Toyota Kaikan Museum
The Toyota Kaikan Museum at the head office of Toyota Motor Corporation is one of the company’s oldest museums. It opened in 1977 to mark the company’s 40th anniversary. Exhibits at the Kaikan Museum highlight the company’s technological and organizational innovations and are more forward-looking than those at the Toyota Kuragaike Commemorative Hall, which focus on Toyota’s early history.
The museum is in the shape of a square, with an open central courtyard. Exhibits begin in the lobby area with displays that are changed every few months. Visitors are encouraged to walk through the building clockwise, moving through each of the five themed zones: Eco and Emotion, Safety and Freedom, Production and Creation, Company and Society, and the Toyota Showroom. Each area features detailed, interactive exhibits such as a factory welding robot and a driving safety simulator. Guided tours are available and take roughly 30 minutes, but a thorough inspection of all the exhibits can take as long as 2 hours. All the displays are explained in Japanese, English, and Chinese.
A children’s area on the second floor shows the basics of how cars work, how they are manufactured, and how their parts are recycled. The museum shop is on the same floor, with gifts for car enthusiasts of all ages, including models of Toyota’s most popular cars, clothing, and even ready-made car-themed curry.