In this paper, we describe an early Carboniferous (early Visean) brachiopod fauna from the middle part of the Arisu Formation in the type locality, Shimoarisu, South Kitakami Belt, northeastern Japan. The Shimoarisu fauna consists of 11 species in seven genera: Ovatia elongata, Rhipidomella michelini, Schizophoria resupinata, Sch. pinguis, Sch. woodi, Unispirifer striatoconvolutus, Unispirifer sp., Kitakamithyris hikoroitiensis, Syringothyris texta, S. platypleura and Pseudosyrinx jumonjiensis. The fauna is assigned to the early Visean. In terms of palaeobiogeography, the Shimoarisu fauna has an affinity with those of the brachiopod province that developed in present-day northwestern–northeastern China in the early Carboniferous. Therefore, South Kitakami, including the Shimoarisu area, was probably located near and to the east of North China in the early Visean.