Otaru Music Box Museum — Nostalgic Melodies

**Antique collection:** The second floor displays 19th-century European music boxes — Swiss cylinder boxes (1850s-1900s) with intricate mechanisms, German automata (moving figures), and American disc-playing music boxes. The craftsmanship and engineering are remarkable — pre-electricity mechanical entertainment. English descriptions are limited but the visual/audio experience is self-explanatory. **Custom music box workshop:** The DIY workshop (¥1,500-3,000) allows selecting a music box mechanism (100+ melody choices: classical, Disney, anime, J-pop) and decorative case (glass, wood, ceramic). Assembly takes 30-60 minutes. The museum staff assists with installation. The finished music box is a unique souvenir — personal and functional. Popular melodies: 'My Neighbor Totoro,' 'Edelweiss,' 'Canon in D.' **Steam clock:** Outside the main museum (intersection of Sakaimachi Street) stands a steam-powered clock that whistles and releases steam every 15 minutes. Built in 1977 (inspired by Canadian steam clocks), it's a popular photo spot — arrive at :00, :15, :30, :45 for the steam show. **Sakaimachi Street:** The museum anchors Sakaimachi Street (堺町通り), a preserved historic shopping street with glassware shops (Kitaichi Glass), cafes, and souvenir stores in Meiji-era buildings. The street is one of Otaru's main attractions — budget 1-2 hours for combined music box museum + street exploration.