Akita City Folk Arts Center (Neburinagashi-Kan)

The Neburinagashi-Kan lets you experience the energy of Akita's famous Kanto Festival year-round, without having to time your visit for the real event in August. The museum displays full-size kanto poles hung with dozens of paper lanterns and explains the history behind this gravity-defying balancing act. Interactive exhibits let you try lifting a smaller kanto yourself, which is harder than it looks. The building also covers broader Akita folk traditions, including the eerie Namahage masked demon rituals from the Oga Peninsula.