Kitanagoya City Museum of History and Folklore:

The Showa Era Lifestyle Museum
The Kitanagoya City Museum of History and Folklore (also known as the ShowaEra Lifestyle Museum) was established in Aichi Prefecture with the purpose ofpreserving the daily life experiences of the Showa era. The museum’s main focus ison fostering nostalgic experiences and memories of the middle Showa era (theperiod of Japanese history corresponding to the reign of Emperor Showa, fromDecember 25, 1926 through January 7, 1989).
With a collection of over 100,000 daily life necessities from those times, themuseum hosts over 40,000 visitors every year. One look at the exhibit prompts
visitors to remark, “Wow, that really takes me back to that age!” Visitors are provided
with nostalgic feelings and sentiments and encouraged to actively share theirmemories.

The Showa Era Lifestyle Museum features objects fromthe past with the power to evoke nostalgia.

The Kitanagoya City Museum of History and Folklore opened in 1990. As the nameimplies, this facility was created for the lifelong learning of local history starting fromthe Jomon period (about 5000 BCE) and lifestyle trends including occupations andcustoms from the Meiji era (1868-1912) to the Showa era (1926 -1989).
Three years after the museum opened, a program was begun tosupplement its collection with materials from everyday lives in the Showa era,with a focus on the decade from 1955 to 1964. This marks the beginning ofour present way of life. This period of dramatic change in general lifestyleincludes the appearance of electric appliances such as the televisions,refrigerators, and washing machines, which were considered the mostwanted items by the ordinary people at that time.
Tokyo Tower under construction

2020

1990

▶

People’s lifestyles changed dramatically.

The Showa Era Lifestyle Museum
Address: 53 Osakaki, Kumanosho, Kitanagoya City, Aichi Prefecture 481-8588 JAPAN
Tel: +81-568-25-3600
Fax: +81-568-25-3602
Mail: rekimin@city.kitanagoya.lg.jp
HP: https://www.city.kitanagoya.lg.jp/rekimin/
Hours: From 9:00am to 5:00pm
Admission Fee: Free

Museum-Welfare Collaboration

Care for the aged through the cooperation of museums,
welfare organizations, and the medical field
Assembling this new collection and creating exhibits of these materials has deepened themuseum's relationship with visitors, especially with local senior residents. New opportunities
were created for lifelong learning through museum-welfare collaboration with public welfare
agencies.

Introduction – The Japanese Association of Museums
Following the development of senior learning programs in 2003, the Japanese Association ofMuseums promoted initiatives in 2004 and 2005 to create a museum that is welcoming to all.
Case studies and surveys were carried out to determine how senior citizens typically interact
with museums. Verification of non-infrastructural projects then began, employing case studiesof reminiscence (recollection) methods and elderly volunteers.

Introduction – The Basic Law on Measures for the Aging Society
Measures dealing with the graying of Japan’s society included the 1995 enactment of theBasic Law on Measures for the Aging Society and a Cabinet decision in 2012 on the basicprinciples. Both decisions incorporated a commitment to cope with Japan's aging society,with a focus on securing opportunities for lifelong learning, providing a variety of learning
opportunities, promoting senior citizens' participation in social activities, and establishing afoundation for volunteer activities; the case can be made that museums have a vital role toplay in achieving these goals.
Introduction – An important role in an
increasingly aging society

Japanese museums are forwarding themes
such as "what museums can do for a graying
society" and "museums in the era of thecentenarians." Based on a 28% ratio of seniorcitizens, the fact is that many elderly people
are visiting museums and seeking
opportunities for learning. Given this situation,
it once again becomes apparent that museums
can play an important role in a society that isincreasingly aging.

Efforts at The Showa Era Lifestyle Museum

Care for the aged through the cooperation of museums,
welfare organizations, and the medical field
The Showa Era Lifestyle Museum hosts records and objects for the purpose ofpreserving the drastic change in lifestyle that occurred. The everyday items of the Showaera on display are precisely what jog visitors' memories and bring many a smile.
The museum’s exhibits display electric appliances and other tools, confectionery andother food packaging, and other items used in Showa-era life. We often see family
members and friends chatting excitedly together with expressions of happiness.
The reminiscence method adopted by Kitanagoya City is a psychological and social
approach to activate the brain and revitalize the mind and body. Visitors’ discussions,
anecdotes, and memories are prompted by nostalgic photographs and daily utensils. This
recollection method involves listening to their thoughts and reminiscence with sympathy,
and utilizing that feeling as a lens through which we can view the present and future.
Nonpharmacological therapy for dementia
The method using recollections began in Europe and the United States in the 1960s,
and research has advanced since then. In Japan, this method has been a tool used inproviding care as a nonpharmacological approach to therapy for dementia, primarily in
hospitals and long-term care facilities. However, there have been no cases of its use incare on a more local basis.
Thus, as a national model project, we have established a style for providing care forsenior citizens by employing the reminiscence method in coordination with individuals in
the welfare, education, and medical fields.
We use the Showa Era Lifestyle Museum and its materials as well as the former Katofamily residence, an old Meiji-era home that has been registered as a national tangible
cultural property. In 2002 the Reminiscence Center opened in the former Kato familyresidence.

Kato Residence
National registered tangible
cultural property

Kitanagoya City ReminiscenceCenterThis project was set up with authorization from the Ministry of Health, Labour andWelfare, and following the construction of the Reminiscence Center facilities, GroupReminiscence officially began in 2002.
- Establishment of the Reminiscence Project Committee- Hosting of the Reminiscence School- Forming of volunteer groups to support the Reminiscence Project- Appraisal of the project, and measurement of its results- Development of teaching/learning materials- Holding of Symposiums

At the reminiscence school
New roles for regional museums using reminiscence methods
The reminiscence project is making use of various evaluation indices, including
cognitive function, quality of life, and degree of withdrawal from society, with effects
measured before and after participation in the reminiscence method school along withongoing evaluations.
Currently, the reminiscence method is being used as an initiative to revitalize local
elderly residents. We have put into practice the method for memory recollection andcommunication with the collaboration between the museum and welfare-related
agencies advancing care for the benefit of the elderly, prevention of dementia,promotion of health, and other aims. We named this effort the museum-welfare
collaboration and made it one of the core aspects of our activities.
Beginning with the reminiscence method school where senior citizens discuss theirrecollections, participants maintain their health by continuing activities as members ofthe “Ikiikitai” (the association of the Reminiscence School graduates ) while alsopursuing intergenerational exchanges with children. In the museum, members of theIkiikitai are provided opportunities to play a role as museum educators in anintergenerational exchange workshop style.

Intergenerational exchanges with children

Our scope has expanded tremendously, first from avoiding the need for nursing
care and preventing dementia, then to promoting good health, and now further tolifelong learning. Linking different generations, the reminiscence method leads to thedevelopment of human bonds, while expansion of the related activities fosters ties
within the community, broadening networks and leading to greater manifestation of
local residents' potential abilities (empowerment). Such is the regional reminiscencemethod of Kitanagoya City as it aims to cultivate a healthy and comfortable city.

Reminiscence Kits
The Kitanagoya City Museum of History and Folklore lends out boxes filled with nostalgic
items called “Reminiscence Kits.”

Reminiscence to foster cross- cultural understanding
Reminiscence therapy is not only useful in the treatment of dementia and othermental illnesses, but can also be effectively used to foster and deepen cross-cultural
understanding.

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