Mint Museum

Unclaimed

I have to many coin museums and this one was short and sweet. I enjoyed the layout and the short history lesson since coins pressed in Osaka are only since the mid 1800s. Still quite interesting.

This museum is great for those interested in the history of Japanese coins. The entrance is a bit hard to find if you rely the GPS direction. Best to look for the main entrance where there are guards. When you arrive, you will need to sign in and be given a pin. The mint museum is around the corner in a very distinct red building. Entrance to the museum is free however be wary of what you can and cannot take photo off. There are staff on every floor and this museum always felt like someone is watching you and is quite quiet. The day I came, there was not much tourists. The souvenir store has very cool collectibles but most of them are on the very pricey end. I found them quite genuine and worth the buy if you want to.

If you happen to be in Osaka and have seen cherry blossoms but would like to see how many varieties there are, this is the place to visit. Free to enter but requires register for a code. I saw people applying for the code at the gate so I guess same day entry is also possible.

What a gem this place is! Thank goodness the Sakura was still blooming! There wasn't any crowd at all. A great place for taking photos with the blossoms and spending a quiet afternoon in the museum away from the crazy crowd. The mint museum has many beautiful coins and there was a great history of the Japanese currency.

Spring review. Not a review of the museum itself. The cherry blossoms are quite beautiful here. The best part is the wide variety of cherry blossoms you can see here. There were 4 kinds and they provide map guide brochure of the area upon entering. It's free but you need to book in advance on their website. The blossom viewing is only during spring and doesn't grant access to the mint museum; however, the gift shop is open. They sell limited edition coins for the zodiac year as well Sakura coins. The only down side is the huge apartment buildings in the background. If your looking for more nature and less city for wide shots of Sakura groves, this isn't your spot. Just next to the mint museum, along the river, there are more cherry blossoms to see as well as food vendors. That area is open to everyone.