Hello MMD,  Karl Petersen (08.01.28 MMDigest) wrote of his visit to
the Min-On Cultural Center in Tokyo.  My wife and I also visited in
late December.  Vic Searle was also our guide and added much to the
experience.

We also had the distinct pleasure of visiting the Namura museum
(http://musemuse.jp) and was escorted by Yoshihito Namura, whose
personal collection is now displayed in a recently built multi-story
building in the Bunkyo ward.  The museum is listed as "One of the
six cultural treasures in the Bunkyo-ku."

The collection is a stunning group of 100 instruments, mostly disc
machines but also containing cylinder boxes, rare machines (Eroicas,
Sirion) and a prototype disc machine that was never manufactured.
Each instrument is in beautiful playing and physical condition.

Mr. Namura has opened to the public his collection of more than 40
years to promote the understanding of the importance of mechanical
music to the overall history of music.  His love for and appreciation
of these wonderful instruments are evident in his commentary and
curiosity.  This is also a "must see/hear" in Tokyo.

Japan appears to have many more collections, both private and some
already open to the public.  From what I can discern there are more
than 30.

Is anyone interested in a group tour of Japan's collections?!

Joe Berman