The Tsuwano Traditional Buildings Preservation District is a historic area in Tsuwano Town, Kanoashi District, Shimane Prefecture, where the character of an old Japanese castle town has been carefully preserved. The district retains the basic street layout established in the early Edo period and brings together former samurai residences, merchant houses, and Western-style buildings from later periods.
In 2013, the area was selected by the Japanese government as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings, in the category of “samurai town and merchant town.” Its well-preserved streetscape provides an excellent opportunity to experience the architectural and cultural history of Tsuwano.
The history of the area reaches back to the 16th century, although the basic form of the town seen today developed during the Edo period. What had once been an area of fields was gradually transformed into a castle town under the Kamei clan, who became lords of the Tsuwano domain.
By the Genroku era in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, the town had been clearly organized into separate areas for samurai residences, merchants, and temples. This carefully planned urban structure became the foundation of the streetscape that survives today.
Much of Tsuwano’s castle town was destroyed by a major fire in 1853. Many of the buildings visible today were reconstructed after the disaster.
However, the underlying infrastructure, including the roads and waterways, remained largely unchanged. As a result, visitors can still see the basic urban structure of the Edo-period castle town even though many individual buildings date from later periods.
The preservation district contains buildings dating from the late Edo period through the early Showa period, allowing visitors to see how architectural styles evolved over time.
One of the most distinctive features is the use of Sekishu red roof tiles, a traditional style characteristic of the Iwami region. The warm reddish-brown roofs form a striking landscape that gives Tsuwano much of its visual identity.
Tonomachi Street was once a residential area for high-ranking samurai retainers of the Tsuwano domain. Traditional gates, earthen walls, and spacious compounds preserve the dignified appearance of the former samurai quarter.
Historic sites such as Yōrōkan, the former Tsuwano domain school, and the former Tago Family Front Gate can be found along the street, providing a closer look at the life and social structure of the former domain.
In contrast, Honmachi Street and Gioncho Street developed as merchant districts along the former San’indo highway. Traditional merchant houses once occupied by businesses such as sake breweries and kimono shops can still be seen.
These buildings often combine shops and living quarters under one roof. Behind the main buildings, courtyards and earthen storehouses were arranged in ways that reflected both the practical needs of merchants and the limited space available within the castle town.
The waterways running alongside the streets are an essential part of Tsuwano’s historic landscape. They were constructed as part of the castle town’s development and continue to carry clear water through the town today.
Tsuwano is also known for its long-standing tradition of keeping carp in these waterways. Their colorful forms can be seen swimming beside traditional buildings, adding movement and color to the historic streetscape.
The combination of white earthen walls, red roof tiles, clear waterways, and swimming carp is one of the images most closely associated with Tsuwano, which is often called the “Little Kyoto of the San’in Region.”
The preservation district changes with the seasons. In spring, Japanese irises add color to the waterways and streets, while autumn brings brilliant foliage and golden ginkgo trees.
Summer offers a refreshing atmosphere around the waterways, while winter can transform the traditional streetscape with snow. Each season reveals a different side of historic Tsuwano.
Tonomachi Street is one of the most atmospheric areas of the preservation district. Once home to senior samurai, it retains traditional earthen walls, gates, and historic buildings.
The former domain school Yōrōkan and the former Tago Family Front Gate are among the notable sites along the street. Walking slowly through this area makes it easy to imagine the appearance of Tsuwano during the Edo period.
Honmachi Street developed as a commercial center along the former San’indo highway. Traditional merchant houses and storehouses recall the days when merchants, travelers, and craftsmen gathered here.
Gioncho Street also retains the character of the former merchant district, making these streets particularly interesting for visitors who want to see how commerce shaped the castle town.
Shincho Street and Manmachi Street run parallel to Honmachi Street. Their road widths have remained largely unchanged since the Edo period.
After the Meiji period, inns and restaurants appeared along these streets, and a number of buildings still preserve traces of this later development. Together, these streets show how Tsuwano continued to evolve while retaining its historic framework.
One of the most distinctive buildings in the preservation district is Tsuwano Catholic Church. Its exterior features an elegant Gothic-inspired design, while the interior has a traditional tatami-mat floor.
This unusual combination of Western architecture and Japanese interior design reflects the cultural diversity that developed in Tsuwano. The church was also built to commemorate Christians who suffered persecution and martyrdom in the region, making it an important part of the town’s religious history.
The coexistence of samurai culture, merchant culture, and Western influences is one of the defining characteristics of Tsuwano’s historic townscape.
Tsuwano Town began working actively to preserve its historic streetscape in the 1970s. Conservation initiatives included the establishment of environmental protection regulations and the registration of historic buildings.
In 2012, the town established regulations specifically for the preservation district, strengthening efforts to protect and make effective use of its historic landscape.
Like many historic rural communities in Japan, Tsuwano has faced challenges associated with depopulation and an increasing number of vacant houses. Despite these difficulties, local residents and the municipal government have worked together to restore and make use of traditional buildings.
Today, nearly 200 traditional buildings are preserved within the district. The town itself can be viewed almost as a living historical archive, where architecture, streets, waterways, and everyday life remain closely connected.
The preservation district is particularly well suited to walking tours. The major sights are relatively close together, allowing visitors to explore the historic streets at an unhurried pace.
A popular way to experience the area is to stroll along Tonomachi Street, taking in the samurai residences, earthen walls, waterways, and traditional architecture, before continuing to Honmachi Street to discover local specialties, shops, and food.
Visitors can also explore the town through the stories associated with the “100 Views of Tsuwano”. These views preserve images and traditions connected with the town’s landscape and history and form part of a Japan Heritage story.
Following these stories while walking through the historic district provides another way to understand how Tsuwano’s architecture, customs, and natural surroundings have developed together over the centuries.
The Tsuwano Traditional Buildings Preservation District is a rare historic environment where the street layout of an Edo-period castle town, traditional architecture, waterways, and local life remain closely connected.
The contrast between samurai residences and merchant houses, the warm tones of Sekishu red roof tiles, the clear waterways filled with carp, and the presence of Western-style architecture create a distinctive landscape unlike many other historic towns in Japan.
Rather than simply viewing individual monuments, visitors can experience Tsuwano by walking through the town itself. Take time to notice the gates, earthen walls, roof tiles, waterways, traditional houses, and seasonal scenery, and the history of this former castle town gradually comes into view.
For travelers visiting Tsuwano, a leisurely walk through the preservation district is an excellent way to experience the town’s history, architecture, culture, and everyday atmosphere in one memorable journey.