Two museums at Karuizawa's Museum Park are currently hosting special exhibitions: the Karuizawa Picture Book Forest Museum's 2026 summer exhibition centered on Peter Rabbit™, and the Erzgebirge Toy Museum Karuizawa's spring/summer exhibition of German dolls, now in its later phase with an expanded lineup of Nutcracker figures.
Karuizawa Picture Book Forest Museum: "Peter Rabbit™ and Friends — Tales of Cats and Mice, and Sometimes a Frog"
The Tale of Peter Rabbit is read around the world, and a closer look at its illustrations reveals lesser-known details and discoveries. Throughout 2026, the Karuizawa Picture Book Forest Museum is introducing the full 23-book Peter Rabbit™ series across spring, summer, and autumn/winter exhibitions.
This summer's theme centers on cats, mice, and frogs. The exhibition takes a close look at works where Potter's humor comes through, including her early work The Tale of Two Bad Mice, The Tale of Samuel Whiskers — with its striking dough-rolling scene — and The Tale of Tom Kitten, as well as The Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher, with its cool, refreshing scenery.
The exhibition also sheds light on the lesser-known side of author Beatrix Potter herself, drawing on the collection and materials of Shinichi Yoshida, Japan's leading Potter scholar, to explore episodes from her creative process and her life.
About Peter Rabbit™
Peter Rabbit™ is the main character of The Tale of Peter Rabbit, written by Beatrix Potter™ and loved around the world. Set on a farm in England's Lake District, the story was first self-published in an edition of 250 copies in 1901; the following year, in October 1902, a fully colored edition was published by Frederick Warne & Co. It became a bestseller with more than 50,000 copies sold within two years, growing into a picture book series featuring many characters.
The series has since been translated into 48 languages across 110 countries, with total sales exceeding 250 million copies worldwide. Peter Rabbit™ and his humorous friends have been loved by people around the world for more than a century, and the Lake District, the setting of the stories, was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2017. 2026 marks the 160th anniversary of Potter's birth.
Erzgebirge Toy Museum Karuizawa: "Various German Dolls" Spring/Summer Exhibition (Latter Half)
King's Nutcracker / Seiffener Volkskunst eG
Germany's Erzgebirge region is known as a center of wooden toy craftsmanship, and its signature toys include the Nutcracker and the pipe-smoking figure, each built with a distinctive mechanism and design.
Karuizawa's Erzgebirge Toy Museum spring/summer exhibition focuses on German dolls centered on the Erzgebirge region. The latter half of the exhibition brings a change in lineup from the first half, with more Nutcracker figures now on display — from the classic red-soldier design to variations in unexpected colors and motifs.
Beyond Erzgebirge's wooden toys, the exhibition also introduces a wide range of German puppets and stuffed dolls. Visitors can see dolls from workshops that trace Germany's doll-making history, including Waldorf dolls made according to the ideas of German educator Rudolf Steiner; the finely crafted dolls are said to take on different expressions depending on how the viewer feels.
Among the puppets, a large feature is devoted to those from Barleben, whose defining trait is that, unlike puppets made mainly for stage and theatrical use, they are designed for communication with their owner. With limited production runs and availability, visitors can immerse themselves in the appeal of these rare puppets.
The exhibition also includes a world of miniature wood carvings made using Erzgebirge craftsmanship. It's an opportunity to experience the many forms that German doll culture can take.
Exhibition Details
Karuizawa Picture Book Forest Museum
- Exhibition: Peter and the Tale of Cats and Mice, and Sometimes a Frog
- Period: Now through October 19 (Mon), 2026
- Venue: Karuizawa Picture Book Forest Museum, Exhibition Halls 2 and 3
- Admission: Adults ¥1,000 / Junior & senior high school students ¥700 / Elementary school students ¥500 / Preschool children free
Erzgebirge Toy Museum Karuizawa
- Exhibition: Various German Dolls — Spring/Summer Exhibition (Latter Half)
- Period: Now through October 5 (Mon), 2026
- Venue: Erzgebirge Toy Museum Karuizawa, exhibition hall
- Admission: Adults ¥800 / Junior & senior high school students ¥550 / Elementary school students ¥400 / Preschool children free
Both Museums
- Hours: 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM (May to October); last entry 30 minutes before closing
- Closed: Tuesdays (open daily July through September)
- Combined ticket for both museums: Adults ¥1,500 / Junior & senior high school students ¥1,000 / Elementary school students ¥700 / Preschool children free
More information: Exhibition website
