Cars and clothes at the Toyota museum

Toyota has been such a successful and dominant automobile manufacturer that not many outside Japan realise that it started out supplying textile machinery.

“Daddy, what do you mean Toyota makes clothes?” Pangzi asked in disbelief.

That’s when a visit to the Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology in Nagoya would help clarify a few things.

Or so I foolishly thought.

“But daddy, I want to go to the Toyota museum to see cars, not clothes.”

“There’s only textile machinery at the Toyota museum… not clothes,” I explained.

He still didn’t get it, and worse, issued an ultimatum:

“I’ll only go with you if you let me see my cars!”

“Alright, all yours after you tour the textile section with me,” I lied.

And I’ll make sure there’s no time for that.

The Toyota museum can be easily located on foot once you get out of the Sako Station on the Nagoya Line. Not a bad idea to check it out if you’re in the city.

The textile section is what you’ll go through first upon entry, and takes up a good half of the Toyota museum floor area.

Pangzi got bored in no time, and demanded to move on to the automobile section.

I looked at my watch – plenty of time to see a few cars and return to see textile. Then continue with my shopping the rest of the day.

Or so I foolishly thought.

The Technoland section had to spoil it all.

Pangzi thought he found car heaven.

Technoland is the crowd puller of the Toyota museum with enough tech gadgets and games to occupy little ones for hours on end.

Some of the games are so elaborate you’d think you’re in some Japanese variety game show.

I can’t remember what time we left the Toyota museum, but I certainly didn’t do much else that day.

We were here: