Omori Nori Museum

Once a thriving center for seaweed farming along the Tokyo Bay coast—including areas like Ota Ward—Omori played a major role in shaping seaweed production in Japan. Beginning in the mid-Edo period, its techniques were adopted nationwide. However, land reclamation along Tokyo Bay brought the era of local seaweed farming to a close in the spring of 1963. This museum was established to preserve and share the rich history and culture of Ota Ward’s seaweed industry.

Inside the museum, you’ll find approximately 150 tools and implements used in seaweed farming and processing, with over 1,500 items stored in total. Among them is the last surviving seaweed boat built in the 1950s, as well as a selection of 881 artifacts designated as Important Tangible Folk Cultural Properties by the Japanese government.
The museum also features a faithfully recreated nori tsuke-ba (seaweed sheet-making workspace) from that era, a special exhibition area, and a library where visitors can explore seaweed-related books and research materials.

From November to April—when fresh seaweed is harvested—visitors can participate in hands-on workshops to experience the traditional process of pressing raw seaweed into nori sheets (advance reservation required). This interactive activity is one of the museum's most popular attractions.