In an article last May 10 introducing the many attractions of Tokyo's neighbor Kawasaki, this writer made a brief reference to the Nihon Minkaen (The Japan Open-Air Folk House Museum) in Tama Ward.
This sprawling outdoor facility, operated by the city of Kawasaki, features 25 traditional farmhouses and other historic buildings brought from all over the nation, which provide a fascinating, educational time-travel experience in clean, tranquil and totally uncommercialized surroundings.
The old buildings, most dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries, are arranged in clusters that follow the lay of the land, so that each new bend in the trail opens up to a separate section. And there's nothing to distract the visitor from his or her stroll down memory lane — no unsightly telephone poles or wires, no advertising billboards, no convenience stores and no skateboarders.