Kaizu City Historical and Folklore Museum

Kaizu City Historical and Folklore Museum

The Kaizu City Historical and Folklore Museum showcases the history and culture of Kaizu City with themes such as “Shell Mounds and Burial Mounds,” “Agriculture in Lowlands and Ring Levees,” and “The Takasu Domain.” The first floor features exhibits on the Jomon and Kofun periods of Kaizu, while the second floor focuses on the history and culture of the ring levees. The third floor includes a reconstructed section of the Takasu Domain’s Matsudaira residence.

Shell Mounds and Burial Mounds

The “Jomon Period of Kaizu” section introduces the two shell mound sites in Kaizu, the Niwada and Hazawa shell mounds. Although Gifu Prefecture is now landlocked, these shell mounds, along with shells, fish and animal bones, human bones, and pottery, indicate that the sea was once close by during the Jomon period.

Agriculture in Lowlands and Ring Levees

The first exhibition room explains the formation and history of the ring levees, river improvements, drainage issues, new land development, and flood control activities. The second exhibition room displays farming tools and household items used in the lowland agriculture of the ring levees, allowing visitors to compare them with modern agricultural practices. A large-scale model (1/4600) of the Takasu ring levee area shows the changes in the landscape from 1891 to the present, with video explanations.

The Takasu Domain

Matsudaira Yoshiyuki, the second son of Tokugawa Mitsutomo, moved half of his territory to Takasu and its surroundings in 1700, establishing the Takasu Domain, which lasted for 13 generations until the Meiji Restoration. Despite being a small domain with 30,000 koku, it produced many notable lords. Matsudaira Katamori of Aizu and Matsudaira Sadaaki of Kuwana, who were active in the late Edo period, were from the Takasu Domain. The third floor of the museum features a reconstructed section of the Matsudaira residence, including a Noh stage (available for public use) and a large hall.

Miniature Bronze Mirror Making Experience

Visitors can create miniature replicas of bronze mirrors from the Kofun period using low-melting-point alloys.
・Material Cost (per piece): 700 yen for wave-patterned mirrors, 600 yen for floral-patterned mirrors
・Time Required: About 45 to 60 minutes
・Reservations: Please check availability in advance by phone (reservations are prioritized)