Gunze Museum

The Gunze Museum is a textile and corporate museum in Ayabe dedicated to documenting this industry's history. The exhibition spreads across three sections that display both historical and contemporary fabrics along with manufacturing techniques.

The museum was founded in 1996 and documents the growth of a company that has influenced Japanese textile manufacturing since 1896. The gap between these two dates shows a century of industrial success in the region.

The museum displays traditional kimono fabrics and modern textile creations that reflect the region's long craft tradition. You can see how textile making evolved from handwork to mechanized production.

The museum sits about ten minutes on foot north of Ayabe Station and operates from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Tuesday closures mean planning your visit around this schedule is helpful.

Adjacent to the building stands a Mulberry Garden with international tree varieties and a connected Rose Garden. Both spaces were developed through community participation, offering a green complement to the museum visit.

Location: Ayabe

Official opening: 1996

Website: https://gunze.co.jp/gunzehakubutu

GPS coordinates: 35.30528,135.25792

Latest update: December 14, 2025 13:08