Photo of the month - May 2019 Historical towns and districts in Japan

It prospered as the castle town of the Satake family in the early Edo period in 1620, and the cityscape where its descendants lived is preserved. The photo shows the samurai residence district, but the city is formed as one with the adjoining merchant's district.

Photo and comments by Mr Hiroshi Ito

Access: 25min. walk from JR Kakunodate station

Inoh Tadataka who has created a first map of Japan, used to live in this town in the Edo period. Sawara prospers by using water transportation, shipping using the Ono River flowing through the center of the city. It is called the Little Kyoto of Kanto region or the small Edo of Chiba.

Photo and comments by Mr Tatsuo Idezawa

Access: 10min. walk from JR Sawara station

Its often described as a Japan's landscape in the original state. Shirakawago village is famous for its their thatched roofed buildings: the Gasho-zukuri farmhouses. It’s registered as a World Heritage Site in 1995. Due to heavy snowfall areas, the roof has a steep slope so that the snow on the roof can fall off easily, and the rooms on the second floor and above are used as an attic room. In addition, as for the direction of the house, to be able to sun hits evenly on the roof, the roof is inclined in the east-west direction.

Photo and comments by Mr Hiroshi Ito

Access: 50min. by bus from Takayama

Facing the Sea of Japan, Otaru City, which prospered as a trading port since the Meiji period, was connected by an inland canal and developed as a maritime city. Therefore, warehouses are lined up along the canal, and historic landmarks such as a building of former Otaru Branch of the Yasuda Bank remain as it is.

Photo and comments by Mr Hiroshi Ito

Access: 8min. walk from JR Otaru station

Higashi Chaya District is located in Kanazawa city, ‘Chaya’ literally means ‘tea house’ where traditional Geisha and Maiko entertain guests by dancing and playing traditional instruments from the Edo period. It is called Hokuriku's Little Kyoto, and it’s designated as historic building preservation districts. The streets are lined with lattice-windowed two-story tea houses, cafes and souvenir shops.

Photo and comments by Mr Hiroshi Ito

Access: 10min. by taxi from JR Kanazawa or local bus from various sightseeing spots

Chiran Samurai Residence Complex called as Satsuma's Little Kyoto. A low stone wall and hedges of residences are built in a curved narrow passage, and in the castle of Satsuma, it is called the outer castle (Tojo), and it makes the district like a fort for the purpose of fortification.

Photo and comments by Mr Hiroshi Ito

Access: 80min. by local bus from JR Kagoshima Chuo station bus stop

In 1617 Kamei family enters Tsuwano Castle and flourishes as a castle town of 11 generations. Officially, it was a field of 43,000 koku (the amount of rice that could be harvested in his own domain), but due to the feudal lord's education and industrial promotion policy, it prospered to a field of 150,000 koku. A group of samurai residences where the vassal lived is preserved as Tonomachi. A community is formed together with the adjacent merchant district.

Photo and comments by Mr Hiroshi Ito

Access: 10min. walk from JR Tsuwano station

The Tokyo Station Marunouchi Building was restored in 2014, and then the station square was newly designed, and its completed in December 2017.

Photo and comments by Mr Hiroshi Ito

Tokyo Sky Tree, which rises extremely high among the buildings of the city, is became one of the modern Tokyo landmarks.

Photo and comments by Mr Hiroshi Ito

Night view from the rooftop of Roppongi Hills tells about the development and prosperity of the city, following the Tokyo’s new symbol of Tokyo Tower, Tokyo Gate Bridge and Rainbow Bridge.

Photo and comments by Mr Hiroshi Ito

The boat tour offers visitors a chance to admire the beautiful townscape of Bikan Historical Quarter from a small boat along the Kurashiki River

Photo and comments by Hiroyoshi Kawana

Photo and comments by Hiroyoshi Kawana

Townscape along the Kurashiki River

Photo and comments by Hiroyoshi Kawana

Photo and comments by Hiroyoshi Kawana

Photo and comments by Hiroyoshi Kawana

Photo and comments by Hiroyoshi Kawana

This east-west street on the southern edge of Tsurugata-yama, Honmachi and Higashimachi Street lined with renovated restaurants, galleries, and souvenir shop.

Photo and comments by Hiroyoshi Kawana

Photo and comments by Hiroyoshi Kawana

Photo and comments by Hiroyoshi Kawana

Photo and comments by Hiroyoshi Kawana

Photo and comments by Hiroyoshi Kawana

Photo and comments by Hiroyoshi Kawana

Roof view of the scenic Bikan Quarter from Mt. Tsurugata

Photo and comments by Hiroyoshi Kawana

Former Ohara family residence. It has been designated as an important cultural property by the national government and it’s located at the end of the Kurashiki River. You can visit for a fee.

Photo and comments by Hiroyoshi Kawana

Photo and comments by Hiroyoshi Kawana

“Yurinso”, a villa of former Ohara family

Photo and comments by Hiroyoshi Kawana

Photo and comments by Hiroyoshi Kawana

Photo and comments by Hiroyoshi Kawana

Kurashiki River and Yurinso Villa at night

Photo and comments by Hiroyoshi Kawana

Ohara Museum. Nighttime Scenic Lighting

Photo and comments by Hiroyoshi Kawana

Former Kurashiki town hall. Now it’s converted into Tourist Information Centre.

Photo and comments by Hiroyoshi Kawana

Laneways are lined with white walls and Namako-kabe walls

Photo and comments by Hiroyoshi Kawana

Photo and comments by Hiroyoshi Kawana

Tourist enjoys townscape with rickshaw ride

Photo and comments by Hiroyoshi Kawana

Tourist can rent a Kimono or Yukata (summer cotton kimono) and stroll around the town. Hair styling matching to Kimono is also available.

Photo and comments by Hiroyoshi Kawana

Photo and comments by Hiroyoshi Kawana

Photo and comments by Hiroyoshi Kawana