An aquarium where you can learn everything you need to know about salmon – from the ecology and the history to the food culture. The number of different types of salmonid exhibits is the largest in Japan. In the aquarium connected to the Shibetsu River, it is possible to observe the state of the salmon in each season, with fry swimming in shoals from February to June, salmon swimming upstream in September and October, and spawning activities in November.

An outdoor museum comprising three areas: the nationally designated Ichani Karikarius site; the nationally designated natural monument, Shibetsu Marsh; and the pioneer village and history & folklore museum. A replica of the Shibetsu Banya folding screen is exhibited in the Visitor Center. From the sight of the prehistoric sites at which the remnants of countless pit dwellings remain, it is possible to sense the breath of the people who lived on this land.

An exhibition of materials related to Russia’s first envoy to Japan, Adam Laxman’s visit to Nemuro, as well as other materials related to Russo-Japanese diplomatic history from the Edo to Meiji periods, including the border stone placed in Karafuto (currently Sakhalin). In addition, the museum also boasts a Hokkaido-designated tangible cultural property clay figure (latter part of the Jomon period), precious Okhotsk-culture-period archaeological materials, and an abundance of materials regarding the region’s nature.

A hub for information related to the nature and history of Japan’s largest sand spit, Notsuke Peninsula. The crockery unearthed from the remains of the Notsuke Tsukoya site (stopover lodgings), which existed during the Edo period, tells of how the region was once a gateway to Kunashiri Island and the world beyond. If visited in conjunction with the Kaga Family Archives, the Notsuke history can be understood in a more real way.

A collection and exhibition of ancient documents related to the Kaga family, which was originally from Ishikawa prefecture but worked in the Kushiro/Nemuro region for five generations. Many of the documents relate to a 3rd generation Kaga, Denzo (1804–’74) who interpreted the Ainu language for over 50 years and interacted with Matsuura Takeshiro, with pictures and records from which much can be learned about the lives of the Ainu at the time.

Located in the town of Rausu, the museum conveys – through artifacts excavated from prehistoric sites from the Okhotsk and Tobinitai cultures – the unique history and culture of the town, where northern peoples have been coming and going since the prehistoric age. In particular, numerous wooden products excavated from the Matsunori River North Shore site – an important cultural property of Japan – provide a precious chance to learn about the living conditions of the Okhotsk people, who were maritime traders.