You can delve into the world of Takashi Yanase’s multitude of work
The Takashi Yanase Memorial Hall is a place dedicated to the famed creator of Anpanman located in his hometown of Kahoku in Kochi Prefecture (now known as a part of Kami City). Surrounded by lush green nature, you can freely enjoy yourself in facilities such as the Anpanman Museum where anyone from kids to grownups can appreciate the exhibits with the heart of a child, the Poem & Marchen Gallery which brings together the illustrations for the front covers on Yanase’s magazine “Poem & Marchen”, the Annex which holds special exhibitions once or twice a year, and the Takashi Yanase Memorial Park where you can see the popular characters from “Anpanman” and a stone statue of the Yanase Bunny which is a character based on the creator himself. Some 5 minutes’ drive from the museum, you will come across the final resting place of Yanase who passed away at the age of 94 in 2013.
Anpanman Museum enjoyed by children and adults alike
The Anpanman Museum consists of 1 underground floor and 4 above ground floors and an atrium style entrance hall which goes all the way up to the 3rd floor. In the underground Anpanman World, there is a diorama creation of a miniaturized version of Anpanman’s town. In the Takashi Yanase Gallery on the 4th floor, there are tableaux sketches and valuable picture book illustrations on display that were created specifically for the museum.
Ride the Anpanman train and bus
Between Takamatsu and Kochi and between Tokushima and Awa-Ikeda, there is an Anpanman train operated by JR Shikoku, along with an Anpanman bus which operates from Tosa-Yamada Station to the museum.