Tokiwa-sō, Revenue house in Minami-Nagasaki, Japan
Tokiwa-sō is a reconstructed two-story wooden building in the Minami-Nagasaki district of Tokyo that serves as a manga history museum. The interior displays ten small rooms arranged around a shared kitchen and bathroom facilities, with each room reflecting the modest living conditions of young artists in the postwar period.
The original apartment house was erected in 1952 as a rental property for young creatives and hosted numerous aspiring manga artists until its demolition in 1982. The city of Toshima rebuilt the structure in 2020 as a memorial museum, paying attention to original materials and room layout.
Artists shared rooms and meals here during the 1950s while working on stories that would later reach millions of readers worldwide. The neighborhood proudly displays signage featuring manga characters that honor this creative community.
Visitors must book their entry tickets in advance through the museum website to gain access. The nearest train stations are on the Toei Oedo and Seibu Ikebukuro lines, both a short walk from the building.
The reconstruction has replicated the characteristic creaking of the wooden stairs that residents once used to identify who was approaching the building. This acoustic detail helped artists distinguish between publishers, colleagues, and other visitors without opening the door.
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