Kembuchi Picture Book Museum - Hokkaido

Kembuchi Picture Book Museum (剣淵町 絵本の館) is a public library that doubles as a museum for picture books. It is located at 15-3 Midorimachi in the town of Kembuchi in Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan.

Kembuchi Picture Book Museum (剣淵町 絵本の館)
Kembuchi Picture Book Museum

Kembuchi Picture Book Museum details

The original "Picture Book Museum" was transformed from the old town hall building in August 1991, becoming a charming symbol of the "Picture Book Village" and creating a magical atmosphere filled with dreams and nostalgia. However, to make this enchanting place more accessible and cherished by even more people, we relocated to our current location in June 2004.

Kembuchi Picture Book Museum - Kembuchi town, Hokkaido Prefecture
Kembuchi Picture Book Museum - Kembuchi town, Hokkaido Prefecture

Upon entering the museum, you will notice the unique oval-shaped interior, designed to encourage visitors to freely explore and immerse themselves in the wonders of picture books. As a sign of respect for the cozy and homely atmosphere, guests are kindly asked to remove their shoes, allowing them to sit or even lie down on the ground and truly unwind.

Kembuchi Picture Book Museum facade
Kembuchi Picture Book Museum facade

Kembuchi Picture Book Museum

Kembuchi Picture Book Museum truck
The museum has a truck that goes around the prefecture to share the beauty of picture books with people from different municipalities

Inside Kembuchi Picture Book Museum

Facility Map of Kembuchi Picture Book Museum
Facility Map of Kembuchi Picture Book Museum

Inside Kembuchi Picture Book Museum

Inside Kembuchi Picture Book Museum

Inside Kembuchi Picture Book Museum

Inside Kembuchi Picture Book Museum

Inside Kembuchi Picture Book Museum

The "Picture Book Room" houses an impressive collection of picture books, carefully arranged on low bookshelves. Here, you will find a diverse selection of baby picture books, classic tales, craft-themed picture books, stories about animals, plants, and vehicles, captivating picture-story shows, as well as the delightful inclusion of large picture books and cloth picture books. Additionally, the "Pretend House" and "Wooden Puzzles" can be found, providing interactive play furniture for children to engage with and enjoy.

Kembuchi Picture Book Museum's "Egg-shaped Room"
Kembuchi Picture Book Museum's "Egg-shaped Room"

Inside Kembuchi Picture Book Museum's "Egg-shaped Room"
Inside Kembuchi Picture Book Museum's "Egg-shaped Room"

A standout feature within the museum is the egg-shaped room, which houses a mesmerizing "wooden sandbox." This unique sandbox contains approximately 100,000 wooden balls, offering an immersive and entertaining experience for both adults and children.

Kembuchi Pokemon Manhole Cover
Kembuchi Pokemon Manhole Cover

Kembuchi colored manhole covers
Kembuchi's colored manhole covers

Today, apart from its extensive collection of picture books, the museum grounds also showcase the fascinating Kembuchi Pokemon Manhole Cover, as well as two beautifully colored Kembuchi manhole covers, providing visitors with additional visual delights.

Team Nicerio visits the Kembuchi Picture Book Museum


Team Nicerio visits the Kembuchi Picture Book Museum

Team Nicerio visits the Kembuchi Picture Book Museum

Team Nicerio visits the Kembuchi Picture Book Museum

Team Nicerio visits the Kembuchi Picture Book Museum

Team Nicerio visits the Kembuchi Picture Book Museum

Team Nicerio visits the Kembuchi Picture Book Museum

My family and I had the pleasure of visiting the Kembuchi Picture Book Museum for the first time on September 25, 2022, during the final day of our September 24-25 Road Trip. As an Assistant Language Teacher under the JET Programme, it was my 328th day in Japan. This visit to the museum turned out to be the highlight of our trip to Kembuchi. Being avid book lovers, the museum felt like a little slice of paradise for us. If we hadn't had other plans for the day, we would have gladly spent the entire day here, immersing ourselves in the enchanting world of picture books.


Kembuchi Picture Book Museum Admission Fee

It’s FREE to park, enter, and explore the Kembuchi Picture Book Museum. However, some special exhibitions may require a fee.


Kembuchi Picture Book Museum Operating Hours:

Kembuchi Picture Book Museum is open from 10 AM to 5 PM. It is closed every Wednesday and during the year-end and New Year holidays. 


Why visit the Kembuchi Picture Book Museum?

If you love books, particularly picture books, then this place is for you. It’s a place where you can spend hours of your day in peace. It’s also a great place to hang out during the hottest of summer and the coldest of winter as the temperature inside the museum is controlled to protect the precious picture books that it houses. I highly recommend you visit the Kembuchi Picture Book Museum if you have the time.


Getting to Kembuchi Picture Book Museum

 

Starting at Asahikawa Station, ride the Local Nayoro train of the Soya Line and board down at Kembuchi Station. From there, walk for about 750 meters going to the Kembuchi Picture Book Museum. 

Travel time: 1 hour and 7 minutes

Fare: 1,130 yen


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Comments

  1. That is the most beautiful library that I have seen. I wish we have on like that here in Bangladesh.

    ReplyDelete

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