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Who knew you could find so much in such an isolated location?

Deep in the mountains of Fukuoka’s Nakagawa area (like, seriously deep in the mountains), there is a fascinating attraction called the Fushigi Hakubutsukan, or “Museum of Mysteries.” RocketNews24 couldn’t pass up the opportunity to visit a place like this, so some of our Japanese writers went to check it out.

The museum was created in 2008 by Takamasa Sumi, a sculptor, and is intended to showcase his wacky and fascinating works.

▼ Nine minutes by Shinkansen from Hakata Station and a car ride later, you arrive at this ominous looking building.

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▼ The (fake) bus stop in front shows a brief explanation of the building, as well as its cute mascot, Fushigiko-chan.

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▼ Some of the works on display include Fushigiko-chan, an Alice in Wonderland style rabbit, and several stout cats.

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▼ Then there are beasts like this, a creature from Sega Saturn’s awesomely bad game, Death Crimson.

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▼ Talk about nostalgia…

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Oh, there is an actual cafe. Right now, their menu includes chicken sausage and a parfait. You can also get some Garigarikun pear ice cream with any drink for 850 yen.

▼ We ordered a parfait!

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▼ Here’s a shot of our RocketNews24 team with Mr. Sumi himself. Thank you for your time!

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For now, the museum is only open on Sundays and holidays, and that may be cut down to just holidays starting in 2017. If you want to pay a visit, plan carefully! You can find the latest information on their Twitter account @artrek1998 (Japanese only).

So, whether you’re looking for an off the beaten path location to visit in Japan or you’re into funky sculptures, the Museum of Mysteries is definitely a stop to consider.

There’s also a branch of the Museum of Mysteries called “The Sanatorium” located in Tenji, the heart of Fukuoka City!

Museum Information
Museum of Mysteries
Address: 福岡県筑紫郡那珂川町西畑1466−2
Fukuoka-ken, Chikushi-gun, Nakagawa-cho, Nishihata 1466-2
Hours: 12:00-18:00 on Sundays and holidays only (closed January 2nd, 2017)

References: Museum of Mysteries, The Sanatorium
Images © RocketNews24

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