Chikuma City Inariyama Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings

Overview

The Chikuma City Inariyama Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings is located in Inariyama, Chikuma City, Nagano Prefecture. It flourished as the largest post town on the Zenkoji Kaido Road during the Edo period. This site, once the location of a castle from the late Sengoku period, developed into the largest post town on the "Zenkoji Kaido" road during the Edo period, bustling with commerce centered around wholesale cloth merchants. According to the "Zenkoji-michi Meisho Zukwai" (Zenkoji Road Famous Places Illustrated Handbook), it was described as a prosperous place with "nine markets a month (Ku-sai-ichi – 3rd, 6th, 9th, 13th, 16th, 19th, 23rd, 26th, and 29th of the month), many merchants, and 500 houses." It was also a junction point for the Hokkoku West Kaido (Zenkoji West Kaido) and the Tani Kaido (passing through the east bank of the Chikuma River to Iiyama; the current "Shinano Romantic Road"). A marker indicating the starting point of the Shinano Romantic Road can be found in front of the Inariyama Post Office. Even after suffering almost complete destruction in the 1847 Zenkoji Great Earthquake, it was rebuilt and flourished as one of Nagano Prefecture's leading commercial centers during the Meiji period. However, it later declined due to the location of Inariyama JR station being far from the town center and the impact of the Showa Depression, eventually losing its status as a commercial area entirely. This, however, has resulted in the remarkably well-preserved townscape of today. The storehouses built after the 1847 Zenkoji Great Earthquake are particularly captivating, serving as precious reminders of the town's past prosperity and drawing many tourists. The "kagi-no-te" (keyhole-shaped) bend in the main street, as well as waterways and other features of the town layout from the early modern period, remain and allow visitors to imagine life in those times. In recent years, efforts have been made to revitalize the town as a "kura-no-machi" (storehouse town), hosting events and experiential programs that make use of its historic streetscape. Take your time to enjoy a stroll through this town, and feel the history and culture for yourself. 【Recommended Spots Nearby】 * Busui Betsu Shrine (20-minute walk) * Hasedera Temple (20-minute walk) * Hanashina Kofun Tumuli (10 minutes by car) * Amamiya no Watashi (ferry crossing) (15 minutes by car) * Obasuteyama (mountain) (20 minutes by car)