[Lemonkai Social Welfare Corporation] Nara Toy Museum Exceeds Annual Target of 50,000 Visitors Image
URL: Social Welfare Corporation Lemon Association Press release: August 28, 2025 Nara Toy Museum exceeds annual target of 50,000 visitors Achieved just five months after opening, a commemorative ceremony was held
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commemorative ceremony, filled with smiles The 50,000th visitor was a family from Hyogo Prefecture. “This was my first time visiting the museum, and I was surprised by the large number of authentic wooden toys. We took a commemorative photo with our family in front of the large Suzaku Gate, modeled after the Heijo-kyo Gate. I was impressed by the museum’s interior, which was even more meticulously crafted than it appeared on the website,” they said. During the ceremony, a huge cheer erupted when the paper lantern was popped. As a
commemorative gift for the 50,000th visitor, we presented them with “Ki no Tamago” (wooden eggs) that exude the aroma of cypress, as well as some original sweets that are popular souvenirs. Afterwards, Director Maeda Hidetaka (Maeda Mr. Hidetaka expressed his gratitude and future aspirations, saying, “Many people from all over the Kansai region have visited the museum, and in just five months since we opened, we have exceeded our annual visitor target of 50,000 people. We are truly grateful. We are currently working with Misato Town and other surrounding cities and towns to promote tourism projects that link the museum to historical heritage sites. We will continue to implement various initiatives so that people can experience the charm of wood up close. We will also focus on training toy curators, creating an opportunity where people of all ages can be active, and striving to make the experience at our museum even more fulfilling.”
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/84175/59/84175-59-a0d178e69d7c9c0bf611e26ed7e9fa4a-3900×2600.jpg In addition, to commemorate this milestone, we received congratulatory messages from Shinichiro Kitani, Mayor of Misato Town, the town’s founder, and Chihiro Tada, Chairperson of the Art and Play Creation Association, a specified NPO that is part of the Misato Town Wood Education Promotion Inclusive Base Development Consortium, a group of five companies, including the social welfare corporation Lemon-kai, that formed the opening. Mayor Kitani commented, “FSS35 will serve as a base for an inclusive town where everyone can play an active role throughout their lives, toward the realization of the SDGs’ ideal of ‘a society where no one is left behind.’ I look forward to your continued support of the Nara Toy Museum, which is the core of this area.” Chairman Tada offered a powerful message of encouragement: “The expectations of neighboring cities and towns across the country, the enthusiasm of over 250 toy curators, and the efforts of staff and those receiving employment support have all borne fruit. Together with our colleagues at 14 toy museums across the country, we wholeheartedly support the efforts of Kansai’s leading toy museum as it strives to become an inclusive museum!” Visitor trends and background The Nara Toy Museum launched with great interest, selling out all 450 advance tickets on the first day of opening. Thanks to increased visitor demand during long holidays like spring break, Golden Week, and summer vacation, as well as media coverage and information dissemination via social media, the museum surpassed its target number of 25,000 visitors by June. Visitor numbers have been growing each month, far exceeding the target. Currently, we have approximately 200 visitors on weekdays and approximately 600 on weekends and holidays. This number increases even more during the summer vacation period, with an average of approximately 9,100 visitors per month.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/84175/59/84175-59-099d63ee264810c6cf415e4062847dca-997×615.png Visitor Trend Graph from March to August 2025 Used by a wide range of organizations across multiple generations In the approximately five months since its opening, a total of 68 organizations have used the facility. Of these, more than half are nursery schools and
kindergartens, primarily for infants and young children, while approximately 13% are organizations that operate welfare services for people with disabilities. Furthermore, the use of these facilities by a wide range of multi-generational groups is expanding, including senior citizens’ clubs and government inspection tours from other prefectures.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/84175/59/84175-59-a05feaa0b25e40957bc222c0211813cb-600×371.png Breakdown of user organizations from March to August 2025 Working with the Community to Achieve an Inclusive Future The Nara Toy Museum is a public-private collaborative project created through a partnership between the social welfare corporation Lemonkai and Misato Town, with the cooperation of the Tokyo Toy Museum and the NPO Art and Play Creation Association. Aiming to both revitalize the local community and support child-rearing, the museum has been a popular destination for many people since its opening. This hands-on facility is themed around “wood education,” where everyone, from small children to the elderly, can play and learn together through high-quality wooden toys. The museum’s volunteer “toy curators” range in age from their 20s to over 70s and come from Misato Town, neighboring areas, and even other prefectures. The facility also provides employment support for people with disabilities. Our museum will continue to serve as a hub for revitalizing the local community and create opportunities for everyone to thrive, regardless of age, nationality, gender, or disability. [Nara Toy Museum Overview]
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/84175/59/84175-59-d78d9bfa33cec7dc965921d32f67a11d-3900×2600.jpg Nara Toy Museum Exterior Nara Toy Museum Address: 3-12-7 Tachinokita, Misato-cho, Ikoma-gun, Nara Prefecture Opening hours: 10:00 – 16:00 Closed: Thursdays Website: https://toymuseum.lemonkai.or.jp/ Lemonkai Social Welfare Corporation We operate childcare facilities such as Raymond Nursery School and Lemon’s Child Nursery School, as well as English language programs and after-school clubs. Under the motto “Beyond What?,” we aim to create an environment that encourages independent, interactive, and in-depth learning for both children and adults. We also operate disability welfare services, providing child development support, employment support, and group homes. And to realize our group vision of “social inclusion,” we will utilize the site of a former university in Nara Prefecture to open “Social Inclusion Village,” a comprehensive education and welfare community, in 2023. It is based on the concept of “Work, learn, play, and live here. A society where everyone can thrive.” We operate a total of 91 facilities (110 services) in 12 prefectures and are working to solve social issues. We aim to create new social value through our business and build a society where many people can join hands. Corporate Name: Lemonkai Social Welfare Corporation Representative: Chairman Maeda Kotaro Corporate Headquarters: 240 Furuwada, Kinokawa City, Wakayama Prefecture Headquarters: Wakayama, Tokyo, Osaka, Nara Established: February 2007 Number of Employees: 1,920 (as of April 2025) Website: https://global.lemonkai.or.jp/ Business Description: – Raymond Children (designated management of licensed nurseries, certified child care centers, and public nurseries) ・Lemon no Ko Kindergarten (small-scale nursery school) ・Kid’s & More (corporate-run nursery schools, preschools, after-school programs, and unlicensed childcare facilities) ・Raymond After-School Club (after-school children’s club) ・Lemonade Kids (Child Development Support) ・LIIMO (Employment Transition Support) ・Raymond BK, Raymond Market, Raymond Management (Continued Employment Support) ・Raymond House (assisted living) ・Social Inclusion Village Management ・Raymond Gakuen Nara School (wide-area correspondence high school) ・Raymond College (employment transition support, life training) ・Nara Toy Museum (designated management business) ・Inkuru Restaurant, Toy Museum Cafe (food and beverage) ・Designated management of children’s centers ・Training acceptance business ・Real estate rental business
