The 1783 Mount Asama Eruption and the Memory of Kambara Village
The central theme of the museum is the Tenmei Eruption of Mount Asama in 1783. The eruption triggered a massive debris avalanche that devastated Kambara Village.
The first-floor exhibition room uses excavated household objects, farming tools, ceramics, and other artifacts to introduce visitors to everyday life in an 18th-century Japanese village.
Understanding the Scale of the Disaster
One of the most striking exhibits is a large diorama showing the scale of the eruption and the area affected by the disaster. The model helps visitors visualize how enormous and destructive the volcanic event was.
A projection-mapping presentation also illustrates the progression of the eruption and explains the mechanisms of volcanic activity in an accessible way. These visual displays make the complex geological events easier to understand, even for visitors who are unfamiliar with volcanoes.
Remembering the People of Kambara
The museum also displays facial reconstruction models based on the remains of two people discovered during archaeological excavations beneath the buried stone staircase at Kambara Kannon-do.
These exhibits provide a more personal perspective on the disaster. Rather than presenting the eruption simply as a geological event, the museum encourages visitors to consider the relationship between natural disasters and human lives.
A History Stretching Back to the Jomon Period
The history of Tsumagoi extends far beyond the Edo period and the 1783 eruption.
Among the museum’s permanent exhibits are two spouted vessels from the Imai-Tōhira archaeological site, known as black polished spouted pottery. They date from the Jomon period, around 1500 BCE, and were designated Important Cultural Properties of Gunma Prefecture on March 28, 1997.
Rare Jomon Pottery
The two vessels form a large-and-small pair and are notable for their carefully polished surfaces, which were fired to produce a distinctive black appearance.
Their proportions also appear to follow a consistent relationship, with a ratio of approximately 1:1.4 between their dimensions and sizes.
It is rare to find pottery of this type, and the fact that the vessels were excavated in exceptionally complete condition, without requiring restoration, adds considerably to their archaeological importance.
These artifacts demonstrate that people had established communities in the Tsumagoi area thousands of years ago. They also provide evidence of connections and exchanges with the Shinshu region, present-day Nagano Prefecture.
The History of Agriculture and Highland Cabbage
The second floor introduces the history of agriculture in Tsumagoi, with a particular focus on the village’s best-known agricultural product: cabbage.
Tsumagoi is one of Japan’s major cabbage-producing areas. Its highland environment provides favorable growing conditions, including a cool climate, significant differences between daytime and nighttime temperatures, and well-drained volcanic soil containing volcanic ash.
From the Fields to the Market
Exhibits explain the process of growing cabbage, differences between varieties, and the steps involved in preparing the crop for shipment.
Models and illustrated panels make the displays accessible to both children and adults. The exhibits also demonstrate how local farmers have made effective use of the natural environment created by Mount Asama.
The story of Tsumagoi’s agriculture is therefore closely connected to the volcano. The same volcanic environment that has brought serious hazards to the region has also helped create fertile agricultural land and supported the development of local industry.
Audio-Visual Room and Video Exhibits
The museum’s audio-visual room regularly screens a DVD titled “Tenmei 3: The Asama Eruption”, with a running time of approximately 20 minutes.
The film explains the progress of the eruption, the damage caused by the disaster, and the subsequent reconstruction of the community.
The video is also suitable for educational and group visits. Watching the film before exploring the museum exhibits can provide useful background and make the historical displays easier to understand.
Panoramic Views From the Observation Room
The museum’s third-floor panoramic observation room is another highlight.
Large windows extending in three directions provide broad views of Mount Asama and Mount Shirane, allowing visitors to appreciate the expansive natural landscape of Tsumagoi.
Past and Present in a Single View
From the eastern balcony, visitors can look across the present-day Kambara settlement. The houses and landscape seen today stand above an area deeply affected by the 1783 disaster.
Looking from the museum toward the modern village and Mount Asama provides a powerful sense of how much has changed—and how much of the landscape remains connected to the past.
Visitor Information
The admission fee is 300 yen for adults and 150 yen for children. Group admission is 240 yen for adults and 120 yen for children, with group rates applying to parties of 30 or more.
The museum is generally closed on Wednesdays. When Wednesday is a public holiday, the following Thursday is used as the closing day. It is also closed during the New Year holiday from December 27 to January 4.
During July and August, however, the museum is open every day.
The museum is located at 494 Kambara, Tsumagoi Village, Agatsuma District, Gunma Prefecture.
Access
By Train and Bus
From Manza-Kazawaguchi Station on the JR Agatsuma Line, take a Seibu Kanko Bus bound for Karuizawa Station and get off at Kambara Kannon-do-mae. The museum is approximately a one-minute walk from the bus stop.
It can also be reached by the same bus service from Karuizawa Station, which is served by the Hokuriku Shinkansen and Shinano Railway.
By Car
By car, the museum is approximately 90 minutes from the Shibukawa-Ikaho Interchange on the Kan-Etsu Expressway, or approximately 60 minutes from the Usui-Karuizawa Interchange on the Joshin’etsu Expressway.
A Gateway Connecting Learning and Remembrance
Tsumagoi Local History Museum is more than a traditional museum. It preserves the history of a community that has lived with the power of Mount Asama for generations, while also introducing the archaeological, agricultural, and cultural heritage of Tsumagoi.
A visit is particularly meaningful when combined with Kambara Kannon-do next door and other nearby attractions associated with Mount Asama and the Asama Volcano North Foothills Geopark.
Discover Tsumagoi’s Story Beneath Mount Asama
From Jomon-period pottery and Edo-period household artifacts to dramatic exhibits about the 1783 eruption and displays explaining modern cabbage farming, the museum presents a broad picture of life in Tsumagoi.
By visiting the museum, travelers can discover how the same volcanic landscape has brought both natural hazards and valuable resources to the region, and how local people have adapted, rebuilt, and continued their lives beneath Mount Asama.