Nishi-Awa Contents

The udatsu of Sadamitsu are based on Kyoto’s merchant street culture from the early Meiji period. These walls are called niso udatsu, and bear beautiful and artistic patterns on the front of each house.

These ancient streets are lined with traditional-style homes featuring white udatsu barriers, specially designed to prevent the spread of fire between buildings. Such luxurious homes were a testament to the wealth and prosperity merchants enjoyed in Wakimachi during the indigo boom, and today, the buildings are protected and preserved to give visitors the feeling of strolling back in time.

Also lit up at night, the street offers a mysterious and beautiful atmosphere.

This area features a variety of beautiful Buddhist temples and also a theatre where Noh and Kabuki festivals are held each year.

This museum is housed in the former residence of the descendants of Horikawa Naiki, the court physician of Emperor Antoku. After the fall of the Heike clan, Horikawa Naiki and his family sought refuge in the Iya Valley, where they served both as physicians and Shinto priests, making use of the area’s abundant medicinal herbs.

In the garden stands an ancient tree estimated to be 800 years old. Inside the preserved Edo-period residence, visitors can view a collection of artifacts, including armor, banners, historical documents, and everyday tools once used by the Heike descendants.

This massive tree is one of the largest in western Japan, and is over 1000 years old. It has been designated as a national natural memorial site, and has become a symbol of the town where it resides, Higashimiyoshi.