Stay Where Dazai Osamu Once Did: A Cultural Visit to the Historic Okutani Ryokan and Tappikan in Cape Tappi

Stay Where Dazai Osamu Once Did: A Cultural Visit to the Historic Okutani Ryokan and Tappikan in Cape Tappi

Former Okutani Ryokan

The former Okutani Ryokan, where famed novelist Dazai Osamu and woodblock artist Munakata Shikō once stayed, has been preserved and reopened as the Tappikan Tourist Information Center at Cape Tappi.

Inside, you’ll find displays on Aomori-born artist Munakata Shikō and many handwritten calligraphy boards and artworks left by famous visitors. Admission is free—and to my surprise, I was even gifted a tiny “kingyo nebuta” goldfish lantern as a souvenir. So thoughtful!

One of the highlights is a room where Dazai Osamu stayed with his friend “N-kun,” which is recreated just like it appeared in his novel *Tsugaru*. Sitting on the zabuton cushions and pretending to be Dazai made for a fun and surreal literary moment.

The former Okutani Ryokan was a long-established inn that welcomed artists and travelers from the early Showa era. Dazai’s stay is immortalized in his travel essay *Tsugaru*, making this a sacred spot for fans of Japanese literature.

Today, as “Tappikan,” the renovated building houses exhibits on both literary and artistic history—including Munakata Shikō's globally acclaimed prints. The inn’s beautiful wooden architecture also whispers stories of Cape Tappi’s rugged weather and the generations who sheltered within its walls.