In Takayama, there are two retro museums. I have been to Showa Hall many times, and that museum is an amazing cluttered collection of items, artifacts, and common things from Japanese households and businesses from the Showa period (and slightly beyond). With the popularity of Showa Hall, another retro museum opened around 2019, titled the Hida Takayama Retro Museum.
The Retro Museum doesn't have as many open areas as Showa Hall, so it doesn't give the sense of an old neighborhood. But it does have some unique rooms. In the Retro Museum, in the recreated old style classroom, you are able to purchase a school lunch set typical of classrooms over 50 years prior. There is also a recreated living room, with lots of old video games and toys. There's a pachinko parlor. And there's an arcade. Although, the arcade is really sparse.
(Update 2025) Many of these ideas were taken back by Showa Hall. Showa Hall now has a more faithful video game room and a pachinko parlor. There's no arcade, but arcades are really Heisei period things, not Showa.
Looking through Google Maps, this location used to be a public path. So maybe when the bath went out of business, Showa Hall picked up the location for its extra items. I often see flyers with both places advertised.
Take a look through the photos below. :)
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