Yokai Art Museum

The Yokai Museum is a thrilling journey through a series of hidden structures scattered around the charming streets of Shodoshima. Walking around the streets of Shodoshima, you can soak in beautiful art and interesting explanations about yōkai, supernatural entities in Japanese folklore.

The museum’s founders recognized the importance of these mythical creatures in Japanese culture and sought to create a space where visitors could learn about their origins, characteristics, and significance.

Boasting a collection of over 800 figures and paintings, the museum is located in Shodoshima’s “maze district.” This labyrinthine layout was designed to thwart pirates, who frequently raided the island, with complex, difficult-to-navigate streets and alleys.

The museum, rather than one site, is spread throughout different structures within the district, a former kimono store, soy sauce and rice store, and printing house, as well as a sweet shop, and mayor’s mansion. Visitors receive passcodes to every structure, and the first building provides headphones and a link to the audio guide of stories and explanations about the hundreds of examples of yōkai art and interactive displays on offer