Matsumoto City Timepiece Museum, Horological museum in Chūō district, Matsumoto, Japan
The Matsumoto City Timepiece Museum is a horological museum in Matsumoto spread across three floors with collections from different periods and regions. The displays include wristwatches, wall clocks, gramophones, and music records that show how timekeeping technology changed over time.
The museum was founded in 2002 and documents how timekeeping technology developed over many centuries. The collection shows how people in different cultures and time periods found ways to measure and keep track of time.
The museum displays traditional Japanese clocks alongside European grandfather clocks, showing how different cultures developed their own ways of measuring and thinking about time. This mix reflects how timepieces became part of daily life in many societies.
The museum is about a 10-minute walk from Matsumoto Station and is easy to reach on foot. Visitors should check opening hours before arriving since they vary throughout the week.
Japan's largest pendulum clock is mounted on the building's exterior wall and can be seen from a distance. Inside, the museum holds specialized timepieces that were used by train conductors and nurses, showing how precise timekeeping mattered in different professions.
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