Tono Municipal Museum

The Tono Municipal Museum (遠野市立博物館, Tono Shiritsu Hakubutsukan) is an excellent place to discover the rich cultural heritage and enduring legends of Tono. Through carefully curated exhibits, the museum explores the region’s folk traditions, seasonal customs, and daily rural life, offering insight into how the people of Tono have lived over the centuries. One section is dedicated to folklorist Yanagita Kunio, whose early 20th-century work was instrumental in collecting and preserving the area’s oral traditions—later published in his renowned book The Legends of Tono.

In addition to historical and ethnographic displays, the museum places special emphasis on Tono’s famous folklore, particularly its mythical creatures. A multimedia exhibit introduces visitors to the kappa, a mischievous water spirit that plays a central role in local legends. With its engaging blend of history, mythology, and regional culture, the Tono Municipal Museum gives visitors a deeper appreciation of what makes this rural town so uniquely fascinating.