Shoko Traditional Buildings Preservation District, Daisen-cho

Overview

Shoko, Daisen-cho, located in Saihaku District, Tottori Prefecture, is a designated Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings. Situated on an alluvial fan at the northern foot of Mount Daisen, the highest peak in the Chugoku region, this historic farming village developed its economy around rice paddies and fields, utilizing irrigation channels drawn from the Amida River, which flows down from Mount Daisen. During the medieval period, it became established as a possession of the Kamo Mioya Shrine (Shimogamo Shrine) in Kyoto. In the early modern period, it came under the control of the Tottori Domain, leading to the formation of the present village. Along the Boryo-do, a pilgrimage route to Mount Daisen that passes through the village, stand numerous farmhouses consisting of large main buildings and ancillary structures built from the early modern period to the early Showa period. These include the Monowaki family residence, designated an Important Cultural Property. These traditional houses, together with the sounds of water flowing through the village's irrigation canals, create a charming townscape. Furthermore, the irrigation channels and rice paddies form an integral part of the traditional rural landscape of the Houki region. In the mid-Edo period, two clusters of houses, Kami (upper) and Shimo (lower), formed in the southeast and northwest of the village, respectively. In the early modern period, a village office and a school were established, and new houses were built around them. Even today, the village retains its old-fashioned atmosphere, giving visitors the sensation of having stepped back in time. The houses are typically based on a main building oriented along the road, with long gatehouses, stables, and storehouses built around it. Most main buildings are single-story gable-roofed houses or low two-story buildings. The roofs are covered with reddish-brown Sekishu tiles or black Majiko tiles. On December 27, 2013, Shoko, Daisen-cho was designated as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings. The selection was based on the high concentration of well-preserved traditional buildings, their arrangement within the house compounds, the preserved state of the surrounding rice paddies and fields, and the integrated network of irrigation channels within the village and farmland, all of which contribute to the preservation of the historic scenic beauty of this traditional rural village in the Houki region. Shoko, Daisen-cho offers a quiet and tranquil atmosphere, perfect for those seeking a relaxing break and a taste of traditional Japan. We highly recommend a visit.