Where can I see robots in Osaka or Kyoto?
July 16, 2011 6:03 PM Subscribe
I just saw this video about karakuri (Japanese clockwork automatons) and was amazed. The guy is located in Osaka, but there is no information about where he works or whether his studio is open to the public. Coincidentally I will be in Osaka next week. Where can I see some karakuri? Does anyone know of any exhibitions of them, or anywhere else I could see them?
I would like to see them in action, not just in a museum case. Actually I am interested in robots of all types, so if anyone has suggestions for places I can see robots in general, that would be awesome. I will also be spending a couple of days in Kyoto.
I would like to see them in action, not just in a museum case. Actually I am interested in robots of all types, so if anyone has suggestions for places I can see robots in general, that would be awesome. I will also be spending a couple of days in Kyoto.
Best answer: After a little googling, I found this site, 夢からくり一座, which appears to be an institute in Osaka that teaches karakuri traditional techniques, as well as repairing antiques and occasionally going out to do demos/presentations. Moreover the head of the institute is Susumu Higashino, who I presume is the father of the guy in your video, Hideki Higashino (Hideki is also listed on the site as an apprentice). Their public demonstrations look pretty few and far between, but there is contact info. Maybe they're open to visits/tours.?..
posted by p3t3 at 2:39 AM on July 17, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by p3t3 at 2:39 AM on July 17, 2011 [1 favorite]
And maybe too academic to be useful for you, but here's a big list of Robotics in Japan. You might particularly want to check Ritsumeikan in Kyoto. They're one of the bigger private universities in Japan.
posted by p3t3 at 3:25 AM on July 17, 2011
posted by p3t3 at 3:25 AM on July 17, 2011
Best answer: Here are a few more karakuri-related suggestions. Disclaimer: these have been gleaned from Google. The only place I've seen karakuri myself is in the science museum in Tokyo - and that would disappoint you, I think, because if memory serves, you only get to see them working in a video. (Mind you, they did have replicas for sale in the shop, which was pretty cool.)
First, look what I found on the Blue!
Kyoto looks like a good bet. There's the Kyoto Japanese Folk Dolls museum, though my Japanese isn't good enough to be able to tell you whether you'd get to see karakuri in action there. Nearby, I think, is Kyoto Arashimaya Orgel Museum, which might also be worth a visit. Links to its website all seem to be broken, which is a bit ominous; hopefully someone better informed will confirm whether the museum's still open. Details on this page (under "Kyoto Arashimaya Music Box Museum", near the bottom).
Meanwhile, in Osaka there's this, presumably still on show in the Osaka Science Museum; and you could pop into the ACTY building at Osaka station and see if they still have these on their 27th (top) floor. Bonus: it looks as if there's a branch of Tokyu Hands either in the ACTY building or next door.
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 5:16 AM on July 17, 2011 [1 favorite]
First, look what I found on the Blue!
Kyoto looks like a good bet. There's the Kyoto Japanese Folk Dolls museum, though my Japanese isn't good enough to be able to tell you whether you'd get to see karakuri in action there. Nearby, I think, is Kyoto Arashimaya Orgel Museum, which might also be worth a visit. Links to its website all seem to be broken, which is a bit ominous; hopefully someone better informed will confirm whether the museum's still open. Details on this page (under "Kyoto Arashimaya Music Box Museum", near the bottom).
Meanwhile, in Osaka there's this, presumably still on show in the Osaka Science Museum; and you could pop into the ACTY building at Osaka station and see if they still have these on their 27th (top) floor. Bonus: it looks as if there's a branch of Tokyu Hands either in the ACTY building or next door.
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 5:16 AM on July 17, 2011 [1 favorite]
Wow, that's amazing and cool. I hope you'll make a front page post to MetaFilter with what you learn.
posted by theora55 at 7:28 AM on July 17, 2011
posted by theora55 at 7:28 AM on July 17, 2011
Response by poster: That's a whole heap of fantastic info, thanks, ManyLeggedCreature!
Via the post on the blue I also saw that this place is based in Osaka, and since they have opening hours on their website, I guess I can just wander on in.
Looks like there's a lot of places to try, anyway!
posted by lollusc at 4:46 PM on July 17, 2011
Via the post on the blue I also saw that this place is based in Osaka, and since they have opening hours on their website, I guess I can just wander on in.
Looks like there's a lot of places to try, anyway!
posted by lollusc at 4:46 PM on July 17, 2011
ACTY is now Osaka Station City. I'm not sure if the karakuri ningyou are still hanging around anywhere, but if you ask at one of the information desks I'm sure they'll be able to tell you.
posted by emmling at 6:51 PM on July 17, 2011
posted by emmling at 6:51 PM on July 17, 2011
I also saw that this place is based in Osaka, and since they have opening hours on their website, I guess I can just wander on in.
You might want to double-check before walking in, because on their "About Us" page, the "Advan Co. LTD" looks more like a computing place. Perhaps it's the webmaster or middle-man for Karakuriya's web based business. But when I google Advan and the Osaka address, I get this site. Perhaps use their contact form to ask about brick & mortar access/hrs.
posted by p3t3 at 1:32 AM on July 18, 2011 [1 favorite]
You might want to double-check before walking in, because on their "About Us" page, the "Advan Co. LTD" looks more like a computing place. Perhaps it's the webmaster or middle-man for Karakuriya's web based business. But when I google Advan and the Osaka address, I get this site. Perhaps use their contact form to ask about brick & mortar access/hrs.
posted by p3t3 at 1:32 AM on July 18, 2011 [1 favorite]
Sorry I missed this. I'm pretty sure the Kyoto Arashiyama Orgel Museum is still open. It's very interesting and my friend rented the place out in 1996 and got married in the second floor salon with a reception downstairs. Very memorable event with demonstrations of the automata and amazing grand music boxes.
posted by planetkyoto at 3:15 PM on July 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by planetkyoto at 3:15 PM on July 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
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You may be able to buy simple DIY karakuri ningyo kits at Tokyu Hands--at least, you could when I was there, and I think they're still in production. Just google Tokyu Hands Osaka to find locations in Osaka. The kits come in boxes that are the size of, I don't know, a role-playing game or a large hard-cover book. They're not cheap, but to this day I regret the fact that I didn't buy one. Even if they don't have those, they'll probably have some other kit. (I think there's also Yellow Submarine in Osaka, which has a variety of geeky and nerdy toys and kits, running more toward the anime side of things -- but I bought a pretty nifty mini lunar lander there, as I recall.)
I don't know about any robot museums (the one in Nagoya closed, I guess), but the "orgel" (music box) museum I went to randomly in Kurashiki included not only player pianos but a (European) mermaid automaton that played the harp. All of their items were demonstrated; it was like a little steampunk concert. If your interests go that far (I realize they probably don't), there are a ton of orgel museums in Japan. There is a science museum in Osaka, but I haven't been there.
posted by wintersweet at 9:34 PM on July 16, 2011 [1 favorite]