Enchanting
May 2019
We absolutely loved this place. Not that easy to get to, unless you happen to be on Mt. Rokko already. Train, bus, cable car, and another bus. Of course, they all work and feed into each other almost effortlessly but it still takes a couple of hours to get there from Osaka or Kobe.
The museum itself has a rather limited collection of music boxes and a more impressive collection of large musical instruments that play themselves. The highlight, though, and main attraction for us, was the concert, or performance, of the instruments, that was happening just as we got there. We rushed to the second floor and were immediately enchanted by the lovely sounds of self-playing instruments from another century. The room was packed and equally enthralled. As a birthday boy that month, I was even allowed to turn the handle on one of them. All too soon the performance was over.
The crowd thinned, but there was another, different, performance in 15 minutes. We spent the interval examining some of the instruments up close (no touching!). Another concert, fewer people this time. Another pause for us to have an up-close look, another concert. And so it went on all afternoon. We wished they were open later.
There is a garden, a pretty one, with outdoor music boxes and an over-priced but cute cafe. There was an extensive gift shop, where you could evn order your own music box, made on site. But the concerts were clearly the main event.
We loved it. They had to throw us out.
Stephenbkk20156
November 24, 2019
心洗われるムットーニの世界
六甲ロープウェイで気軽に山に登り、寒風に追われて駆け込んだのがこちらの施設でした。館内では、アンティークオルゴールの展示と、オルゴールコンサートが行われていて、思いのほかコンサートが素晴らしく、とても良い時間を過ごすことができました。コンサートは30分ごとに開催され、席は予約制でしたが空いていれば入ることができたので、私達は第１回目と第２回目を観覧しました。講演内容はいずれもムットーニの作品２点と館所蔵の作品１点で、１回目と２回目では異なる作品でした。ムットーニ作品は、オルゴールの優しい音色とともにからくりが展開し、煌めく光が神秘的で心が洗われるようでした。館所蔵作品はどちらも自動演奏器で、体に振動を感じるほどの迫力でした。これらは実物を前にしなければ決して体験できるものではありません。私も同行者もオルゴールにさほど興味があるわけではなかったのですが、その世界観にすっかり魅了されてしまい清らかな心で館を後にしました。
