My first visit to Tottori Prefecture was several years back. I was enthusiastic to see the Tottori Sand Dunes and the Sand Dunes Museum, but we had a fairly empty schedule in the afternoon. We chanced upon a wonderful toy museum - the Warabekan - near the place we stopped at for lunch, and it's still one of the most enjoyable museum experiences I've had in Japan.
The museum was opened back in 1995 and spans three floors. The first floor is dedicated to children's songs and nursery rhymes, and the second and third floors are packed with toys, toys, and more toys. It's interesting seeing the evolution of toys that children have played with over the years, from simple pieces like spinning tops through to more modern inspired pieces - you'll even see things like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and retro game boys on display! Whilst some of the toys are behind glass cabinets, there are a host of them that guests can play with.
If you're an international visitor, bring your passport with you when you stop by. They offer a 50% admission discount on presentation of a foreign passport, meaning that instead of the usual 500 yen adult admission fee you'll only pay 250 yen.
