Trace the complete history of the Toyota car company at the Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology. The comprehensive exhibits tell the story of the Toyota brand through examples of textile and car assembly machinery, automobile equipment and high-tech robots. Spend some time on a tour learning about the fascinating processes of the industry.
Toyota began as a textile firm and later developed into one of the world's most proficient car manufacturers. It was originally known as Toyoda, but the name had to be changed as it was difficult to spell with Japanese characters. Find out more about the well-known company at this museum, housed inside an old red-brick textile factory.
Inspect the massive, working textile looms and watch as these sewing and weaving machines transform cotton strings into fabrics before your eyes. Follow Toyota’s evolution and development through various videos and demos.
Continue on to the Automobile Pavilion to see testing rooms for materials and prototypes. Discover the history of automobile technology and observe how innovative assembly machines produce modern automobiles. Also on show are Toyota vehicles from throughout history, from trucks in the early 1900s to advanced smart cars such as the electric-hybrid Prius.
Take the kids to Technoland, where they can enjoy interactive displays on textile machinery and automobiles. Themed exhibits include a rhythmic piston game and a virtual weaving machine. Toddlers will love playing on the slides, obstacle courses and tunnels in the Kids Area.
Nearby, experience the power of air flow at a large wind tunnel and race your friends on an electric-powered minicar circuit. Don’t miss the section on steam engines, which includes a beautifully preserved 19th-century engine that was used to generate electrical power in Stuttgart, Germany.
The Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology is in the Nishi-ku district of Nagoya. To get here, ride the bus or subway to Nagoya Station or drive and make use of free on-site parking. The museum is open every day except for Mondays and certain public holidays and an admission fee is required.
