Uwa Rice Museum
About This Museum
Tucked away in the verdant hills of Ehime, the Uwa Rice Museum is a quiet love letter to Japan's most essential staple. It feels less like a formal institution and more like stepping into the region's collective memory, where the story of rice is told through the very tools that shaped it. You'll find yourself marveling at the sheer physicality of history here—the worn wooden handles of kibi-daoshi planting sticks, the intimidating silhouette of a massive traditional rice thresher. It’s a humble, deeply authentic space that connects you directly to the toil and tradition that built this community.
Collection Highlights
The heart of the museum is its array of well-used agricultural implements, from hand-forged sickles to elaborate seed-sorting sieves, each telling a silent story of pre-mechanized farming. Don't miss the detailed models and maps illustrating Uwa's unique terraced paddy fields, a testament to generations of landscape engineering.
Visitor Information
It's located right in Unomachi, making it an easy stop if you're exploring the old town streets. Just check their hours in advance as smaller local museums like this can sometimes have limited or seasonal opening times.
Architecture & Building
Housed in a refurbished traditional building with a classic Japanese tiled roof and dark wood exterior, it blends seamlessly into its historic surroundings.
