Facility Information

Upon entering the museum, you will find the Hatsuzaburo Yoshida’s Bird’s View of Okaya City (1936) the gallery lounge, museum shop, information section for the Okaya brand, and a section introducing the modernized industrial heritage of silk reeling in the town.

Encountering silk to the contemporary silk industry – the road to silk city Okaya

For those who have encountered silk, the museum introduces the charm of silk from various perspectives, from the origin of silk culture to the secrets and processes of the silk industry. The modern silk industry and Okaya section features a special exhibit on the history of Japan’s silk industry, from the opening of Yokohama Port to the founding of Tomioka Silk Mill and the development of the silk capital of Okaya. The exhibit also displays the work and lives of the female workers who came to Okaya to work in the silk industry as highlighted by historical surveys.

The only exhibition of silk reeling machines of its kind in Japan – the story of silk city Okaya and its machines

The museum exhibits silk reeling machinery that made Japan the world’s leading raw silk producer from the Edo period through to the Showa period, including the only remaining French-style silk reeling machine that was in operation at the government-run Tomioka Silk Mill when it was founded in 1872, and the Suwa-style silk reeling machine developed by Daijiro Takei.

The diverse achievements of our predecessors – the story of silk city Okaya and its materials

We trace the history of silk city Okaya via business documents left behind by our predecessors, who persevered within the harsh silk industry with tireless effort, ingenuity, and foresight. Feel free to take a look at the exhibition of the city and the silk industry, where you can feel the bustle of the time from old photographs and maps of Okaya.

Miyasaka Silk Reeling Co. in operation
At Miyasaka Silk Reeling Co., you can observe Suwa-type, traditional Japanese Joshu-type, and small automatic reeling machines in action, which have not changed since the heyday of silk reeling. Machinery owned by the former National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences is also on display and in operation.

“Kinu no Hiroba” Multipurpose Space

In addition to being a venue for meetings and events, this is a multi-purpose plaza that can also be used for resting and studying.

The museum shop has a wide selection of over 400 items, from Okaya City souvenirs to silk products. The shop also provides seasonal displays and a gift wrapping service. Additionally, it offers Okaya Silk brand certified products that use yarn and silk extracts produced in Okaya.

“Mayu-chan Kobo” Workshop Space

This is a workshop where visitors can try their hand at making cocoon crafts such as dolls and corsages.
Enjoy the texture and characteristics of silk cocoons while creating your own original work! Classic ornaments like frogs and rabbits make great window decorations.

Silkworm Experience Room

Silkworms spin the cocoon filament that is the raw material for silk. This is a room where you can observe and learn all about silkworm growth and the creation of cocoons. Just like traditional silkworm rearing methods, you can feed them mulberry leaves and watch them grow.

Mulberry Square is a 400 square meter lawn space at the Okaya Silk Museum for visitors to enjoy, relax, and eat lunch when the weather permits.
In addition, in order to promote local interaction and vitality, the space is rented out to the general public and can be used for all kinds of events such as open-air markets! Please contact us if you have an idea that you would like to use the space for (individuals, groups, companies, etc.).