Tanegashima Museums

Tanegashima Museums 種子島の博物館

• Pistol Museum
• Tanegashima Space Center
• Gessoutei
• Furuichi Family House
• Hirota Site Museum
• Nakatane Town Museum of History & Folklore
• Tanegashima Akagome Museum
• Minamitane Town Museum
• Accommodation
• Yakushima Museums
• Japan Museums

Tanegashima Space Center, Kagoshima Prefecture

The island of Tanegashima in Kagoshima Prefecture has a couple of standout, must-see museums. These are the Pistol Museum in the main port town and Tanegashima Space Center on the south east coast.

In addition, there are several other museums also worth a visit if you make it to this friendly island off the south coast of Kyushu. Many of them are free or cost little to enter.

Pistol Museum, Tanegashima, Kagoshima Prefecture

Pistol Museum

The Pistol Museum goes by a variety of names. It is referred to also as the "Gun Museum," or the "Firearms Museum." It is part of the Tanegashima Kaihatsu Sogo Center - Teppokan (たねがしまかいはつそうごうせんたー（てっぽうかん) in the main port town of Nishinoomote.

The museum is constructed in the shape of a 16th century European ship and displays not just exhibits relating to firearms but also displays on the history, culture and natural environment of Tanegashima Island.

Tanegashima Space Center

Tanegashima Space Center

The Tanegashima Space Center on the south east coast of Tanegashima is the island's major museum.

Tanegashima is the largest launch site for Japan's space agency JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency). The agency maintains a large rocket launching pad (Yoshinobu Launch Complex), a building for assembling satellites, mission control, tracking stations and other facilities here.

The museum, located south of the main launch site, tells the story of the development and achievements to date of Japan's impressive space industry and its related technology.

Akaogi Castle Cultural Museum Gessoutei

Akaogi Castle Cultural Museum Gessoutei

The Akaogi Castle Cultural Museum Gessoutei is a former samurai residence.

The house was constructed in 1795 by Michikiyo Habu (1768-1845) and was the home of his grandson Michinori Habu, who was a practitioner of the tea ceremony and flower arrangement (kado). The residence was inhabited until 2000 when ownership of the house and garden was transferred to Nishinoomote city.

Gessoutei is worth visiting for its distinctive samurai garden combining tropical vegetation and coral stones and the peaceful upper storey with tatami floor overlooking the garden.

For an extra 200 yen you can also be given a simple lesson in Japanese archery and fire five arrows at a target.

Furuichi Family House, Tanegashima, Kagoshima Prefecture

Furuichi Family House

The Furuichi Family House in the Nakatane district of Tanegashima is over 150 years old.

The house and garden was once the home of the village headman and his family and is designated as an Important Cultural Property. It was built near the end of the Edo Period in 1846.

The wooden building has been completely restored and renovated and gives an insight into the living styles of past generations.

Hirota Site Museum

The Hirota Site Museum (Hirota Ruins Museum), up the coast from the Space Center, is the excavated remains of a fairly large cemetery. The around 160 sets of human remains found here date from the Yayoi Period of Japanese history until about the 7th century.

Also excavated were tens of thousands of artifacts made from local shells. The museum, housed in a modern concrete building, has exhibits on life and death in the Yayoi Period including replicas of clothing, farming implements and housing. There are also movies and models recreating Yayoi times.

Nakatane Town Museum of History & Folklore

The Nakatane Town Museum of History & Folklore has exhibits of local agricultural, forestry and fishing tools in one exhibition room. Another holds a replica of a local house circa 1910-1930. The house has a jiro-no-ma, or room with a sunken hearth, a room with an earthen floor and a kitchen. There is also a dugout canoe on show. The museum is open 9 am - 5 pm; closed Monday and December 28 - January 4. Admission 160 yen for adults.

Tanegashima Akagome Museum, Tanegashima, Kagoshima Prefecture

Tanegashima Akagome Museum

The Tanegashima Akagome Museum is a short drive from the Space Center. On display are exhibits related to the cultivation of red rice on the island and the shrine rituals at Homan Shrine surrounding it. The museum is open 9 am - 5.30 pm; closed Wednesday and December 28 - January 4. Admission free.

Minamitane Town Museum

The Minamitane Town Museum has an eclectic collection including stones from the Yokomine Ruins, where steamed chicken was believed to have been cooked 30,000 years ago. Also on display is the last canoe used in the Nansei Islands, and materials donated by composer Yamamoto Naozumi. Yamamoto composed the theme song for the hit movie Otoko wa Tsuraiyo. The museum is open 9 am - 5 pm; closed Monday, the fourth Friday of each month and December 28 - January 4. Admission free.

Accommodation in Tanegashima

There is a range of available accommodation on Tanegashima from budget minshuku guest-houses to higher-end western style hotels. In Nishinoomote try the recommended Inomoto Honkan Inn (Tel: 0997 22 1100) which has several associated restaurants, the more upmarket Hotel Lexton Tanegashima, the budget Ryokan Miharusou or the three star Tanegashima Araki Hotel.

Elsewhere on Tanegashima are Zeus House, a guest house on the east coast, Minshuku Seiryukyo and the two star guest house Ebinoyu in Minamitane.

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