A small but very informative museum that offers an excellent introduction to the history of Akkeshi and eastern Hokkaido. My family and I visited as part of our Autumnal Equinox Day Road Trip, and it complemented our visits to nearby Kokutai-ji Temple and Akkeshi Shrine perfectly. The exhibits include archaeological artifacts, historical documents, and cultural materials that tell the story of the town's development over the centuries. I especially appreciated learning about Kokutai-ji Temple and seeing displays related to the nationally important Nikkanki. If you're interested in local history or want to better understand Akkeshi before exploring its historic sites, this museum is definitely worth a visit. Admission is free, and the staff were friendly and welcoming.

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A local history museum in front of 国泰寺 in 湾月, 厚岸町. It displayed materials about the history of 厚岸町, particularly many materials on the shrines and Buddhism of 厚岸, including 国泰寺 and 厚岸神社. Items such as 「日鑑記」 from the nationally designated Important Cultural Property 「蝦夷三官寺国泰寺関係資料」 are also displayed. You can also learn about the history of Wajin living here since the Edo period, before full-scale development began in Hokkaido. What particularly surprised me were the shells of oysters harvested in 厚岸 long ago. They are unbelievably huge! Apparently they were called 長ガキ and were many times the size of today's oysters. Just what you would expect from 厚岸, the oyster town. Admission is free, and I recommend visiting along with paying your respects at 国泰寺.

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