Highlights and access methods of Little World Museum of Man (Aichi Prefecture)

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Little World is an open-air ethnographic museum featuring 32 houses from 23 different countries. Visitors can explore buildings that have either been relocated or restored from various countries and can also enjoy cuisines from around the world. In some areas, you can try on traditional ethnic clothing and take a stroll or snap photos within designated areas while wearing the attire. Regular events and fairs are held, making it enjoyable no matter how many times you visit.

In this article, we will explain the attractions of Little World Museum of Man in Aichi Prefecture and how to access it for those who are traveling to Japan from overseas.

(Last modified: 2023-09-04)

(Prefecture : Aichi , Category : Theme Parks and Leisure Facilities)

Highlights of Little World Museum of Man

Little World is roughly divided into eight zones. We will introduce the highlights of Little World by zone.

Zone1：Ishigakijima,Ainu,Taiwan

In Zone 1, you can enjoy the buildings, traditional costumes, and food of three regions: Ishigaki Island, Ainu, and Taiwan.

Ishigakijima House in Okinawa,Japan

A residence of the samurai class from the Ryukyu Kingdom era, built around 1871, has been relocated and restored. The stone walls surrounding the house are made of Ryukyu limestone from Okinawa.

Within the same premises, there is a shop selling Okinawan food and merchandise. You can enjoy treats like Sata Andagi, Okinawan soba, and Orion beer.

Ainu House in Hokkaido,Japan

A traditional Ainu house has been restored. Parents' homes and children's homes are built on the site.

Farmhouse in Taiwan

A Taiwan farmhouse of the Fujianese Han ethnicity has been restored. It is distinctively shaped like the letter "U", with the elder brother's family living on the left side and the younger brother's family on the right.

In the Taiwan area, you can experience wearing traditional costumes.

There is also a Taiwan Restaurant called "Taiwan Shokan" where you can enjoy Taiwanese cuisine. You can have dishes like Taiwanese ramen, Tsingtao beer, and Xiaolongbao (soup dumplings). The shop next door sells Chinese folk crafts.

Zone2：Tipi,Navajo,Tlingit,Peru

In Zone 2, you can enjoy the buildings, ethnic costumes, and food of four regions: Tipi, Navajo, Tlingit, and Peru.

Plains Indian Tents in the U.S.A.

A tipi is a tent used by a tribe of North American Indians who lived on the plains. It was used as a mobile home during the summer.

Navajo House in the U.S.A.

The Navajo are an Indian tribe in the southwestern United States. Navajo dwellings are polygonal in shape made of logs and earth.

Tlingit House in Alaska

The Tlingit are an Indian tribe from Alaska and Canada. In the summer they live in tents and in the winter they live in huge wooden houses. The inside of the house has a hierarchical structure.

Landlord Residence in Peru

Restoring a lord's house on a Peruvian plantation.

You can experience wearing traditional costumes in the Peru area.

There is also a Latin American Cafeteria in the area called "El Patio", and Latin American Craft Shop called "Los Andes". At El Patio, in addition to tacos and chorizo, you can also enjoy Peruvian-style chicken and rice as well as soft, chewy cheese bread.

Zone3：Bali,Toba-Batak,Yap,Samoa

In Zone 3, you can enjoy the buildings, traditional costumes, and food of four regions: Bali, Toba-Batak, Yap, and Samoa.

Gentry House of Bali in Indonesia

This is a Balinese nobleman's house. The property is divided into three major areas: a place for worshiping gods and ancestors, a living area with bedrooms and kitchens, and a space used for festivals and other events.

In the Bali area, you can experience wearing traditional costumes. There is also a shop on the same property that sells Balinese crafts (open only on weekends and holidays).

Additionally, there is an Indonesian restaurant called "Warung Bali" where you can enjoy spicy Nasi Goreng, Indonesian-style fried noodles known as Mie Goreng, and Satay Ayam, which is skewered grilled chicken.

Toba-Batak House in Indonesia

The Toba-Batak are an ethnic group living in the highlands of northern Sumatra, Indonesia. The house on display was built in 1947 and relocated. There are no partitions in the house, and the family lives in one space.

