• Introduction of Kawaramachi

• Street information

• Walking Video

• Tamba-Sasayama map

• Access

• Ask more in chat

Description

The Kawaramachi Tsumairi Merchant House District is an old townscape that was built in 1620, after the construction of Sasayama Castle. For a stretch of roughly 600 meters, along the slightly curved highway unique to this castle town, are numerous ”Machiya” townhouses on both sides of the street with low-ceilinged second floors, narrow frontages of 5 to 8 meters, and depths of more than 40 meters topped with "Tsumairi" roofs. The fronts of the buildings are designed with large doors and either lattice walls or latticed shutters. A large portion of the latticework still exists today. There are two types of latticework: narrow lattice using thinner pieces of wood is generally used on the west side of the door, and a wider lattice with larger pieces of wood on the east side (Kyoto side). The windows on the second floor are made of "Dekoshi" (latticework that extends outside) or "Mushiko" (windows with thick latticework plastered over them). There are also some Machiya that have wing walls to prevent the spread of fires. This townscape flourished as the commercial center of Tamba-Sasayama as well as the gateway to and from Kyoto. This district today still conveys the scenery that could be found in that bygone castle town.