has implemented AR technology to enable visitors to explore and experience the contents of its extensive collection fully.

Information

Address
2-11-21 Owari-cho, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-0902
Price
Adult: 310 yen (260 yen for groups of 20 or more.)
Persons aged 65 years old or over: 210 yen
Persons below high-school age: Free
Business Hours
10:00–17:30 (Visitors must enter by 17:00)
Regular Holidays
Tuesdays. (or the next day if Tuesday is a holiday)
Periods of exhibit change
Dec. 29 - Jan. 3
By Public Transportation
About 3 minutes on foot from the Hashiba-cho bus stop (No.RL4 or LL10) on the KANAZAWA LOOP BUS route.
Parking
Available
Parking: Large Vehicle
None
Official Website
on its official website.

Map

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