Kohamajuku is a historic post town in the Kohama district of Takarazuka City, Hyogo Prefecture. During the Edo period (1603–1868), it was located in Kawabe District, Settsu Province, and served as an important stop along the Arima Kaido, a major road connecting Osaka and the hot spring resort of Arima. The Kyoto-Fushimi Kaido and Nishinomiya Kaido also converged here, making Kohama a significant transportation and commercial hub.
Today, the historic district retains traces of its past as a fortified temple town and busy post station. Its old streets, historic residences, shrines, and temples offer a glimpse into the region’s history, from medieval religious settlements to the flourishing travel and trade networks of the Edo period.
Kohama lies at the western edge of the Itami Plateau. In ancient times, the Seto Inland Sea extended farther inland, and the area had a shoreline, which is reflected in the place name Kohama, meaning “small beach.” The land gradually emerged, and by the ninth century, the area had become an important administrative and religious center. The local shrine, Mefu Shrine, was established during this early period.
In the late 15th century, Zenshū, a descendant of Kakunyo, a prominent figure in the Jōdo Shinshū Buddhist tradition, established Kohama Estate and founded Gōshōji Temple. Taking advantage of the surrounding terrain, with the Ōbori River winding around three sides, the temple complex was fortified and developed into a stronghold for the Buddhist community.
During the Sengoku period (c. 1467–1615), when regional warlords fought for control of Japan, Kohama became an important defensive base amid conflicts involving the Ikko-ikki religious movements and Oda Nobunaga. When Nobunaga attacked Araki Murashige at Itami Castle during the Siege of Arioka, Kohama sided with Nobunaga’s forces and escaped destruction.
Under the Tokugawa shogunate, Kohama developed into an important post town on the Arima Kaido. Toyotomi Hideyoshi and his nephew Hidetsugu are both said to have visited the area while traveling to Arima for hot-spring treatments. However, after Hidetsugu took a daughter of Gōshōji Temple as a concubine, the town was reportedly burned during the political turmoil surrounding his downfall.
Kohama was subsequently rebuilt and grew into a prosperous post town. The streets were lined with official secondary inns known as wakihonjin, ordinary inns, budget lodging houses, merchants’ premises, and businesses that provided packhorses for transporting goods. Travelers and merchants passing through the crossroads supported a lively local economy.
Kohama also developed a distinctive sake-brewing tradition known as the Kohama style, using the area’s celebrated well water, Tamanoi. Yamanaka Kiyonao, a brewer whose family operated a sake business in Kōnoike Village in Settsu Province, also brewed sake in Kohama. The town’s sake became known across Japan, although from the 18th century onward, production gradually shifted to the Nada Gogo brewing region, and Kohama’s brewing industry declined.
Kohama was more than a commercial post station. It developed as a fortified temple town, or jōkamachi-style religious settlement, protected by natural and artificial defenses. The Ōbori River curved around its southern, western, and northern sides, while a reservoir on the eastern side strengthened its defenses.
The settlement was enclosed within a defensive perimeter measuring approximately 750 meters from north to south and 400 meters from east to west. Gates connected the town to the surrounding highways: the eastern gate led toward the Kyoto-Fushimi Kaido, the northern gate toward the Arima Kaido, and the southern gate toward the Nishinomiya Kaido. Because of its defensive character, Kohama was also known as Kohama Castle.
Three major roads met in Kohama, helping establish its importance as a place for travelers to rest, exchange goods, and continue their journeys.
Arima Kaido: This route connected Osaka with Arima via Itami, Kohama, and Namaze.
Kyoto-Fushimi Kaido: This road linked Kyoto and Fushimi with Kohama, passing through areas including Yamazaki, Kōriyama, Setagawa, Kamo, and Kuchitani.
Nishinomiya Kaido: Also known as the Uma Kaido, or Horse Road, this route connected Nishinomiya with Kohama via Iburise.
Known locally as Kohama Gobō, Gōshōji Temple was the religious and historical heart of the settlement. Founded in the late 15th century, it became the center of the fortified temple town and played an important role in Kohama’s development.
The Kohamajuku Museum introduces visitors to the history of the old post town. It occupies the former Yamanaka family residence, which was known for the famous Tamanoi well. The building was severely damaged in the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake of 1995 and was restored and reopened as a museum in 1999.
Tamanoi is a historic well celebrated for its clear water. According to local tradition, Toyotomi Hideyoshi stopped in Kohama in 1589 while traveling to Arima Onsen with the tea master Sen no Rikyū. Hideyoshi is said to have had tea prepared using water from the well, which he named Tamanoi, meaning “Jewel Well.” The story links the well with the area’s history of hospitality and sake brewing.
The Ikawa family residence is associated with the Kikujin sake-brewing business and preserves a connection with the town’s traditional brewing industry. The historic building is a reminder of the commercial activity that once flourished along Kohama’s streets.
Kohama Kōtaijinja Shrine is the local guardian shrine of the Kohama community. In 2006, its main sanctuary became the first building registered as a Hyogo Prefecture Registered Tangible Cultural Property. Local events include the danjiri festival, featuring traditional festival floats, and Kohama Ebisu, a celebration associated with Ebisu, the deity of prosperity and good fortune.
Iwashi-zaka is the road that once led through the northern gate toward the Arima Kaido. The area is now crossed by Kokufu Bridge. Local tradition says that when the Seto Inland Sea reached farther inland, sardines were unloaded here, giving the slope its name, which means “Sardine Slope.”
North of the slope stands the Wada family residence, regarded as the oldest surviving house in Takarazuka City. The building is protected as a municipal cultural property and offers a glimpse into the area’s traditional residential architecture.
Near the route leading from the southern gate toward the Nishinomiya Kaido stands Kubi Jizō, a statue of Jizō, the Buddhist guardian associated with travelers and the protection of children. Several stories explain its origins. A new statue was installed in 1975, continuing the site’s local tradition of worship.
The Kohamajuku Festival is held annually on the first Saturday and Sunday of April. The event celebrates the area’s history and cultural traditions, bringing the historic district to life and giving visitors an opportunity to experience the character of this former post town.
Kohamajuku offers a rewarding look at a lesser-known side of Takarazuka, beyond its famous performing arts and modern attractions. Its historic roads, fortified temple settlement, traditional residences, and stories of travelers and merchants reveal how this small town once connected major routes across the region.
Walking through Kohamajuku is an opportunity to discover the layers of history that shaped the area, from medieval Buddhist communities to the bustling highway culture of the Edo period.