Yap House in Micronesia

This is a house from Yap Island, located at the western edge of the Federated States of Micronesia. Yapese homes consist of a single room where parents and children live, while unmarried women and young men live separately.

Yap Island used stone money called "Fei". Although these stone currencies come in various sizes, they are famous for being the largest currency in the world.

Samoa House in Polynesia

South Pacific Samoan home. A traditional house, called a "Fale", is built with a roof and pillars and has no walls.

Zone4：Germany,France,Italy

In Zone 4, you can enjoy the buildings, traditional costumes, and food of three regions: Germany, France, and Italy.

Bayern Village in Germany

The setting recreates a serene and beautiful village in Germany's Bayern.

Atop a hill, there is St. Georg's Chapel.

Gasthof Bayern is a converted farmhouse that offers home-cooked meals and lodging facilities. The ground floor serves as a beer restaurant where you can enjoy authentic German draft beer and sausages.

In Marchen Ward, there are over 1,000 types of toys collected from Germany and Austria, in addition to German sausages and beer available for purchase. Within the same building, you can also experience wearing traditional German folk costumes.

Alsace Farmouse in France

The setting recreates a farmhouse from the Alsace region, located near the border between France and Germany. Buildings surrounding the courtyard include living quarters, sheds for cows and sheep, and storage spaces.

Within the same building, you can also experience wearing traditional French folk costumes.

There is a wine and cheese shop called "Alsace," where you can enjoy dishes like pizza and toast stuffed with cheese and bacon. The shop also sells French goods and wines.

Alberobello House in Italy

The house is a recreation based on a farmhouse in the outskirts of Alberobello. Its distinguishing feature is a pointed roof made by stacking stones.

There is also an Italian restaurant called "Alberobello" where you can enjoy dishes like pizza, pasta, and gelato. Additionally, a shop is available where you can purchase popular Italian sweets and goods.

Within the same building, you can also experience wearing traditional Italian folk costumes.

Zone5：Tent Village

Zone 5 displays tents actually used by people who live in tents while raising camels and sheep in a desert or grassland environment.

Bedouin Tent in Syria

These tents are used by people who herd sheep and goats in the desert areas of Syria.

Rendille Tent in Kenya

These tents are used by nomadic camel herders in the desert region of northern Kenya.

Sami Tent in Sweden

These tents are used by people who herd reindeer in the tundra areas of the Scandinavian Peninsula.

Berber Tent in Morocco

These tents are used by people who migrate sheep and goats in the grasslands at the foot of the Atlas Mountains in Morocco.

Mongolian Tent in China

These tents are used by people who herd horses, camels, sheep, etc. on the steppes of China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

Cheyenne Tent in the U.S.A.

This tent was used by people who hunted buffalo in the great plains of central North America.

Zone6：Nyakyusa,Ndebele,African Plaza,Kassena

In Zone 6, you can enjoy the buildings, traditional costumes, and food of the three regions of Nyakyusa, Ndebele, and Kassena.

Nyakyusa House in Tanzania

The house represents a farming community in Tanzania, East Africa. Due to the practice of polygamy, separate houses are built for each wife within the same compound.

Ndebele Homestead in South Africa

This is the home of the Ndebele people who live in the highlands of South Africa. It is characterized by brightly colored geometric murals on the walls.

African Plaza

African Plaza is an area that not only introduces African culture but also features shops selling African goods and a restaurant. At the restaurant, you can enjoy dishes like crocodile bone ramen and fried crocodile.

You can also experience wearing traditional folk costumes of the Ndebele, Senegal, and Kanga.

Kassena Compound in Burkina Faso

The house represents a farming community living in the savanna region of southern Burkina Faso. The structure is a combination of square and gourd-shaped buildings. Men reside in the square buildings, while women live in the gourd-shaped ones.

Zone7：Nepal,India,Turkey,Thailand

In Zone 7, you can enjoy the buildings, traditional costumes, and food of four regions: Nepal, India, Turkey, and Thailand.

