พิพิธภัณฑ์กล่องดนตรีโอตารุ Otaru Music Box Museum

If there's any city in Japan that makes me feel like I've traveled back in time, it's "Otaru" for me. A small seaside port town in Hokkaido, filled with European charm and the sounds of music gently floating in the wind.

And the most special thing about this city is the "Otaru Music Box Museum."
This old wooden building looks classic, like a scene from a fairytale. But as soon as you open the door, the world is filled with the soothing sounds of thousands of music boxes.

As soon as you step inside, the smell of old wood mixed with a faint perfume wafts through your nostrils.

Warm lights illuminate each music box lined up in the room. Some are castle-shaped, others are dancing dolls, and others are as small as the palm of your hand, but each one has its own "sound."

I walked around, listening with delight. There were old Japanese songs, European classics, and modern hits.

The sound of each box seemed to capture someone's little memories.

On the second floor, there's a "workshop" area where you can make your own music box.
Choose your music, choose your box, and decorate it with miniatures as you please. When you sit down to assemble it, I felt like I was giving myself a gift from my childhood.

If you walk across the street, you'll see the "Steam Clock," a steam clock tower that blasts smoke and plays music every 15 minutes.
The sound echoes throughout the streets of Otaru, like a call from another era, calling us to pause and let our hearts slow down to the rhythm.

Because there's more than just music boxes here,
there's a "warmth" imbued in every tune.

Location: Otaru Music Box Museum, Hokkaido
Address: 4-1 Sumiyoshi-cho, Otaru, Hokkaido, Japan
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