About
The wooden building standing in a corner of Sumie-machi, Ome City, retains a strong scent of the Showa era, as if it has forgotten the passage of time. Once operated as a furniture store, this building is now the “Showa Retro Goods Museum,” inviting many people on a nostalgic journey.
When you open the door, you will find daily goods from the 1950s to 1960s lined up in every available space. Colorful candy packages, medicine bottles with handwritten labels, and advertising posters from that time cover the walls. These are valuable collections that have been gathered over many years by Tsutomu Kushima, a researcher of Showa B-grade culture, and they instantly transport visitors back to that era.
Inside the museum, there is also a corner that recreates an old-fashioned candy shop. On wooden shelves are displayed ramune soda, konpeito candy, paper balloons, and other items, evoking scenes of children gathering with coins clutched in their hands. A kamishibai bicycle is also on display, reviving the world of stories that once captivated children on street corners.
If you go up to the second floor, you will find an exhibition related to “Yuki-onna,” the ghost story by Lafcadio Hearn. In fact, the “Chofu Village, Nishitama District, Musashi Province,” which is the setting of this story, is said to correspond to present-day Ome City. The exhibition room features materials related to the Yuki-onna legend and kamishibai depicting various scenes from the story, inviting visitors into a fantastical world.
Around this museum, there are other spots where you can feel the culture of the Showa era, such as the Showa Lantern Museum and the Akatsuka Fujio Hall in Ome. The entire town of Ome exudes an atmosphere as if it has slipped back in time to the Showa period, making it a heartwarming journey for visitors.
The Showa Retro Goods Museum is not just an exhibition facility, but a place that conveys the warmth and nostalgia of the Showa era to its visitors. When you visit here, memories of those days you had almost forgotten will vividly return, leaving a deep impression on your heart.