Nishi no Shosoin, Museum in Misato, Japan

Nishi no Shosoin is a replica of the Shosoin treasury of Nara, completed in 1996 in Misato as part of the Kudara no Sato project. It was rebuilt faithfully from the Shosoin plans held by the Imperial Household Agency, using 400- to 500-year-old natural Kiso cypress, and its interior can be visited.

Completed in 1996 as part of the Kōkoku no Sato project, Nishi no Shosoin is a replica of the Shosoin treasury in Nara. It was built from the Shosoin's original plans, long kept from public view, using 400- to 500-year-old natural Kiso cypress. The plan followed the discovery that a bronze mirror identical to the Tang flower-and-six-petal mirror in the Shosoin's South Storehouse is kept in Misato.

The museum displays objects from daily life that show how people in this region lived and worked across generations. Visitors can notice how local craftsmanship and everyday habits left traces in the objects on display.

The rooms are laid out so visitors can move through the exhibits in a natural order without backtracking. It is worth setting aside enough time to look at the objects carefully, as many of them are small and benefit from a closer look.

The replica was built from the original Shosoin drawings held by the Imperial Household Agency, which had been kept from public view, using 400- to 500-year-old natural Kiso cypress. The plan followed the discovery that a bronze mirror identical to the Tang-flower six-petal mirror in Shosoin's South Storehouse is kept in Misato.