October 2015 marked 10 years since the museum first opened and to celebrate this anniversary they decided to refurbish the interior. Each of the 5 zones is now marked by a different theme color, making it easier to understand and trace the cultural changes that have occurred. You can start with the Jomon Period and work your way chronologically through the different times, or start with your favorite era and begin by exploring the time zone that most captures your interest. There's all kinds of different ways to experience this fascinating exhibition.


This magnificent exhibition space is 7m in height and has a floor area of 3,900㎡. The impressive, large scale exhibits that are on display can be appreciated from a range of different angles!

The "kane (Gongs),""suzu (Bells)" and "taiko (Drums)" (pictured above) are types of bronze musical instruments that have been used in Chinese, Vietnamese, as well as Indonesian festivals. Inside the exhibition you can also find reconstructions of the freight and cargo that was bought back to Japan by envoys that were sent on missions to Tang-dynasty China. This section, "The Voyage of the Envoys and the Silk Road", gives visitors the chance to touch the displays and really get a feel for the culture of the time.

This display features the "針聞書 (Harisakigaki," a medical journal that was written during the "Sengoku Jidai" (the Warring States Period of Japanese history). The book explains the different parasites that were thought to be the cause of disease and illness at that time. It was later published as a picture book and this is the item that is on display in Kyuhaku. The parasites, or insect-like creatures, which appear under the name of "Hara no mushi," have become mascot-like figures for the museum.

The Super High-Definition Theater plays ultra high definition, 8K resolution videos. This means that the resolution of the films shown in this mini-cinema are 16 times higher than what you experience with a regular high-definition system! Screenings are shown throughout the day at 30 minute intervals, starting from 10:00 and finishing at 16:30. The visual impact of Kyuhaku's Super High-Definition Theater is astounding. This truly is a worthwhile experience for visitors!