* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Tamana City History Museum Kokoropia
玉名市立歴史博物館こころピア
Overview
Tamana City History Museum Kokoropia is a history museum that opened in May 1994 (Heisei 6) in Iwasaki, Tamana City, Kumamoto Prefecture. The name “Kokoropia” embodies the meaning of a bridge between the hearts of the citizens.
Museum Theme
The permanent exhibition takes “The History of Tamana, Which Developed Together with the Kikuchi River” as its main theme and introduces the history and culture of Tamana in three sections: “The Age of the Heki Clan,” “The Age of Overseas Trade,” and “The Age of Cargo Ships and the Takase Granary.” It presents the decorated kofun (tombs) of the Kikuchi River basin and artifacts from the Tamana district office (gunga), the overseas trade of the medieval port of Takase and Ikura, the period when the area around Takase was directly controlled land (kurairi-chi) of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and the history of the Takase granary (Takase Okura), from which the annual rice tax of the Higo domain was shipped to Osaka. The museum also has 16 exhibits outdoors.
Dōdanuki Collection
The museum has a permanent exhibition titled “Dōdanuki, a Group of Swordsmiths,” which displays swords connected to the Dōdanuki sword-smith group, based in Kamenokō village in Tamana District (present-day Kamenokō, Tamana City), with the displays rotated every month. The exhibits include swords bearing the inscription “Kyūshū Higo Dōdanuki Kōzuke-no-suke,” and the museum promotes itself under the banner of “a museum where you can meet Dōdanuki at any time.”
Collaboration with Touken Ranbu ONLINE
From November 24, 2024, marking the 30th anniversary of the museum’s opening, to February 2, 2025, the museum held the special exhibition “Dōdanuki Revived: The Birth and Revival of a Mighty Sword” and collaborated with the Touken Danshi character Dōdanuki Masakuni from the online game Touken Ranbu ONLINE.
Access
About 5 minutes by car or about 25 minutes on foot from JR Tamana Station. The museum is located across from Tamana City Hall and has free parking for about 50 vehicles. Opening hours are 9:00 to 17:00 (last admission at 16:30). Closed on Mondays (the following day if Monday is a public holiday), the day after public holidays (open if it falls on a Sunday), and during the year-end and New Year period. Admission is 300 yen for general adults, 200 yen for university students, and free for high school students and younger.
Highlights
- Introduction to Decorated Kofun ── Introduces the kofun culture of the Kikuchi River basin, where about one quarter of the nation’s decorated kofun are concentrated, through gold earrings excavated from Daibō Kofun and other artifacts
- Permanent Exhibition “Dōdanuki, a Group of Swordsmiths” ── Works of the Dōdanuki sword-smith group, based in Kamenokō village in Tamana District, displayed on a monthly rotation
- Display of “Kyūshū Higo Dōdanuki Kōzuke-no-suke” ── Swords bearing representative Dōdanuki inscriptions, shown in rotating monthly displays
- Collaboration with “Touken Ranbu ONLINE” Dōdanuki Masakuni ── Collaboration at the 30th anniversary special exhibition “Dōdanuki Revived” (November 24, 2024 – February 2, 2025)
- History Shaped Alongside the Kikuchi River ── Presents “The History of Tamana, Which Developed Together with the Kikuchi River,” from the ancient decorated kofun to the medieval overseas trade of the port of Takase and the early-modern Takase granary
- Convenient Location Across from Tamana City Hall ── About 5 minutes by car from JR Tamana Station, with about 50 free parking spaces
* Opening hours and exhibitions are subject to change. Please check the official website before visiting.