Izushi Castle Town

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About Izushi Castle Town

Izushi is in the southern part of Toyooka municipality, in a valley surrounded by mountains. It was the castle town of the Izushi domain during the Edo period and retains a grid layout, with streets of wooden houses, old shops and temples. For that reason it is called the Little Kyoto of Tajima, the region’s old name, and the center is protected as a group of traditional buildings.

The city’s symbol is the Shinkoro tower, a wooden tower from 1871, built to mark the hours with a drum and fitted with a mechanical clock ten years later. Nearby, the Eirakukan, dating from 1901, is the oldest kabuki theater still standing in the Kansai region, with a revolving stage and trapdoors; it is open for visits and hosts performances on some dates.

At the top of the town are the ruins of Izushi Castle, with stone walls, a corner turret and a reconstructed gate. Behind them, a staircase with dozens of red torii gates climbs to the Inari shrine, from which you can see the whole town.

The local dish is Izushi sara soba, buckwheat noodles served cold on small Izushi white porcelain plates, usually five plates per serving, with broth, raw egg, scallion and grated daikon. There are dozens of soba restaurants in town. A walking visit takes half a day and pairs well with Kinosaki Onsen and Genbudo.