The Postcard Museum

A showcase of rare Japanese and international postcards from the Meiji, Taisho, and early Showa eras.

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If you’re looking for one of Kobe’s most unusual small museums, the Postcard Museum (絵葉書資料館 / Postcard Museum) is a hidden gem. It’s a rare museum with a permanent exhibition of Japanese and international postcards, centered on works from the late Meiji, Taisho, and early Showa periods, with special exhibitions held regularly.

The collection opens a window into a time when postcard culture flourished in Japan, especially after privately produced postcards were permitted in 1900. You’ll find postcards as miniature works of art, historical documents, and “silent witnesses” to changing landscapes, customs, and everyday life. The museum is small, highly specific, and especially rewarding if you enjoy print culture, design history, or vintage ephemera.

Opened in November 2004, the museum also includes reproduction postcards and related materials for visitors who want to take a little piece of postcard history home.

Quick info

Type: Specialty museum / Postcard history / Print & visual culture
Address: 1-7-20 Utashikiyama, Tarumi-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 655-0037, Japan
Hours: 11:00–17:00
Opening days: Reservation required / Tue, Thu, Fri (irregular closures incl. Obon and New Year holidays)
Reservation phone: 078-327-4680
Tel/Fax: 078-705-1512
Admission: Adults 500 yen (high school and above) / Children 400 yen (elementary & junior high)
Combo ticket: Postcard Museum + Kobe Doll Museum + Kobe Clock Design Museum available (Adults 1,300 yen / Children 1,000 yen; cannot be combined with other discounts)

What you’ll find

Permanent exhibits featuring Japanese hand-colored postcards, rare postcards, fine art postcards, woodblock-print-related cards, and more (500+ Japanese types, 300+ foreign types).
Special exhibitions held as needed, with rotating themes and featured materials.
Postcard History Corner and themed display corners including rare items, watermarks, and karakuri-related pieces.
Reference Corner with letter magazines, postcard literature, humorous newspapers, Tokyo Pack, and related print culture materials.
Sales corner with reproduction postcards, old postcards, art boards, antique postcards, and publications including “Hyogo Prefecture Edition: Time Travel through Postcards.”
Deep collection context: the museum’s broader collection includes over 50,000 postcards from Japan and abroad, plus ukiyo-e prints, large photographs, sugoroku posters, and more.

Getting there

The Postcard Museum is located in Tarumi Ward, Kobe, in the Utashikiyama area. Because visits are reservation-based, it’s best to confirm your booking and route in advance when planning your trip. For navigation, plug “Postcard Museum Kobe” or the full address into your maps app.

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Good to know

Reservation is required for visits (Tue/Thu/Fri opening days), so call ahead before going.
Not barrier-free: the building is not fully accessible, so plan accordingly if mobility access is a concern.
Ask reception about parking if arriving by car.
Great for design/history lovers: even if you’re not a postcard collector, the displays are a fascinating way to explore visual culture, printing, and everyday history.
Allow time for the sales corner if you enjoy printed ephemera—there are reproduction postcards and other collectible items to browse.