Bengaluru: Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) has expanded its footprint in India beyond automobiles with the launch of the Toyota Experiential Museum (TEM), its first lifestyle- and culture-driven experience centre in the country. Located inside the Phoenix Mall of Asia, the museum marks a shift away from conventional car showrooms by offering an immersive, design-centric journey rooted in Japanese philosophy and Toyota’s global design narrative.
Spread across 8,200 sq. ft., the museum serves as an interactive storytelling space rather than a sales-oriented outlet. According to the company, the facility is intended to deepen brand engagement through sensory art, cultural symbolism and curated design experiences.
Immersive layout inspired by India–Japan cultural parallels
Toyota has structured the entire space as a guided experiential journey. At the entrance, visitors encounter a large-format visual installation showcasing seasonal transitions common to India and Japan—summer, monsoon, spring and autumn.
Using projection mapping, reflective surfaces and dynamic lighting, the installation explores nature, balance and the cyclical perception of time in both cultures. The display sets the tone for the museum’s narrative theme: the intersection of culture, emotion and design.
Collaboration with DRUM TAO for sensory storytelling
The journey then moves into a dedicated audio-visual chamber created in collaboration with DRUM TAO, a globally acclaimed Japanese performance ensemble. This section melds high-impact percussion with immersive visual sequences to represent rhythm, motion and harmony—concepts that Toyota emphasises as intrinsic to its design language.
According to Toyota, this segment is not merely a performance but a sensory expression of precision and movement, meant to reflect how the brand interprets energy and flow in its vehicles.
Car-as-art installation becomes key highlight
One of the centrepieces of TEM is a sculptural installation featuring a Toyota vehicle positioned within a flowing water curtain and draped satin formations. Enhanced with controlled lighting, mist effects and slow-motion fabric movement, the installation presents the car as a work of art rather than a mechanical product.
By focusing on reflection, surface transitions and form, Toyota aims to highlight the artistic and aesthetic aspects of vehicle design.
Lifestyle merchandise zone with Indo-Japanese influence
Unlike typical automotive merchandise counters, the museum features a curated lifestyle zone showcasing objects inspired by minimalistic Japanese craftsmanship blended with Indian cultural motifs. This includes design-driven accessories and limited-edition collectibles.
Toyota says the idea is to extend the brand’s design ethos into everyday lifestyle objects, emphasising simplicity, balance and craftsmanship.
Matcha Corner blends Japanese tradition with Indian flavours
The experience concludes at a Matcha Corner, which offers Japanese matcha beverages reinterpreted with Indian-inspired flavours. The standout item is a mango-infused matcha drink, designed to represent the fusion of both cultures through taste.
Visitors can pre-book slots through the official TEM India website or via BookMyShow. The museum is located at Unit G-22, Upper Ground Floor, Phoenix Mall of Asia, Bengaluru.
Toyota aims to redefine engagement beyond mobility
Commenting on the launch, Tadashi Asazuma, Deputy Managing Director, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said:
“At Toyota, our vision of creating ‘Happier Paths Together’ goes beyond mobility — it is about inspiring experiences that connect people, cultures and emotions. With TEM, we hope to offer a truly unique experience that embodies this spirit.”
The museum represents Toyota’s broader strategy to integrate culture, design and brand identity, offering visitors an alternative way to understand its philosophy beyond the showroom floor.