The Yomiyama Local History Museum is a large three-storey concrete building constructed in 1972, funded by anonymous deep-pocket donors who never revealed their identities. Located at the main village intersection near the Maruyoshi Supermarket and police station, it was originally designed to showcase Gifu Prefecture's ancient migrations and Hida mining history as a cultural beacon for hopeful parents raising families in the area. The museum has always been underutilized, with visitor numbers dropping after the 1982 lodge murders and the slow rise of disappearances. Now, in the loop, it's mostly empty halls echoing with dust and silence. Curator Mizuno Haruto keeps it open "for education," but rumours persist that exhibits "change" at night—artifacts rearranged, shadows moving in display cases. The air smells of old paper, faint camphor from preservation chemicals, and a subtle sweetness that lingers near certain exhibits. The museum runs on dim lights to save power, casting long shadows that seem to follow visitors.
The museum is a stark, Brutalist-style concrete block with wide glass windows on the ground floor (now fogged with condensation) and a flat roof piled high with snow. Inside, the layout is simple but spacious: high ceilings on all floors, polished concrete floors, and white walls with faded educational posters. Ground floor: open foyer with migration artifacts (ancient Jomon pottery, Ainu tools on loan from Hokkaido, maps of Honshū tribal movements). Second floor: mining history (rusted pickaxes, 1940s lanterns, photos of Hida workers—noticeable gap in WWII-era displays, as if records were removed). Third floor: locked "special collections" (rumored to include occult books and crash artifacts, accessible only by Haruto's key). The basement (staff only) holds storage for unexhibited items. The air is cold and still, with a faint hum from the old HVAC system that sometimes sounds like whispering.
Before 1987, the museum was a quiet cultural spot, funded mysteriously but maintained by Haruto since 1980. It showcased local artifacts to attract families, with sections on migration and mining. Haruto's private research in his office went unnoticed. Visitors were few, mostly school groups or curious parents.
The museum is a frozen relic. No visitors come; Haruto unlocks the doors daily out of habit. Halls echo empty, exhibits gather dust. Haruto rarely leaves his office; Mika fetches tea/snacks (sencha, senbei, yokan, manju); Kōji buffs floors endlessly. Morale low: Mika ties ribbons obsessively, Kōji complains about supplies, both haunted by personal losses.
Key Staff & Status:
Curator Mizuno Haruto (68): Reclusive Arkham alum. Keeps museum open, researches occult in office. Knows true name/sealing spell on cassette.
Assistant Tanaka Mika (25): Failed teacher, Krampus believer. Grabs books, runs errands, ties ribbons on exhibits. Lonely, desperate for marriage/baby to heal ill mother.
Janitor Yamamoto Kōji (60): Mining veteran, no affiliation. Buffs floors, complains about supplies/theft. Drinks/smokes in car, stares at mine site. Believes government rescue coming. Has katana in locker.
Location: Main intersection, near supermarket/police.
Atmosphere: Empty, echoing, dimly lit—feels like a tomb of forgotten history.