A Museum About Cars, People, and Mobility
Four Floors of Exhibitions
Humobility World is housed in a four-story building with a total floor area of approximately 2,900 square meters. The exhibition areas are located from the second floor upward, with each floor focusing on a different aspect of Daihatsu’s history, products, technology, and vision for mobility.
2nd Floor – The Origins of Daihatsu
The second floor focuses on “The Origins of Daihatsu.” In addition to the general information area, visitors can see products dating from the early Showa period, providing an introduction to the company’s early manufacturing history.
Special exhibitions are also held from time to time, offering visitors opportunities to discover different aspects of Daihatsu’s technology and automobile history.
3rd Floor – Daihatsu in Everyday Life
The third floor explores the theme “Always at the Heart of Everyday Life.” Exhibits trace Daihatsu’s products from the postwar period through to the present day, showing how automobiles have changed alongside Japanese lifestyles.
Another section, “Daihatsu’s Automobile Manufacturing Expanding Across Asia,” introduces the company’s international activities and development outside Japan. The displays provide a broader perspective on the growth of the automobile industry and the spread of Japanese automotive manufacturing around the world.
4th Floor – Future Technology and Mobility
The fourth floor focuses on the technologies and ideas shaping the future of mobility. Exhibits include the “Mira e:S Secret Theater” and displays introducing the technology and passion behind Daihatsu vehicles.
Videos, interactive equipment, and other hands-on displays make it possible to learn about automobile technology and safety in an accessible way. The exhibits are designed to appeal to both children and adults, making the museum an enjoyable destination for families as well as automobile enthusiasts.
Historic Daihatsu Vehicles
HD Three-Wheeled Vehicle
One of the museum’s historic vehicles is the HD three-wheeled vehicle, launched in 1931. It represents one of the foundations of Daihatsu’s manufacturing history and illustrates the technological innovation of Japan’s early automobile industry.
Daihatsu Midget
The Daihatsu Midget is one of the company’s best-known historic three-wheeled vehicles. Produced during the 1950s, it became closely associated with postwar Japanese streets and everyday life.
The Midget is also familiar to many people through its appearance in the popular Japanese film “Always: Sunset on Third Street”, which helped bring this distinctive vehicle back into the public spotlight.
Vehicles from Different Eras
The collection also includes vehicles representing later periods of Daihatsu’s history, including the Daihatsu Fellow from the 1960s, the Daihatsu Charade from the 1970s, and the Daihatsu Copen from the 2000s.
Seen together, these vehicles provide a fascinating visual timeline of how Japanese automobiles evolved in response to changing lifestyles, technology, and consumer needs.
Special Exhibitions
Humobility World also holds temporary exhibitions focusing on particular vehicles, technologies, and aspects of Daihatsu’s history.
1/5-Scale Model Car Exhibition
Held in December 2017, this exhibition featured Daihatsu vehicles recreated as highly detailed 1/5-scale models. The finely reproduced details offered visitors a different way to appreciate the design and engineering of Daihatsu automobiles.
Rally Car Exhibition
A Rally Car Exhibition was held in February 2019, showcasing rally vehicles developed by Daihatsu. The displays highlighted the performance, engineering, and technological capabilities required for competitive motorsport.
Visiting Humobility World
Opening Days and Hours
The museum is open to the general public on Saturdays. The morning session runs from 9:30 a.m. to noon, with final admission at 11:00 a.m. The afternoon session runs from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., with final admission at 4:00 p.m.
Admission is free. Groups of 10 or more people must make an advance reservation.
Guided Tours
Japanese-language guided tours are available with same-day registration. Tours begin at 10:30 a.m., 2:00 p.m., and 4:00 p.m., and each tour lasts approximately 45 minutes.
Accessibility
The museum is equipped with elevators, ramps, accessible restrooms, and a nursing room. Wheelchairs are also available to borrow with advance notice.
The museum is a non-smoking facility, and eating, drinking, and alcohol consumption are not permitted inside. Photography is allowed in the exhibition areas. Please note that general tours of the automobile factory are not offered as part of a museum visit.
Access
By Public Transportation
The nearest bus stop is Daihatsu Honsha-mae. Hankyu Bus services connect the area with Ishibashi-Handai-mae Station and Ikeda Station on the Hankyu railway network.
Kita-Itami Station on the JR Fukuchiyama Line is also nearby, at a straight-line distance of approximately 1 kilometer.
By Car
The nearest expressway interchange is the Chugoku-Ikeda Interchange on the Chugoku Expressway. Parking and bicycle parking are available for museum visitors, making the facility convenient to reach by car.
However, visitors should note that microbuses and sightseeing buses cannot be accommodated.
Discover How Cars Became Part of Everyday Life
Humobility World offers more than a collection of historic cars. Through vehicles, films, interactive exhibits, and technology displays, the museum tells the story of how Daihatsu’s products have developed alongside the changing lifestyles of people in Japan and beyond.
From a three-wheeled vehicle built in 1931 to compact cars and modern mobility technologies, the exhibits provide a fascinating look at more than a century of automotive development.
For visitors interested in Japanese automobile history, industrial technology, design, or the relationship between transportation and everyday life, Humobility World provides an engaging and accessible introduction to Daihatsu’s approach to mobility.