What can I see at Tono Furusato Mountain Village?

Preserved magariya (L-shaped farmhouses) with thatched roofs, traditional furnishings, working agricultural areas, farm animals including horses, and cultural demonstrations. The village recreates the historical farming communities described in "Tono Monogatari".

What hands-on activities are available?

Seasonal activities include rice planting, harvesting, and traditional crafts such as straw rope-making, weaving, and indigo dyeing. Activity fees apply separately from general admission.

How long should I spend at Tono Furusato Mountain Village?

Most visitors spend 2-3 hours exploring farmhouses, participating in activities, and experiencing cultural demonstrations. Allow additional time if participating in hands-on craft or farming experiences.

What other Tono folklore sites are nearby?

Tono City includes other folklore-related sites connected to "Tono Monogatari". Rental cars provide flexible access to explore multiple locations throughout the Tono region known for its folklore heritage.

Can I interact with the farm animals?

Yes. Farm animals including horses are kept on-site, reflecting the historical importance of horse breeding in Tono. Interaction opportunities depend on current operations.

Iwate

Tono Furusato Mountain Village

4.1 (813)Tourist AttractionMuseumPoint Of InterestEstablishment

Last updated Mar 10, 2026

Tono Furusato Mountain Village is a cultural facility in Tono City, Iwate Prefecture, preserving the traditional rural lifestyle and folklore heritage of the Tono region. The facility recreates historical Tono farming communities recognized through Kunio Yanagita's work "Tono Monogatari" (The Legends of Tono), published in 1910. This collection documented oral traditions including stories of kappa (water spirits), zashiki-warashi (household spirits), and oshira-sama (silkworm deities). The village preserves traditional magariya (L-shaped farmhouses) that housed families and horses under one roof.

The village preserves Tono's rural heritage and folklore traditions through relocated and reconstructed historical farmhouses. The magariya structures demonstrate how farmers and horses coexisted, with L-shaped design providing functional separation while maintaining warmth. The village maintains traditional farming practices, seasonal activities, and craft demonstrations. The connection to Tono Monogatari provides literary and anthropological significance in Japanese folklore studies.

Visitors explore preserved magariya farmhouses with interior layouts, traditional furnishings, thatched roofs, and earthen floors. Working agricultural areas cultivate traditional crops using historical methods. Seasonal activities include hands-on participation in rice planting, harvesting, and crafts such as straw rope-making, weaving, and indigo dyeing.

A restaurant serves local Tono cuisine. Farm animals including horses are kept on-site. Walking paths connect buildings and activity areas. Cultural demonstrations and storytelling sessions introduce Tono folklore and Tono Monogatari traditions.

Access from Tono Station on the JR Kamaishi Line, approximately 20 minutes by taxi or local bus. From Tokyo, take Tohoku Shinkansen to Shin-Hanamaki Station (about 3 hours), transfer to JR Kamaishi Line (roughly 1 hour). From Morioka, take JR Kamaishi Line (approximately 90 minutes). Rental cars provide flexible access. Admission 550 yen for adults, 330 yen for children.

Hours

Sunday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Monday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Thursday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Saturday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Phone

+81 198-64-2300

Website

www.tono-furusato.jp

Overview

Address

Japan, 〒028-0661 Iwate, Tōno City, Tsukimoushichō Kamitsukimoushi, 4 Chiwari−５−８９−１

Frequently Asked Questions

Traveler reviews

Tono Furusato Village is a village with thatched roof houses. It’s a beautiful place for photo shooting. You can spend 2-3 hours there, very relaxing. You need to bring food to eat because the restaurant was closed yesterday. Not sure it is closed on Sunday or no service. . We took JR from Ichinoseki to Shin-Hanamarki. Then from Shin-Hanamarki to Tono. There is a bus to the village on the right hand side of the Tono Station. The fare is 200 yen. But remember to check the bus schedule before you go. (You can check the bus schedules at Tono Furusato Village website)

Winnie Tong

Apr 19, 2026

A peaceful and green place to relax and get acquainted with history of local folk. Also a lot of local fauna ata this place. Toilets available at each 50 meters 😁.

I had such a fun time here! It's basically a bunch of old Japanese farmhouses that they gathered into one place surrounded by beautiful trees and nature. However, each house had a person attending it, stoking the fires and willing to help you out if there was any hands-on experience you could try. The interiors also had different traditional items on display so even if each house seemed similar they all had their different charm, making each one worth popping into. My favorite were the ones that had the horses in them too. It's one thing to hear and read about how the people used to share their homes with horses but it was so special to be able to see actual horses and get a better feel for what it may have been like back when people actually lived there. In the entrance there is a restaurant, gift shop, and some bathrooms. While there are provisions available to make the entrance house wheelchair accessible, once you get into the park itself it is nothing but uneven dirt/gravel paths and and steep steps to get into the houses.

A cute open air museum where you can walk through a bunch of traditional Japanese houses. On our visit we got to to even see some horses! Definitely worth a stop and especially if you have kids, they had so much fun running around.

The tour guide was amazing! Even though she was a volunteer she told us many cool details and stories of the place. What a fantastic tour!