I should have known when I saw the river teeming with kayaks, campsites buzzing, and even the supermarkets overflowing with out-of-towners, that Japan is officially in holiday mode. A quick glance at the calendar confirmed it: April 29th, the start of Golden Week, kicking off with the Showa Emperor’s birthday.
Spanning 1926 to 1989, the Showa Emperor’s long reign defines an era of profound change in Japan, from post-war recovery to its remarkable economic boom. This period evokes a powerful sense of nostalgia for many in Japan, and as a foreigner, it evokes a unique kind of fascination.
The closest analogy I can think of is the nostalgic comfort you get from listening to an Elvis tune or a classic by the Four Tops. Or, for a 90s kid like me, it’s the familiar sounds of TLC and Mariah blasting from an old CD player or a well-worn cassette.Â
In Japan, Showa theme parks and museums capture that same sentimental essence, bringing together all the iconic paraphernalia of that era into one vibrant place across the country.
While I’m not a fan of theme parks, I make an exception for a Showa theme park. They’re a vibrant, wonderfully kitschy explosion of retro design, pop culture gems, and all the old-school toys your nostalgic heart might remember (or wish you did!) These parks are a dream for anyone who loves retro Japanese items.
So, what better way to celebrate the Showa Emperor’s birthday than to dive into the wonderfully retro world of Showa-themed destinations in Japan?
Showa no Machi in Bungo Takeda, Oita Prefecture
My journey into the Showa era truly began at Showa no Machi in Oita Prefecture’s Bungo-Takeda, my first in Japan and a real eye-opener. Since my initial visit, it’s expanded into an incredibly immersive experience, with an impressive retro toy museum, a small-scale shopping street with stores, an old classroom, and even a full-scale Showa house brought to life with realistic sound and light simulations that ecreate the changing hours.Â
Even the town of Bungo-Takeda itself feels like a perfectly preserved slice of the Showa period, with its shopping streets still featuring some of their original businesses or converted into more modern-day eateries and shops.
While the various attractions have separate entry fees, I highly recommend opting for the package ticket for easy access to everything this incredible museum has to offer.
Yufuin Showakan in Yufuin, Oita Prefecture
While exploring the very touristy Yunotsubo Street in Oita prefecture, be sure to step into this wonderful retro museum at Yufuin Showakan. The first floor recreates a charming old shopping street with barber shops and children’s stores, but the more recently updated second floor was what really set this Showa museum apart for me.
There’s a small cinema, a music display, and a video arcade room where you can actually play old-school pinball and those classic TV consoles that used cassette games. (Cassette games, anyone? …Right, maybe it’s just me.)
Pokopen Yokocho (Market) in Ozu, Ehime Prefecture
While perhaps not as grand as its counterparts, Ozu City’s Pokopen Yokocho Market is a wonderful discovery for Showa lovers. This indoor museum has a miniature shopping street, a peek inside a traditional Showa-era home (complete with a porcelain toilet!), and an interesting Coca-Cola-themed room (maybe not the most thematically consistent, but hey, someone out there is loving it).
Come Sunday, the market expands outdoors, featuring wooden stalls that sell vintage towels, small gemstones, and retro clocks. I recently took my friend from Canada, who designs logos, and was utterly obsessed with the enamel signs leading up to the museum – a true feast for retro design inspiration!
Are you tempted to take a nostalgic side trip to these incredible Showa-era streets and museums? As Golden Week unfolds across Japan, I hope you take a detour from the usual temples and modern marvels to explore one of these meticulously recreated Showa-era streets and museums.
Finally, if there are any Showa-era destinations I should include in this list, let me know in the comments below. For now, happy travels and happy reminiscing!
-Mika
