Kakunodate Samurai District

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About Kakunodate Samurai District

The Kakunodate samurai district, called Uchimachi, was laid out in 1620, when Lord Ashina Yoshikatsu rebuilt the town at the foot of a hill. The town was divided by a firebreak: to the north, the samurai residences; to the south, the merchants. The samurai area is protected as a Traditional Buildings Preservation Area.

The main street, Bukeyashiki-dori, is wide and straight, with wooden fences painted black, gatehouses with roofs and gardens of pines, firs and maples. In spring, weeping cherry trees, some over 300 years old and traditionally said to originate from saplings brought from Kyoto, lean over the fences. The cherry trees of the district and those along the Hinokinai River are designated a National Natural Monument.

Six houses usually open to visitors. The Aoyagi house is the largest, with several buildings turned into museums of weapons, armor, antiques and crafts; the Ishiguro house, one of the oldest, is still inhabited by descendants and displays reception rooms and documents. The Iwahashi, Kawarada, Odano and Matsumoto houses are smaller and usually do not charge admission.

The kabazaiku museum, dedicated to the polished cherry-bark craft typical of Kakunodate, with demonstrations, is also in the district. To the south, the merchants’ area preserves thick-walled storehouses, the kura, and miso and shoyu shops. A stroll through the district, visiting two or three houses, takes half a day at an unhurried pace.