Yakumo Town Museum
Woodcarving Bear Museum

MAP No.72 [Yakumo Town Museum Woodcarving Bear Museum]

At this museum, you can see a Kaparamip garment (reproduction) worn by the leader of the Otoshibe Ainu, Benkai Takojiro (known as Ikasipa), tools used by the Ainu people, and other items. In addition, the Yakumo area is introduced through three main themes: “History and Culture”, “Development and Everyday Life”, and “Industry”, and focusing on the Owari-Tokugawa family’s development of Yu-rap, exhibits include Yakumo-yaki pottery made in around 1907, and mining materials dating from 1862 indicating the method of blasting rocks with gunpowder, which was taught in Japan for the first time by the American geologists William Blake and Raphael Pumpelly. Furthermore, as Yakumo is the birthplace of Hokkaido’s carved wooden bears, the museum displays a collection of carved bears from Yakumo, including “No. 1.” the first prototype to be carved in Hokkaido, as well as carved bears from other regions of the island, numbering around 200 in total.

Open Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Admission Fee: Free
Closed Days: Every Monday, National Holidays, Period from Dec. 29 to Jan. 5
Address & Telephone: Suehiro-cho 154, Yakumo-cho, Futami-gun, Hokkaido 049-3112
Tel.: 0137-63-3131
(The above is a switchboard number for the Board of Education. When connected, please ask for “Yakumo Town Museum” or “Line 231”. There is no direct telephone number.)
Parking: Parking space for 12 vehicles (No dedicated parking area for buses, but possible to park)
Homepage: Yakumo Town Web Site Yakumo Town Museum