Ishikawa Prefecture Kanazawa Port Ohno Karakuri Memorial Museum

The museum is a memorial dedicated to mechanical engineer Benkichi Ohno, who created ingenious wooden puppets capable of performing autonomous movements. The exhibition displays various types of karakuri dolls across several interconnected gallery spaces.

The museum opened in 1996 to preserve the legacy of Benkichi Ohno, a master craftsman whose mechanical innovations emerged during the Edo period in Japan. His creations reflect the sophisticated engineering knowledge passed down through generations.

The museum showcases traditional Japanese puppetry craftsmanship through working dolls that perform distinct movements, keeping alive an art form that captivated audiences for centuries.

Visitors can walk through multiple rooms where the puppets are displayed in working condition for observation. The layout allows you to view the mechanisms from different angles and get a clear understanding of how they function.

One remarkable piece is the tanagari doll, which moves down stairs on its own while performing somersaults without any modern assistance. This display demonstrates the remarkable precision that early Japanese engineers were able to achieve in their mechanical designs.

Location: Kanazawa

Inception: April 1996

Website: http://ohno-karakuri.jp/eng

GPS coordinates: 36.61900,136.60441

Latest update: December 13, 2025 12:20