Kitakami City Museum

Kitakami City Museum displays natural history collections featuring mammals, birds, insects, and aquatic life across multiple exhibition spaces. The building also houses bronze dragon ornaments from the Heian Period and traces the development of the Kitakami Valley.

The facility opened in 1973 as an institution dedicated to preserving local history and heritage. Since its founding, it has documented the cultural and natural characteristics of the Kitakami region.

The museum highlights the Onikenbai dance, a thousand-year-old performance tradition from the Tohoku region shown in dedicated exhibits. Visitors encounter the artistic heritage that local communities continue to practice today.

The museum operates at multiple locations near Tenshoji Park, including the main building and a branch facility in the Waga area. Visitors should plan to explore exhibitions across these different sites.

The museum integrates with the Michinoku Folklore Village, where roughly three dozen preserved farmhouses from different periods can be explored. These historic buildings provide visitors with direct insight into traditional rural life of the region.

Location: Kitakami

Inception: 1973

Official opening: April 25, 1973

Operator: 北上市

Address: 岩手県北上市立花14-59

Website: https://city.kitakami.iwate.jp/life/soshikikarasagasu/hakubutsu

GPS coordinates: 39.27133,141.13044

Latest update: December 14, 2025 15:02