What to do and see in Tohoku, Japan: The Best Specialty Museums

March 27, 2022 Darwin Bolte

The Tōhoku region (東北地方, Tōhoku-chihō), Northeast region, or Northeast Japan consists of the northeastern portion of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. This traditional region consists of six prefectures (ken): Akita, Aomori, Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi and Yamagata.
Restaurants in Tohoku

1. Tachineputa No Yakata

506-10 Omachi, Goshogawara 037-0063 Aomori Prefecture +81 173-38-3232 http://www.tachineputa.jp/
Excellent
67%
Good
28%
Satisfactory
5%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 239 reviews

Tachineputa No Yakata

Reviewed By nanamc - Adelaide, Australia

The Tachi-Neputa House is a museum that displays parade floats featured in the city's Neputa summer festival. These huge floats are 23 metres high and made of wire and rice paper. The workmanship of these floats is simply amazing and the museum's set up allows visitors to walk around to see the floats from all angles along the 3 floors. Well worth a visit!

2. Somaro

1-2-20 Hiyoshicho, Sakata 998-0037 Yamagata Prefecture +81 234-21-2310 http://www.somaro.net/
Excellent
48%
Good
33%
Satisfactory
17%
Poor
1%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 69 reviews

Somaro

Dating back over 200 years to the Edo Period, Somaro is a maiko teahouse and museum in the northern port city of Sakata. It is one of the very few places outside of Kyoto where geisha culture can be enjoyed. Originally called Soma-ya, Somaro's geisha culture was brought up to Northern Japan through the thriving trade ties that once existed between Kyoto and Sakata. During that time, Somaro served as an entertainment destination and exquisite restaurant for the many merchants and shipping agents who shuffled through this city. Beautifully restored in 2000, Somaro is a museum and maiko dance house that preserves and showcases the splendor of Sakata's geisha culture.

3. Ogashinzan Traditional Museum

97 Kitaurashinzan, Oga 010-0685 Akita Prefecture +81 185-33-3033 http://www.namahage.co.jp/namahagekan/denshokan.php
Excellent
66%
Good
30%
Satisfactory
5%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 155 reviews

Ogashinzan Traditional Museum

4. Toyoma Education Museum (Old Toyoma Elementary School)

2 Toyomamachi Teraike Sakurakoji, Tome 987-0702 Miyagi Prefecture +81 220-52-5566 http://miyagitabi.com/tome/kyouiku/
Excellent
38%
Good
53%
Satisfactory
9%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 32 reviews

Toyoma Education Museum (Old Toyoma Elementary School)

5. Yokote Masuda Manga Museum

285 Masudamachi Masuda, Yokote 019-0701 Akita Prefecture +81 182-45-5569 http://manga-museum.com/
Excellent
36%
Good
64%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 22 reviews

Yokote Masuda Manga Museum

Masuda Manja Art Museum is a museum exhibiting Japan's first manga original drawings. It is currently closed due to renovation work. It is scheduled to be opened as "Manga Art Museum" in April 2017 "Interview with original drawings". It will be renovated as a facility that will lead the Japanese manga culture, including autograph original paintings of over 180 people, autographed original drawings of "Magnificent Collection" that stores over 100,000 manga original drawings, manga library, manga cafe, etc.

6. Kakunodate Birch Textile Museum

10-1 Kakunodatemachi Omotemachi Shimocho, Semboku 014-0331 Akita Prefecture +81 187-54-1700 http://www.city.semboku.akita.jp/sightseeing/densyo/
Excellent
22%
Good
50%
Satisfactory
25%
Poor
3%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.0 based on 64 reviews

Kakunodate Birch Textile Museum

You can watch artists applying strips of cherry bark to vases, boxes and tea canisters, visit a small museum and see what cherry bark products the shop has to offer.

7. Shiroishi City Yajiro Kokeshi Village

72-1 Yajirokita, Fukuokayatsumiya, Shiroishi 989-0733 Miyagi Prefecture +81 224-26-3993 http://www.city.shiroishi.miyagi.jp/site/kanko/1481.html
Excellent
27%
Good
64%
Satisfactory
9%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.0 based on 11 reviews

Shiroishi City Yajiro Kokeshi Village

8. Namahage Museum

Mizukuisawa Kitaurashinzan, Oga 010-0685 Akita Prefecture +81 185-22-5050 http://www.namahage.co.jp/namahagekan/
Excellent
31%
Good
53%
Satisfactory
14%
Poor
1%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.0 based on 194 reviews

Namahage Museum

Reviewed By Seaview5

An excellent museum. Our guide had given us a translation of the dramatic re-enactment in store for us when we entered the house. We had to remove our shoes and those unable to sit on the floor were able to stand at the back. After this realistic presentation of the New Year’s Eve happenings in this part of Japan, we went into the main museum next door and, first of all, watched a short film showing a real occasion. The purpose of the visit from these ogres is meant to be educational but the look of terror on the faces of the children was, in our opinion, upsetting. Within the museum was a wide array of costumes and masks and, at the entrance, you could see a craftsman making a mask. Also on this beautiful site is a Shinzan Shrine, which is apparently a key aspect of the Namahage Sedo Festival.

9. Seikan Ferry Memorial Ship Hakkodamaru

1-112-15 Yanakawa, Aomori 038-0012 Aomori Prefecture +81 17-735-8150 http://aomori-hakkoudamaru.com/
Excellent
28%
Good
49%
Satisfactory
21%
Poor
2%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.0 based on 391 reviews

Seikan Ferry Memorial Ship Hakkodamaru

Reviewed By SGTGRW - Singapore, Singapore

It was a fabulous experience to see how this ferry was used to transport people and goods around the waters of Northern Japan.

10. Miyazawa Kenji Fairy Tales Village

26-19 Takamatsu, Hanamaki 025-0014 Iwate Prefecture +81 198-31-2211 https://www.kanko-hanamaki.ne.jp/spot/article.php?p=133
Excellent
33%
Good
38%
Satisfactory
26%
Poor
3%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.0 based on 123 reviews

Miyazawa Kenji Fairy Tales Village

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