Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Cultural History, Yokohama

This museum occupies a former bank (circa 1904) featuring a neoclassical facade, the carvings on which have been designated important cultural property. Here, one can learn all about the history of Yokohama and Kanagawa, from archeology to present-day Japan. Interesting are the grotesque renditions of Commodore Matthew C. Perry and the several rare wood block prints of foreigners. The Edo-period wood blocks are supplemented with panels from the Tokkaido road showing pop culture, travel games and torture mechanisms, providing insight into the complex relationship between Japan and other nations. For example, contemporary Japan is symbolized with a Hershey candy bar. Admission: JPY300.

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