Police Museum

Overview

The Police Museum is located in Tome-machi, Tome City, Miyagi Prefecture. Following the upgrade from Sano Police Station Tome Branch to Tome Police Station in 1887 (Meiji 20), construction of a new station began, completed the following year in 1889 (Meiji 22). Designed and supervised by Kisaburo Yamazoe, who also worked on the former Tome Koto Jojyo Elementary School (current Education Museum), the building is exceptionally rare as a Meiji-era office building and was designated a prefectural cultural property in 1988 (Showa 63). Its structure is a two-story wooden building with clapboard siding, white paint, a gabled roof with tiles, and a projecting entrance with a second-floor balcony. The roof is a gable style with oni-gava (demon tiles) and forms a pediment. A gold police emblem shines on the white wall under the entrance roof, and the pillars are decorated with carved grooves and Ionic capitals. After the completion of the new Tome Police Station building in 1968 (Showa 43), the building ceased to function as a police station and was used by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. In 1986 (Showa 61), the Chamber relocated, and restoration work began. During this restoration, the foundation of the original detention cell was discovered, and it was recreated along with the main building, resulting in a rare Meiji-era detention cell, one of only a few in the country. The following year, in 1987 (Showa 62), it opened to the public as Japan's only "Police Museum," showcasing police-related materials. It's a precious facility offering a realistic experience of the era.