The Museum of Housing and Living is located on floors 8-10. On the 10th floor there was an observation deck that looked out over the full sized Edo era village located down on the 9th floor. This village had traditional houses, shops and alleys. There was a curved roof over the village which cycled between daytime and nighttime. The change in lighting came with sound effects including a rooster calling at dawn and thunder at dusk. We wandered through all the shops and the tenement alley. Then kept heading down to the other floors.
Up a very long escalator
Cutouts on the walls
This is the roof that changed the lighting, it is almost noon as the "sun" is almost at the top. The fire lookout tower is also seen
Two cats on the roof
Down at street level
The cats close up
Each of the storefronts has different goods for "sale" This is a cosmetic store
This is the store for exotic imported goods
Nothing is more exotic than a leopard skin
A bookstore
Many brightly colored wood block prints
More exotic goods
A Fabric store with Kimonos lined up
Hmmmm, which one to pick?
A Pharmacy
All the cures are in these tiny boxes
Communal wood burning ovens for cooking
The outhouse
This large Doll House is attached to the toy store
There is a seasonal celebration when the dolls ascend the stairs
This is a warehouse. Maybe that is why the windows have such a great seal
The doors also have a great seal
We saw the cutest little boy petting these two dogs. He was very gentle with the pooches
Inside these ropes are connected to the different windows inside the room
Mats to sleep on and more ovens to make tea
Japanese pickles!
While we were in the Tenement Alley the night has come
Coming through to the other side of the toy store
Lots of little wooden toys
And a cat!
On floor 8 are many displays showing the evolution of Osaka's housing types
In 1946 old busses were reused as temporary housing in the parks of Osaka
A zoom in on a bus with wash out to dry
While I was standing there this much larger bus dropped down from the top of the display as the detailed view dropped into the base of the display
Old stained glass salvaged from buildings that got replaced
Old turn of the century stained glass
The first incarnation of the Tsutenkaku tower
Traditional housing was rebuilt after the war
Some new style elements were incorporated on these western style row houses
A recreation of the 1921 Tenjin Matasuri Festival
It was a huge festival held on the river
Called the Festival of Water Metropolis
So many different floats floating by
It must have been very impressive
An old ice box
This is the drop down detail version of the high rise diorama
A multigenerational family
Now modern Osaka is emerging
Even a tiny kite is shown stuck on the smokestack of a bath house
