With Kitami's local identity fading these days following municipal mergers, I visited this museum for the first time, with its displays of the town's history and everyday life, nature, archaeological sites, and more. May 1 was its first opening day of the season. I checked in at the library and was the first visitor inside. It's a little cold inside, so at this time of year, even warm clothing would be appropriate. A tonden house from that era was relocated here, its interior recreated, and many donated items displayed. Comparing it with present-day Tanno was revealing and impressive. Onions may dominate now, but the history of settlement also seems to be a history of rice cultivation. There are many agricultural tools and photographs from the time, showing how things were used. There are archaeological finds as well as items from the Showa era, and if you look carefully, you could spend nearly 2 hours here. Portraits of tondenhei soldier-settlers are displayed with their names, settlement districts, and home prefectures. Seeing an acquaintance's ancestor was deeply moving. It's a facility I'd like people to visit about 1 time a year.

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They're open until 4 p.m. I trusted Google Maps and came at 4:20. So sad.

A local history museum opened in Showa 58, when Tanno was still an independent municipality. It has since merged with Kitami. The exhibits mainly show the settlement period led by the tondenhei soldier-settlers and materials related to pioneering. It's remarkable that address divisions are still called districts 1, 2, and 3 after the tondenhei villages. Portraits of the tondenhei and pioneers who arrived in Tanno as the first settlers are also displayed.

Tanno's history and ethnology museum. It wasn't open yet that day, so I couldn't tour inside. What a shame! Even this mailbox has such character, doesn't it? Next time I'll get the timing right and come back🤠

Admission ¥140

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