New Ninja Museum Set to Open in Kanagawa’s Odawara Castle Park

Posted on April 17, 2019

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Here’s your chance to live out your ninja fantasy.

Compared to the nearby metropolises of Yokohama and Tokyo, the city of Odawara is not particularly well known–especially among foreigners. However, the city is hoping to change this–at least with history buffs and fans of the anime Naruto–by opening a museum dedicated to ninja.

Set to open on April 20, the Odawara Castle Ninja Museum (Odawara-jō Ninja Yakata) is located on the grounds of Odawara Castle Park and is the result of the castle’s already-existing museum undergoing a major renovation.

With a number of different areas, the ninja museum will focus on the Fūma ninja clan and their connection to the former samurai lords of Odawara Castle, the Hōjō clan.

Here’s the layout of the Odawara Castle Ninja Museum

The museum will begin with an introductory area–called the “Prologue”–which will give visitors the basic information they’ll need to know about Odawara Castle and the Hōjō clan before delving into the mysterious world of the ninja.

The next area is the Sengoku Theater (Warring States Theater) and it is here where visitors will be transported back in time to the Warring States Period and be given a mission to save Odawara Castle from attackers.

Here’s your chance to practice all the *jutsu* (techniques) of a ninja, including infiltration into an enemy’s base

This is then followed by the Ninja Experience Zone where aspiring ninja of all ages will get to try their hands at ninja jutsu (techniques) through interactive displays. The ninja skills visitors will get to practice include, infiltration, walking on water, memorization, and more. Of course, there’s even an area where visitors will get to practice their shuriken (ninja star) throwing skills.

Try your walking on water *jutsu* (technique)

Best of all, the new ninja museum has more foreign-language displays and signage than before, thus making this attraction even more enticing for visitors from abroad.

With Odawara being located less than an hour away from Tokyo Station via Shinkansen (bullet train), it looks like this new museum may become a popular day trip spot for families with aspiring ninjas.

For more information on the Odawara Castle Ninja Museum, see below.