[Nagoya] Learning about manufacturing culture from Toyota's history

2025.08.19

This time, we will introduce the Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology, a recommended tourist spot near HOTEL RESOL NAGOYA. At this museum, you can learn about the history of Toyota, which has its roots in Nagoya, from its birth to the present day through enjoyable, hands-on exhibits.

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• Table of Contents
• Toyota Motor Corporation began as a factory in Nagoya, which was involved in the textile industry.
• The inherited "spirit of research and creativity" gives birth to Japan's automobile industry
• Don't miss the souvenirs that will let you take home the excitement
• summary

When traveling abroad, you're sure to come across Toyota Motor Corporation. The birthplace of Japan's automotive industry, which is a source of pride not only in Japan but around the world, is located here in Aichi . When you think of Toyota Motor Corporation, you probably imagine its headquarters in Toyota City , Aichi Prefecture , but in fact, Toyota's story as a global company began at a textile factory in Nagoya City, where the Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology is located. Both are key industries that supported the development of modern Japan, and we visited the Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology, a popular place where you can experience the evolution of automotive technology, which continues to evolve even today.

The Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology, which is based around the Textile Machinery Pavilion and the Automobile Pavilion and has a variety of exhibits and experience corners, is visited by many foreign visitors tourists. In Aichi, where the culture of manufacturing is deeply rooted, this place conveys the "spirit of research and creativity" and the importance of "manufacturing," making it a must-see spot for getting to know Aichi and Nagoya.

Toyota Motor Corporation began as a factory in Nagoya, which was involved in the textile industry.

At the Textile Machinery Museum, you can observe a demonstration of spinning, which was practiced during the Edo period, with commentary provided. You can actually see the process of turning cotton into thread and understand the properties of cotton.

In fact, even now that mechanization has been implemented, the same process is still used, so the basic principles of spinning remain the same. In the Edo period, one person could only spin one thread, but as mechanization progressed, the number of machines that one person could operate increased, and the amount that could be produced increased - it is an impressive process. Spinning machines are full of ingenuity and ideas down to the smallest details, and the spirit of inquiry and passion behind them is truly moving.

One of the most eye-catching exhibits in the Textile Machinery Museum is the "Toyota-type Wooden Hand-Powered Loom." This hand-powered loom was invented by Toyota Toyoda, founder of the Toyota Group, at the age of 23. Its ingenious design, using hands and feet to create cloth, is truly impressive. This loom was the first to be patented, and subsequent iterations of the loom contributed significantly to the industrialization of the weaving industry. The exhibit vividly conveys Toyoda's passion for constantly striving for improvement, as he sought to increase the amount of production that one person could produce while also finding ways to prevent defective products.

The inherited "spirit of research and creativity" gives birth to Japan's automobile industry

Carrying on the spirit of Sakichi, the founder of the Toyota Group, Toyota expanded its scope of operations from the textile industry to the automobile industry.

Kiichiro, Sakichi's eldest son and founder of Toyota Motor Corporation, was confident in casting due to his experience in textile machinery manufacturing, and began full-scale automobile manufacturing in 1933. After repeated prototyping and research, Toyota's first engine was completed, and the first prototype body was actually made from hand-hammered sheet metal. The first prototype A1 passenger car was completed in 1935, and three years later, mass production and sales systems were put in place.

Toyota's first truck was also completed, but due to the short time between completion and release, there were many breakdowns. However, Kiichiro rushed to the site to troubleshoot every time a breakdown occurred, which later led to the development of Toyota's "customer first" culture.

Initially, this required skilled craftsmen, but through repeated improvements and innovations, production volume increased. In this corner, a life-size exhibit shows the evolution of the production process from the 1980s, when the company began developing its own robots, to the present day. You will be overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the exhibits, and your eyes will stop in your tracks as you watch the machines' uniform movements.

Don't miss the souvenirs that will let you take home the excitement

The history of the birth of the Toyota Group, which fostered Japan's manufacturing culture, is very deep, and you can learn about it at your leisure by visiting this memorial museum.

The fabric woven during demonstrations at the Textile Machinery Museum is processed into products such as pouches and sold in the museum shop. They are popular with foreign visitors tourists as they can be purchased in large quantities at reasonable prices.

The most popular souvenir is the "Kurumania Maple Butter Cookies," which are packaged with illustrations of Toyota's classic cars. At the "Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology," you can learn about Toyota's history and get some cute souvenirs. I was able to feel the "spirit of research and creation" that has been passed down through the generations.

Store name: Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology

Phone number: 052-551-6115

Address: 4-1-35 Nishi Ward, Nishi-ku, Nagoya City, 451-0051

Access: 3 minutes walk from Sakae Station on the Nagoya

Official website: https://www.tcmit.org/

*For details on opening hours and closing days, please check the link above.

summary

This time we introduced tourist spots around HOTEL RESOL NAGOYA. The Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology offers guided tours and demonstrations in both Japanese and English every day. If you're in Nagoya, be sure to stop by.

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