Nagisa Museum, Tateyama

The Nagisa Museum opened as a branch of the Tateyama City Municipal Museum on February 5, 2011, within the Nagisa no Eki Tateyama waterfront complex. This facility was built where the former Chiba Prefectural Awa Museum once stood, transformed in 2009 into an interactive tourist station along Tateyama Port. The museum preserves and presents the maritime heritage of the Boso Peninsula, documenting centuries of fishing traditions that shaped life along this southern stretch of Chiba Prefecture's coastline.

The museum's collection includes 2,144 items designated as important tangible folk cultural properties of Japan, focusing primarily on fishing-related artifacts from the Boso Peninsula. A particularly notable exhibit features Maiwai, celebratory kimono jackets distributed to fishermen by company owners after exceptional catches, which have been designated as cultural assets of Chiba Prefecture. The first floor displays whaling materials, traditional wooden boats constructed using nearly extinct Japanese shipbuilding methods, and full-sized fishing vessels alongside their tools. The second floor houses special exhibitions and introduces traditional crafts from the Awa region, with dioramas illustrating various fishing techniques and recreations of fishermen's living quarters.

Visitors can explore the museum's cultural displays and view artifacts that demonstrate the evolution of local fishing practices. The collection includes a display of the world's largest sea turtle species, the leatherback turtle, along with whaling equipment. The adjacent facility features the Sakana-kun Gallery, showcasing works by the famous marine life illustrator who serves as Tateyama's hometown ambassador and honorary station master. An observation deck on the upper floor provides panoramic views across Tateyama Bay, and the 500-meter-long Tanabe Sunset Pier extends into the water, offering views of Mount Fuji on clear days.

The museum offers free admission and is located approximately 10 minutes on foot from JR Tateyama Station West Entrance. By car, the facility is about 15 minutes from Tomiura Interchange on the Futtu Tateyama Douro, with free parking available including spaces for buses. The museum is closed on the last Monday of each month. The Nagisa no Eki complex also houses a seafood market, restaurant serving local cuisine, and bicycle rental services for exploring the coastal region.