Boso no Mura Open Air Museum

Boso no Mura (房総のむら, Bōsō no mura) is a captivating open-air museum in Chiba Prefecture that vividly recreates the atmosphere of an Edo-period village. The site features traditional merchant houses, working farms, and artisan workshops, all carefully designed to reflect daily life in historical Japan. Visitors can stroll through cobbled streets, interact with staff in period costumes, and participate in hands-on cultural experiences such as papermaking, tea ceremonies, indigo dyeing, and trying on samurai armor. These seasonal activities offer a fun and immersive way to connect with Japanese heritage. The museum also hosts four vibrant festivals throughout the year, each celebrating seasonal customs and local traditions with performances, parades, and food stalls.

Surrounding Boso no Mura is a scenic public park that preserves several ancient kofun (burial mounds) from the Kofun period, providing a glimpse into Japan’s prehistoric past. Just a short walk away, the Fudoki-no-oka Archaeological Museum displays a rich collection of excavated artifacts from Chiba Prefecture, including pottery, tools, and ritual objects. The grounds also feature full-scale reconstructions of dwellings from the Jomon, Edo, and Meiji periods—including a historic schoolhouse—offering a broader perspective on how Japanese life and architecture evolved through the centuries. Together, these sites create a unique cultural landscape where visitors can journey through Japan’s history from ancient times to the modern era.