Emperor Meiji’s train carriage is open to the public; Access allowed for the first time in 6 years

INUYAMA, Aichi – The interiors of passenger train cars used by Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken have been opened to the public for the first time in six years at the Meiji Mura Open-Air Museum in Inuyama, Aichi Prefecture.

The imperial carriage was built for Emperor Meiji in 1910, while Empress Shoken’s carriage was made in 1902.

Normally the carriages can only be seen from the outside via an aisle, but during the exhibition, which runs until October 27, visitors can go inside and take a closer look at the rooms for ladies-in-waiting and chamberlains and the special salons.

The interior features lacquer, mother-of-pearl inlay, cloisonné work from Nagoya, brocade from Kyoto nishijin and other art. The doors, including even the hinges, are decorated with chrysanthemum patterns and the ceiling is decorated with gold patterns.

“These are important, special carriages that, at the dawn of an era, linked the technology passed down from the Edo period to the present,” said a curator in charge of the exhibition.

During the exhibition, the carriages are open to the public from 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM and from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM.