In the quiet suburbia of Abiko, Chiba Prefecture, is the apartment of an elderly Japanese man who has visited every country in the world. Mr. Yasuharu Ko has turned his humble abode into a captivating time capsule, brimming with souvenirs and mementos collected during his extensive travels. The name “World Doll Museum” is a bit of a misnomer as the dolls are not even remotely the most interesting thing Mr. Ko has on display at his home.
From tapestries to globes to kaleidoscopes, every inch of his apartment is filled with stories of his journeys to every corner of the globe. I stumbled across this hidden gem while Googling things to do in the surrounds of Tokyo. According to Mr. Ko’s website, he accomplished the feat of visiting 275 countries and regions in 50 years, during which he amassed over 2,000 folk dolls. But that’s not all. He also gathered a lot of other memorabilia showcasing human culture and the wonders of our diverse world.
The private museum experience
The World Door Museum is the corner apartment on the 10th floor of a fancy condominium building. Once you approach it, you realise immediately that it is somewhat different to the other apartments.
After ringing the doorbell, an elderly gentlemen opened the door and ushered us into a room near the entrance. We were he told us to sit down, whereupon he asked us questions about ourselves. To be honest, it felt a bit like an interview, but my curiosity was sufficiently piqued and I ended up being the interrogator.
I asked him how he managed to achieve his feat of visiting all the world’s countries. He replied he used to work in a Japanese trading house that involved postings in countries like Kuwait and Indonesia. In fact, Indonesian is one of the seven languages he is fluent in and he loves the place, he said.
Mr. Ko’s impressive travel history also includes Antarctica and the North Pole, as well as several dangerous places like South Sudan, Libya and North Korea. When I asked about his late wife, he said he didn’t dare take her to the more dangerous places. But they did travel to Asia and some other countries together.
We were fascinated about his travels to Socotra and Afghanistan, so he showed some of his photos. We saw the alien looking trees that made the former so famous. He seemed to genuinely enjoy talking about his travels, also referring us to stack of books he wrote.
After the introductory session, he led us down the hallway while explaining the expressive paintings hung up on the walls. The main room was adorned with globes, dolls, kaleidoscopes and other souvenirs from around the world. The shelves showcased the doll collection, as well as binders full of banknotes from every country in the world.
A side room, which he called the “oriental room,” showcased memorabilia from north Asia, and a tiger skin rug.
But what was most impressive was this certificate recognising him as a recipient of the Order of the Sacred Treasure from the Japanese Emperor in March 2021.
We had planned to visit for half an hour, but he was so engaging, and his stories so interesting, that we ended up staying for 1.5 hours.
Visiting the World Doll Museum
Since the museum is literally housed in his apartment, you need to either call or email ahead of time if you plan to visit. On the day is fine, as Mr. Ko appears to check his email quite regularly. You can find his contact details on his website.
Entry is free, although you can support Mr. Ko by purchasing one of his books. He will even autograph it for you on the day.
Getting to the World Doll Museum
The museum is located in room 1026 of a condominium building called Aqua Residence. The building is a 6 minute walk from Abiko Station on the JR and Chiyoda Lines.
Address: 千葉県我孫子市我孫子２－３－１０２６
Abiko 2-3-1026, Abiko-shi, Chiba Prefecture