Towada Between Art and City Traditions

Towada is especially interesting in its central area as a place for art and city traditions: a walkable art district sits alongside cultural venues and events with historical connections. This combination gives your trip more than one possible focus. You can take in outdoor art and architecture, explore commissioned works by internationally active artists, or learn about the history of water development and festival traditions. The themes you choose to focus on may also influence where you look for a holiday rental.

Art in the City Center and Distinctive Cultural Venues

Towada’s city center can be explored on foot as an art district. The starting point is the Towada Art Center, from which outdoor art and remarkable architecture are within reach. The Towada Art Center’s permanent exhibition consists of commissioned works by internationally active artists that can be seen at specific locations in Towada, including Yayoi Kusama and Ron Mueck. The art district thus brings together different perspectives: outdoor art and architecture as well as commissioned works in the permanent exhibition.

Kanchogai Street is another key address: it is one of Japan’s 100 Selected Streets. The Towada Regional Exchange Center (Towafuru) is located at the intersection of this street and Towada’s main shopping street. It has a gallery, multipurpose rooms, and a courtyard for art and cultural activities. Its exterior features the mural “光と遊ぶ石たち” (“Stones Playing with Light”) by Hiraku Suzuki. This means the city center brings together an art district, an award-winning street, and a cultural center with art on its facade.

Walking Event and Festival Tradition

The Inaoigawa Walk has been held since 2001. The walking event recalls the history of the Inaoigawa waterway and the development of the Sanbongi Plateau. It also honors the achievements of 新渡戸傳 and others. If you are interested in the history behind a landscape, this is an opportunity to combine exercise with historical themes.

The Towada Autumn Festival (“十和田市秋まつり”) offers a different historical connection. It originated as a harvest-prayer festival during the development of Sanbongihara at the end of the Edo period. The three-day event features festive parades, dances, splendid floats, and impressive taiko drum floats that make their way through the city streets. While the Inaoigawa Walk highlights the waterway and the development of the plateau, the festival focuses on festival traditions. Dates and program details may change; check them before your trip.

Getting There and Choosing the Right Focus

There are two bus options for getting to the Towada Art Center from Shichinohe-Towada: about half of the buses go directly to the art center, while the rest go to the city center. From there, the museum is about a ten-minute walk. This approximate breakdown is a helpful guide for planning; check current bus services before your trip, as routes may change.

When looking for a holiday rental, you can start by sorting out your interests: do you want to focus on the art district, include cultural venues in the city center, or plan your trip around an event? These different themes give you concrete points of reference for matching the location of your accommodation to your travel plans. Depending on your interests, you can discover Towada through public art, exhibition works, history, or festival traditions.

Discover more destinations: Hachinohe, Nishitsugaru District, Misawa, Hashikami, Mutsu, Kuroishi, Goshogawara, Akabonai

For the overarching travel overview: Aomori Prefecture.