National Museum of Ethnology

Welcome to the National Museum of Ethnology, colloquially known as 'Minpaku,' located within the Expo '70 Commemorative Park in Suita, Osaka. This institution is not merely a museum but a premier research center for ethnology and…

Our journey begins in the Oceania section, where the focus is on the profound relationship between human communities and the vast Pacific Ocean. The highlight of this area is the collection of traditional seafaring vessels,…

Moving into the Americas section, the museum presents a vast longitudinal survey of cultures from the Arctic to Tierra del Fuego. One of the most striking displays features the totem poles of the Northwest Coast Indigenous…

The Africa section of Minpaku is a profound exploration of the continent's immense cultural diversity, moving far beyond the simplistic narratives often found in popular media. The centerpiece of this area is a spectacular array…

As we move into the West and Central Asia galleries, the museum highlights the ingenious ways in which human communities have thrived in some of the world's most arid and challenging environments. A major focus here is the…

The tour concludes in the Southeast and East Asia sections, which contain some of the museum's most detailed and personal collections. In the Southeast Asia gallery, the focus is on the incredible variety of ethnic groups in…

As we conclude our tour of the National Museum of Ethnology, I hope you feel a renewed sense of connection to the global human family. We have traveled across oceans, through deserts, and into the heart of diverse communities,…