Museum • 3-chōme-8-20 Shinmachi, Takikawa, Hokkaido 073-0033, Japan
Takikawa City Local Museum is a small treasure chest that condenses the history and culture of Hokkaido. For the astonishing admission fee of just 150 yen, you can experience a journey back in time. Inside the building, which retains the atmosphere of the good old days, you can trace the trajectory of Takikawa's development up to the present.
On the first floor, the history of Hokkaido's pioneering days comes to life. The recreation of military settler houses and a Taisho era merchant house makes you feel like you're walking through an ancient town. It might be a bit dusty, but that adds to its charming ambiance.
When you go up to the second floor, displays make you feel like you’ve warped into the Showa period. There’s a documentation room of individuals who contributed to the region's development and a corner about “War and Takikawa,” providing a tangible sense of modern history. Particularly noteworthy is the display about the Takikawa Factory of the Synthetic Petroleum Corporation. It might be a bit niche but could offer some surprising discoveries.
The Ainu decorations, seemingly relegated to a corner, are actually valuable cultural heritage. Some even say it’s more interesting than the Upopoy National Ainu Museum. Additionally, the history of brothels in Takikawa, rarely talked about, is also traceable here.
Once bustling Belle Road Shopping Street. That liveliness is now just a shadow of its former self. However, Takikawa City Local Museum plays an important role in carefully preserving these town memories and passing them on to the next generation. Sometimes nostalgic, sometimes providing fresh surprises, this place is like a “time capsule.”
When you visit Takikawa, definitely enjoy a walk through Hokkaido’s history at this local museum. You’re sure to find new discoveries and be moved.