Buddhist Monastery in Napal

A Buddhist temple modeled after a Tibetan Buddhist monastery in the Himalayas has been reconstructed. The walls of the main hall are adorned with Buddhist paintings and mandalas.

On the temple grounds, there are stupas, Mani walls, and prayer wheels.

There is also a shop "Sunderkamal" that sells miscellaneous goods imported directly from Nepal and India.

Kerala Village in India

A building belonging to a landlord in a village in Kerala, India, has been restored.

At the Indian restaurant "Indotei", you can enjoy dishes like chicken curry and tandoori chicken.

You can also experience wearing the Indian traditional garment, the sari. Additionally, there is a store called "Kerala" on the same premises where you can buy Indian goods.

Istanbul Townscape in Turkey

A building modeled after structures built during the Ottoman Empire era in Istanbul has been restored, complete with a private home and an Islamic academy.

There is also a Turkish restaurant called "Istanbul", where you can enjoy dishes like doner kebab.

You can also experience wearing traditional Turkish attire on the same premises. Additionally, there is a shop called "Lale" on the same site where you can purchase Turkish goods.

Lanna-Thai House in Thailand

These are the homes of people who cultivate rice in the plains of northern Thailand. It is a house built on stilts.

There is a Thai restaurant called "Ratchapruk", where you can enjoy Thai dishes such as Tom Yum Kung and Gapao. They also sell Thai goods and trinkets.

Zone8：Korea,Yamagawa

In Zone 8, you can enjoy the buildings, folk costumes, and food of two regions: Korean farmers and landlords, and Yamagata, Japan.

Farmhouse in Korea

This is a relocated house that was built in the 1920s in a mountain village in South Korea.

Landlord House in Korea

This is a landowner's house built in a mountain village in South Korea.

You can also experience Korean traditional clothing on the same premises.

At the Korean restaurant called "KANKOKUTEI", you can enjoy Korean dishes such as Jeon (Korean pancakes) and Dolsot Bibimbap. The restaurant also sells Korean-related goods and trinkets.

Farmhouse in Yamagata Prefecture,Japan

The house represents a farmhouse built in Japan's heavy snow regions during the Edo period.

At "Gassan" located on the same premises, you can enjoy rice cakes made from Yamagata's "Tsuyahime" rice and cherry blossom soft-serve ice cream. On weekends, you can also enjoy skewers of Yamagata beef. They also sell various trinkets and snacks.

List of photos related to Little World Museum of Man

Please see below for a list of photos related to Little World Museum of Man.

Address and access method of Little World Museum of Man

Address of Little World Museum of Man

The address of Little World Museum of Man is "90-48 Imai Narisawa, Inuyama City, Aichi Prefecture".

Access method of Little World Museum of Man

I will explain how to access Little World Museum of Man from Nagoya station.

Attractions near Little World Museum of Man

There are several other attractions near Little World Museum of Man in Inuyama, Aichi Prefecture, that you may want to explore during your visit:

Inuyama Castle
Located nearby, Inuyama Castle is one of Japan's oldest original castles. Its stunning architecture and panoramic views of the surrounding area make it a must-visit destination for history and architecture enthusiasts.

Meiji Mura
A museum park showcasing preserved buildings from the Meiji era, Meiji-mura offers a glimpse into Japan's modernization period. Visitors can explore Western-style structures, including the iconic Meiji-era Tokyo Station, and learn about Japan's cultural transformation during that time.

Inuyama Onsen
Relax and rejuvenate in the natural hot springs of Inuyama Onsen. This tranquil retreat offers a variety of baths, both indoor and outdoor, where visitors can enjoy the therapeutic benefits of the mineral-rich waters amidst beautiful surroundings.

Urakuen Garden
Adjacent to Inuyama Castle, Urakuen Garden is a traditional Japanese garden known for its stunning landscapes and seasonal beauty. Visitors can admire the meticulously manicured gardens, tea houses, and serene ponds while experiencing the peaceful atmosphere of a traditional Japanese garden.

Other information about Little World Museum of Man

Official site about Little World Museum of Man :

https://www.littleworld.jp/

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