Sayama City Museum in Saitama Prefecture is presenting a spring special exhibition titled "A History of Sweets in Sayama — A City of Craftsmanship" (ものづくりの街さやま お菓子今昔物語). The exhibition traces the long relationship between sweets and the people of Sayama — from the wagashi (Japanese confectionery) shops that dotted the city during the Meiji era to the chain confectionery stores and major confectionery manufacturer factories that arrived during the Showa era. Drawing on the museum's own collection, the exhibition also provides an overview of ancient sweeteners such as amazurasen (甘葛煎) and the broader history of Japanese confectionery culture, alongside vintage packaging and novelties from well-known confectionery brands, materials related to chocolate, and behind-the-scenes stories from long-established local confectionery shops.
For full exhibition details, visit the official website: https://sayama-city-museum.com/exhibition/
Exhibition Details
Period: March 20, 2026 (Friday, national holiday) – May 17, 2026 (Sunday), 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (last entry 4:30 PM)
Venue: Sayama City Museum (1-23-1 Inariyama, Sayama City)
Admission:
- Adults: ¥400 (¥300 for groups of 20 or more)
- High school and university students: ¥300 (¥200 for groups of 20 or more)
- Middle school students and under: Free
※ Visitors presenting a disability certificate are admitted free along with one accompanying person.
Closed: May 11 (Monday)
Related Events
Sweets Quiz Rally
Visitors can take part in a quiz rally inside the museum and win a "Creators Glico" prize.
※ Available while supplies last.
Dates: April 25 (Saturday) – May 6 (Wednesday, national holiday), 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Venue: Sayama City Museum, Exhibition Room
Entry: Free (museum admission required)
Cooperation: Ezaki Glico Co., Ltd.
Participation: First come, first served on the day (ends when prizes run out)
Craft Workshop: Spring Mamai Experience Sessions
Sand art and exhibition-themed craft items are available to make.
Dates: May 2 (Saturday) – 6 (Wednesday, national holiday), 9 (Saturday), 10 (Sunday), 16 (Saturday), 17 (Sunday)
Time: ① 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM ② 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM
Fee: ¥300 – ¥500 (materials included)
Capacity: Numbered tickets distributed on the day, first come, first served; 30-minute rotation when crowded
International Museum Day: Free Admission on May 15
As part of the International Museum Day cooperative program, admission to Sayama City Museum on May 15, 2026 (Friday) is free.
Sayama City Museum Original Chocolate — Now on Sale
A limited-edition original chocolate has been created by Akutagawa Confectionery, whose factory is located in Sayama City. It is a richly flavored milk chocolate. The wrapper features a photo of the "Akebono Elephant" skeletal specimen on display in the exhibition room — exclusively available at this museum.
On sale at the reception desk and at the 1F café "Kome to Cha."
Price: ¥440 (tax included)
Inariyama Café: Kome to Cha (Rice and Tea)
Hours: 10:30 AM – 4:30 PM (last order 4:00 PM)
Lunch: 11:30 AM – 2:00 PM
Ancient Series (Exhibition-Limited Menu)
Waffle
¥650 / Drink set ¥1,000
Served with kinako (roasted soybean flour) and a syrup recreated from amazurasen — a sweetener said to have been cherished by Sei Shonagon — based on component analysis.
Shaved Ice
¥500
A chance to taste the sweets beloved by Heian aristocrats. Shaved ice topped with a recreated amazurasen syrup, described in The Pillow Book as "one of the most refined things" (あてなるもの).
Café details: https://sayama-city-museum.com/guide/?tab=3
Access
By Train or Bus
- Seibu Ikebukuro Line "Inariyama Koen Station," North Exit — 3 minutes on foot
- Seibu Shinjuku Line "Sayama-shi Station," West Exit — take Seibu Bus bound for "Inariyama Koen Station" to the final stop, then 3 minutes on foot
By Car
- 3 km (approx. 15 minutes) from Ken-O Expressway "Sayama-Hidaka IC"
- 6 km (approx. 20 minutes) from Kan-Etsu Expressway "Kawagoe IC"
- Parking available for 100 vehicles ※ Please use the adjacent park parking lot
Official website: https://sayama-city-museum.com/
