Gas Museumガスミュージアム

Welcome to the Gas Museum. Here you can learn about howgas—now a common energy source for heat—first came to Japanand revolutionized the daily lives of the Japanese people. You canalso see the many ways gas has been used over the years.
We hope you enjoy your visit!
Ain1792: Scottish engineer William Murdoch uses coal gas to create light

The House of Gas Lamps
The House of Gas Lamps traces the history of gas lighting inJapan, from the discovery of gas in Europe to thepopularization of gas lamps in households across the country.
Let’s take a look!
The “Wild Spirit”
People didn’t always know gas was an energy source.
When Belgian scientist Jan Baptist van Helmont first

1801: Gas created for public use in France
1872: Japan s first gas street lamp installed in’

Journaldiscovered that burning coal emitted gas in 1609, hecalled it a “wild spirit.” In 1840, Japanese chemist
Youan Udagawa was researching the many uses of gas
discovered by Dutch scientists and compiling theseresults. Udagawa created much of the chemistry

Pelegrin’s gas

vocabulary still used in Japan today.

pipe plan forTokyoTenshokata uniform.
Tenshokata were・・Udagawa’s

responsible for gas
lamp maintanence.

Chrysanthemum
lamp(first shown inHenri Pelegrin and the Japanese Gas Industry
The Japanese gas industry owes many thanks to Frenchengineer Henri Pelegrin. Pelegrin studied the burgeoning
gas industry in Shanghai before coming to Japan, andlearned much about both the science and the business ofgas. Upon arriving in Japan, he introduced this businessstructure and helped establish the Japanese gas industry.
Under Pelegrin’s guidance, Kaemon Takashima installed
the first street lamp in Japan in Yokohama.

Ueno in 1887)

Lighting

A Surprise Appearance
Before gas street lamps came to Japan, people burned
candles, wood, animal grease, etc, to battle the darkness.

used prior
to the gas
lamp.

Many cities burned oil to light their streets, but with acontrolled flame, a covering (via the mantle lamp), and abrighter light, the gas lamp proved to be a safer and more
powerful technology. When the gas lamp first appeared,
many people were astounded by its power. At first, gas

Named the Fishlamps only lined the streets, but soon they could be foundTail lamp due toin theaters (allowing performances to go on later in theevening), shops, and even homes, freeing the country fromthe darkness of night.

the shape of the

Early gas lamp.

flame.

Yokohama.・1874: First gas street lamp in Tokyo・1885: Eiichi Shibusawa establishes Tokyo Gas

1868-1904
Gas has started to become an energy sourcefor heat, but isn’t yet a popularized product.
Only the wealthy own gas goods, such as thislarge cooker from a palatial residence.

1935-1949
During wartime, restrictions on speech, foodrationing, and a limited supply of material
goods abounds. Families put up with theseinconveniences, facing the limitation on gas
use by using smaller heaters and cookers.

Range Cookers
1930s･1960s･Present

1905-1934
Gas-powered heating and cooking (heatershown here) are becoming more popular,
especially after the 1923 earthquake when
there is a rapid growth in population and ashift toward the suburban lifestyle.

1950-1972
The post-war economic boom leads to ashift toward city life and an increased
standard of living across Japan. A wide
range of new gas products is introduced,including this bath heater.
1973-Present
After the 1970s oil shocks, gas began to switchfrom heavy oils to natural gasses. Many of thegas products we now use are powered by thisearth-friendly energy source. To the left are
three gas range cookers from different
generations, allowing you to see just how
much technology has changed.

・1923: Great Kanto Earthquake destroyed many homes of Tokyo Gas customers・1938: Tokyo Gas reached

1 million customers・1945: Due to WW2 number of customers decreased to 370 thousand

The House of Gas for Life shows the many ways in which gas hasbeen used through the years. You can see just how the technology
used by families changed over time to develop into the ovens,heaters, and other gas-powered systems we use today.

・2007: Tokyo Gas reaches 10 million customers

The House of Gas for Life

Thank you for visiting!

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Fun Facts
Many of the gas lamps in the herb flower garden are Meiji-era lamps
from Tokyo and Yokohama. These lamps, however, are not just fromJapan. Some came from foreign countries, like England and Spain.
While the museum buildings are now located in Kodaira, the buildings
weren’t originally from here. The House of Gas Lamps was originally
the Tokyo Gas Hongo Branch Office, built in 1909, and the House of Gas
for Live was the Tokyo Gas Senju Factory Meter Room, built in 1912.
When these buildings were taken down, much of their structure wasbrought to Kodaira where the buildings were restored in order to hostthe Gas Museum. They are thus recognized as historical buildings inTokyo.
The organ in the House of Gas for Life (pictured above) is a gas organ.
Make sure to listen to the videos of it being played in the museum!

AccessHigashi-Kurume Station (Seibu-Ikebukuro Line): Take the 21
Bus toward Musashikoganei. Get off at Gas Museum stop.
Hana-Koganei Station (Seibu-Shinjuku Line): Take the 21 Bus
toward Higashi-Kurume. Get off at Gas Museum stop.
Musashi-Koganei (JR Chuo Line): Take the 21 Bus toward
Higashi-Kurume. Get off at Gas Museum stop.
Kodaira Station (Seibu-Shinjuku Line): 20 minute walk
Hours
Tuesday-Sunday 10:00-17:00 (Admission till 16:00)
Closed on Mondays (if Monday is a public holiday, the museum
will be closed the following day) and New Year’s Eve & Day
Contact
4-31-25 Ohnuma-cho, Kodaira-shi, Tokyo 187-0001
Phone: 042-342-1715 ・Fax: 042-342-8057