Hakodate Jōmon Culture Center

The Hakodate Jomon Culture Center is a history museum located in Hakodate, Hokkaido, Japan, that opened on October 1, 2011. Dedicated to the Jomon period, which lasted for over 10,000 years, the institution focuses on the history and culture of the ancient Jomon people, particularly in the Minamikayabe area of Hakodate. The center is notable for housing the only National Treasure in Hokkaido, a hollow clay figurine known as the Chuku-Dogu, or Hollow Dogu, excavated from the Chobonaino Site. Situated within the Michi no Eki Jomon Roman Minamikayabe, it holds the distinction of being the only roadside station in Japan to contain a museum with a National Treasure.

The center opened its doors on October 1, 2011, alongside the adjacent roadside station. Its establishment serves to preserve and present the extensive Jomon heritage of the Minamikayabe region. In 2016, the facility's architectural and functional design was recognized with the 15th Excellent Public Building Award. The museum also plays a role in broader heritage initiatives, as it contextualizes local artifacts within the push for UNESCO World Heritage designation for Jomon ruins distributed across Hokkaido and northern Tohoku, including Hakodate's Ofune Ruins.

The museum's collection centers on the lifeways, technologies, and spiritual practices of the Jomon people. It displays approximately 1,200 pieces of earthenware and stoneware excavated from sites in Hakodate, alongside bone tools and accessories. The exhibits highlight the Jomon reliance on hunting, fishing, and gathering, and showcase items used for barter, including lacquerware, asphalt, and jade. Beyond daily survival tools, the collection addresses the spiritual aspects of the culture and its belief in regeneration and circulation, featuring structures such as vertical cave housing and storage pits, as well as artifacts like a clay tablet with the impression of infant footprints.

The most significant artifact in the collection is the Hollow Dogu, a hollow clay figurine excavated from the Chobonaino Site. Created approximately 3,500 years ago, it was designated a National Treasure in 2007, marking the first time an artifact in Hokkaido received this distinction. It is also recognized as the largest hollow clay figurine excavated in Japan. The museum refers to this celebrated artifact by the nickname Kakku.

The building is characterized by a 200-meter curved wall that serves as a barrier between the adjacent road and the Kakinoshima archaeological site. The spatial layout connects the entrance, situated at road level, continuously to the exhibition rooms located at the level of the archaeological site. The exhibition spaces are positioned within a thermal buffer zone that stabilizes the interior environment. Both the exterior and interior utilize exposed concrete, and the curved surfaces were achieved by fixing cedar planks of varying thicknesses and widths onto a regular 600 mm formwork, transferring the wood's texture directly to the concrete.

The museum is located at 551-1 Usujiri-cho, Hakodate. It is accessible by car, situated roughly 40 minutes from Hakodate Airport and 60 minutes from JR Hakodate Station, with 33 free parking spaces available. Operating hours are 9:00 to 17:00 from April to October, and 9:00 to 16:30 from November to March. The museum is closed on Mondays, the last Friday of each month, and during the year-end and New Year holidays. General admission is 300 yen for adults and 150 yen for students, with discounts for groups of 20 or more, senior citizens aged 65 and older residing in Hakodate, and persons with disabilities. Elementary and junior high school students living in or attending school in Hakodate are admitted free of charge, as are preschoolers. Visitors can also participate in hands-on activities such as magatama-making and angin-knitting.