Japan Mint Museum

Easily identified by its red brick facade, the Mint Museum is one of Osaka’s last remaining pieces of Western-style architecture built during the modernisation of Japan in the Meiji era (1868-1912). Originally a thermal power plant, the structure was completed in 1911 and renovated into a museum in 1969.

The restored property as seen today reopened in 2009 as a free museum with over 4,000 exhibits dedicated to Japan’s history of coin minting, especially as it was conducted in the Meiji era. The museum also houses currency-related artefacts from the Edo period (1603-1867) and a floor dedicated to commemorative coins.  

Keep in mind that the museum closes for a week in spring, when the 300-plus sakura trees on the Osaka Mint Bureau grounds burst into bloom. While the garden is normally closed to the public, for that one week visitors are welcome to enjoy the 134 varieties of cherry blossoms in colours that range from an almost white-pink blush to a dark magenta. The grounds stay open into the night, when crowds gather for the enchanting sakura illumination.