Akarenga Red Brick Folk Museum

A rich repository of Akita's finest art and trade works

Por Dale A. Brown

Community writer

Akita City’s Akarenga Red Brick Folk Museum is home to the finest trade and art works the city has to offer. Once the central branch office of Akita Bank, built in the early 20th century, the building was renovated and repurposed as a museum dedicated to the fine art work and trade works of the city. The museum highlights works of famous local tradesmen like Sekiya Shiro, renowned for his fine metalwork, and Katsuhira Tokushi, known for his wood block prints. Throughout the museum you can find rooms that exhibit early history of Akita City, the amazing fine trade skills that Akita has grown to be known, as well as a nice collection of classic and contemporary art from famous local artists. The museum has audio and video guides in some of the exhibit halls as well as vintage photographs from back when the bank was first built. The Akarenga Red Brick Folk Museum is now a repository for art and traditional trade goods of Akita City. The museum can be accessed via city bus and is located near the Omachi and Kawabata entertainment districts. Admissions to the museum is reasonable and is included in the "Kururin" Pass that gives you access to a variety of sites throughout Akita City for a small flat fee.