Shinjo Furusato History Center is a cultural museum in Shinjo City, Yamagata Prefecture, dedicated to the region’s history, traditional culture, festivals, folk customs, and art. Through historical materials and carefully arranged exhibits, visitors can learn about the lives of people who have lived in Shinjo and the unique culture that developed in this snowy region of northern Japan.
One of the highlights is a collection of two actual floats used in the Shinjo Festival, a traditional festival with approximately 260 years of history. The museum also presents archaeological discoveries, historical materials related to the former Shinjo Domain, and everyday tools that illustrate how people adapted to life in a heavy-snow environment.
The center also introduces works by artists associated with Shinjo, including Mineishi Okuyama, a Living National Treasure and master of Japanese metalwork, and Zenjiro Chikaoka, a renowned Western-style painter. As a result, the museum offers much more than a history exhibition, allowing visitors to explore the artistic heritage of the region as well.
The Festival Hall is one of the museum’s main attractions. Here, visitors can see floats from the Shinjo Festival, which is registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Two floats that previously received the festival’s highest award are displayed inside the museum. One is based on a scene from kabuki, the traditional Japanese theater, while the other depicts a dramatic story. Their elaborate decorations, detailed figures, and impressive craftsmanship offer a close-up look at the artistry behind the festival.
In addition to the floats themselves, the museum features panels and videos introducing floats that have won top awards in previous festivals. These exhibits provide an easy-to-understand introduction to the development of the Shinjo Festival and the tradition of float-making.
Other exhibits include a diorama of the former castle site, decorative figures created by traditional Noh-mask and figure craftsmen, and award-winning posters from a Japanese traditional festival poster competition.
The Snow Country Folk Museum explores the everyday lives and traditions of people who have lived in Shinjo’s snowy environment for generations. The collection is divided into six exhibition rooms and includes approximately 10,000 agricultural implements, craftsmen’s tools, straw products, and household objects.
Many of the objects on display were actually used in everyday life. They offer a fascinating glimpse into the practical knowledge and ingenuity that people developed to live comfortably and work efficiently in a region where heavy snowfall has long been part of daily life.
This room focuses mainly on tools used for agricultural work. It also includes recreated interiors of a farmhouse and a shop from the 1940s and 1950s, helping visitors visualize what everyday life was like during that period.
This room displays tools once used by local craftsmen, together with objects and toys that children used for play. The exhibits provide an interesting look at both working life and childhood in the traditional community.
Various household items used in everyday life are displayed here. These objects provide an intimate look at domestic life before modern appliances and conveniences became widespread.
This room focuses on objects related to food preparation, cooking, and dining. The exhibits reveal practical techniques and knowledge that developed alongside local food culture.
This room features traditional items made from straw, including mino, traditional straw rain and snow protection, and waragutsu, handmade straw footwear.
These objects demonstrate how people developed practical solutions for coping with the region’s severe winter conditions and heavy snowfall.
This room contains furniture such as traditional chests from old family homes, as well as objects from schools, including an old organ. These everyday items provide insight into family life and education in earlier generations.
Traditional folktale storytelling sessions are held every Sunday from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Visitors can listen to local stories and legends passed down through generations, presented by storytellers in an engaging and entertaining style.
The museum also has a Special Memorial Exhibition Room for Shinjo’s honored citizens. It introduces the achievements and artistic works of two notable people associated with the city: Mineishi Okuyama, a Living National Treasure, and Zenjiro Chikaoka, a distinguished Western-style painter.
Mineishi Okuyama was born in Shinjo and became one of Japan’s leading artists in traditional metalworking. The memorial room displays some of his representative works, together with the tools he used and videos explaining his creative techniques and production process.
Okuyama was recognized as a Living National Treasure at the age of 58. He was particularly skilled in sophisticated metalworking techniques such as uchikomi-zogan and kiribame-zogan, which involve intricate inlay work. His finely crafted silver vessels demonstrate both exceptional technical skill and a refined sense of beauty.
Zenjiro Chikaoka was a Western-style painter from Shinjo who is also known for creating the original design for the stained-glass artwork at Sendai Station.
The memorial room features mainly his oil paintings and watercolors. The theme of the exhibition changes several times a year, allowing visitors to encounter different aspects of his work. His subjects include Western architecture, mother-and-child figures, and landscapes and scenes inspired by life in snowy regions.
The History and Folk Culture Museum introduces archaeological discoveries and historical materials connected with Shinjo and the former Shinjo Domain. Exhibits cover the region’s development from ancient times through the medieval and early modern periods.
A major part of the collection consists of materials associated with the Tozawa family, the lords of the Shinjo Domain. These exhibits help visitors understand how Shinjo developed over the centuries and how its distinctive regional culture and traditions were formed.
Higashiyama Ware is a traditional type of pottery from Shinjo that is believed to have originated in 1842. The museum preserves and displays examples of this local ceramic tradition.
Works by the first through third generations of Higashiyama potters have been designated as Shinjo City Tangible Folk Cultural Properties. The collection offers an opportunity to appreciate both the history of local pottery production and the techniques passed down from one generation to the next.
Inmyoji kites are traditional illustrated kites said to have been created in the early Meiji period by Inmyoji Yuzo, a former samurai of the Shinjo Domain.
The tradition was revived after the original woodblocks used to print the kite designs were discovered around 1965. The kites have since been recreated and passed down as an important example of local folk culture closely connected with the region’s history and everyday life.
The Shinjo Furusato History Center offers a comprehensive introduction to the culture of Shinjo through its spectacular festival floats, traditional folk objects, history of the former Shinjo Domain, and artworks by artists connected with the city.
It is an interesting destination not only for visitors interested in Japanese festivals and traditional culture, but also for those who want to learn about regional history, traditional crafts, art, and everyday life in a snowy part of Japan.
For travelers exploring Shinjo, a visit to the center provides a chance to experience four important aspects of local heritage in one place: festivals, daily life, history, and art.