Narai
While many of Japan's historic buildings and districts have been lost in fires, wars and due to city redevelopment, some cities and towns have managed to preserve a street block or whole district of traditional buildings. The list below introduces some of Japan's best preserved historic city districts and towns:
Former Samurai Districts:
Many Japanese cities, including Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya, have developed as castle towns, where the local feudal lord resided in the centrally located castle, and his retainers, the samurai, lived in the districts surrounding the castle.
The highest social caste during the Edo Period, the samurai were allowed to construct elaborate residences with earthen walls and elegant homes. Among the best preserved former samurai districts are the ones of Kakunodate, Hagi and Kanazawa:
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Kakunodate
Former Samurai District
A beautifully preserved samurai district with several former samurai mansions open to the public. Kakunodate's samurai district is famous for its many weeping cherry trees.
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Kanazawa
Nagamachi
Narrow lanes and old mansions are preserved in Nagamachi, Kanazawa's former samurai district. Kanazawa used to be the capital of the Edo Period's second wealthiest feudal domain.
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Hagi
Jokamachi
A few lanes, lined by the white walls and wooden gates of former samurai mansions are beautifully preserved in the Jokamachi district of Hagi today. Some houses are open to the public.
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Matsue
Former Samurai District
Some of Matsue's former samurai mansions have been preserved along the busy road north of Matsue Castle. Among them is the former residence of Lafcadio Hearn.
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Former Merchant Districts:
In theory the lowest of the four social castes during the Edo Period, many merchants actually grew very wealthy. Like all the social castes, the merchants lived in assigned city districts. Merchant districts are characterized by shop lined streets and warehouses (kura).
Among the cities with the most beautifully preserved former merchant districts are Takayama and Kurashiki.
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Takayama
Sanmachi Suji
The narrow streets in Takayama's old town are lined by traditional buildings, shops and sake breweries. A few former merchant homes are open to the public.
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Kurashiki
Historic Canal Area
Numerous warehouses are preserved along a willow lined canal. Many of the warehouses have been converted into museums, souvenir stores, boutiques and cafes.
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Uchiko
Yokaichi Old Town
A 600 meter long street lined by preserved buildings from the era when the small town of Uchiko on Shikoku gained international fame and wealth as wax producer.
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Kawagoe
Kurazukuri Street
More than a dozen massive warehouses, reminiscent of the Edo Period, are preserved along Kawagoe's main street. Many of them are now housing stores and restaurants.
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Near Narita
Sawara
A former transport hub for rice shipments into the capital, Sawara's historic center lies along a canal lined by a few preserved and restored traditional residences, merchant shops and warehouses from the Edo Period.
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Nara
Naramachi
Naramachi is the former merchant district of Nara, where several traditional warehouses and residential buildings have survived. One old residence is open to the public for free.
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Near Asuka
Imaicho Town
Rather than just a district, Imaicho is a whole town whose machiya town house lined streets have been preserved. A couple of merchant houses are open for tourists to enter.
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Matsumoto
Nakamachi District
Nakamachi-dori is a street lined by several nicely preserved, old buildings, including a number of warehouses. Some of them house small shops, restaurants and ryokan.
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Geisha Districts:
Traditional geisha districts are characterized by the wooden tea houses, in which the geisha perform during banquets. The most beautiful, traditional geisha quarters are found in Kyoto and Kanazawa:
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Kyoto
Gion District
Gion's Hanami-koji Street is lined by beautiful old buildings, tea houses and restaurants. In the evenings, you may be able to spot a geisha apprentice.
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Kanazawa
Chaya Districts
Kanazawa has multiple geisha districts with several old tea houses, where geisha are still performing at banquets today. Two tea houses are open to the public.
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Post Towns:
Post towns were built along the country's major highways, such as the Tokaido and Nakasendo, to accommodate and cater to travelers. Only a small number of former post towns have preserved their Edo Period appearance. The best among them is Tsumago in the Kiso Valley.
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Kiso Valley
Tsumago
A beautifully preserved post town along the old Nakasendo with most of the town's buildings dating back to the Edo Period, when they served as lodgings and restaurants.
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Kiso Valley
Magome
Another nicely preserved post town, about 10 kilometers south of Tsumago along the old Nakasendo. The two towns are connected by a nice hiking trail.
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Kiso Valley
Narai
The wealthiest former post town in the Kiso Valley, Narai stretches over a whole kilometer. Unfortunatelly, vehicular traffic is not banned along the street.
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Near Aizu
Ouchijuku
Ouchijuku is a post town along the Aizu-Nishi Kaido trade route, which connected Aizu with Nikko during the Edo Period. It is located about 20 kilometers south of Aizu.
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Pilgrimage Towns:
For centuries, Japan's most important temples and shrines have attracted crowds of pilgrims and tourists, resulting in street blocks, city districts and whole towns, providing visitors with lodgings, food and souvenirs.
Ryukyu Villages:
An independent kingdom for several centuries, the Ryukyu Islands became part of Japan as Okinawa Prefecture in 1879. Despite past assimilation efforts, the distinct Ryukyuan culture is proudly surviving today and has become one of Okinawa's main tourist attractions.
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Okinawa
Taketomi Island
The small village consists almost entirely of traditional style, one-storied houses with red tiled roofs, stone walls, ample of lion like shiza statues and white sand roads.
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