川西市郷土館, Heritage museum in Kawanishi, Japan

Kawanishi City Museum opened in 1988 on the grounds of the former Hirayasu copper refinery. Its site holds the sukiya-style former Hirayasu residence, the Western-style former Hiraga residence built in 1918 and moved here in 1990, the Musée l'Espoir art museum, and Atelier Hiramichi.

The Hirayasu family ran a refining works for the Tada silver mine on this site, and their former residence became the Kawanishi City Museum in November 1988. In November 1990 the former Hiraga residence, built in 1918 as the main house of engineer Hiraga Yoshimi, was moved here from the Kodo district of Kawanishi. The main house of the Hirayasu residence was registered as a national tangible cultural property in December 1996, other structures following in May 1997.

The chopstick room shows the Isshiki Hachiro collection, assembled by a local collector and displayed in the former Hirayasu residence. A separate room holds mining materials from the Tada silver mine, where the Hirayasu family ran a refining works. The Muze l'Espoir gallery, opened in 1995, shows works by Aoki Daijo and Hiratori Takeo.

The museum is located about 15 minutes on foot from Yamashita Station and is easy to reach by walking. Visitors should check opening hours in advance and allow sufficient time to explore both residences thoroughly.

The Hiraga house was built in 1918 as the main residence of Hiraga Yoshimi, who is described as Japan's first Doctor of Engineering. It was moved to the museum grounds from Kodo in Kawanishi in November 1990 and is listed among the Hyogo 100 Modern Houses.