This excellent three-story museum covers the history of Tokyo's neighboring Kanagawa region from prehistoric times to the present day. Themed exhibition areas are devoted to ancient archeological finds, medieval life under the Kamakura shogunate, commerce along the Koshu-Kaido and Tokaido highways, and the development of the port of Yokohama.

Numerous dioramas depicting scenes from daily life are scattered throughout the exhibit areas, which also feature old pottery, scroll paintings and suits of armor. The establishment of Yokohama's port area is illustrated with ship models, ukiyoe prints and old photographs. Some large-scale exhibit highlights include a wooden model of Odawara Castle Tower and a huge scale model of Kamakura's Engakuji Temple.

The last section of the permanent collection is devoted to traditional and folk culture, and it's accessed by ducking through a half-height doorway. Here you'll find everything from household goods and farm implements to decorative crafts and toys.

The museum coffee shop is relatively small, but the gift shop is well stocked with posters and notepads, cookies and curry pouches, paper ship models and old-fashioned stockings.