Kusuri no Yakata, the Uda City Historical and Cultural Museum of Medicine, is located in the historic streets of Ouda in Uda City, Nara Prefecture. The museum occupies the former residence of the Hosokawa family, a merchant family involved in the pharmaceutical trade. Built in the late Edo period (1603–1868), the house has been carefully restored and opened to the public, offering an engaging introduction to Ouda’s development as a center of medicine and the lives of the people who helped build its pharmaceutical industry.
The traditional architecture preserves the atmosphere of a prosperous merchant household, while the exhibits reveal the important role that medicinal herbs, traditional remedies, and pharmaceutical commerce have played in the region. A visit provides a fascinating glimpse into the history of Japanese medicine, from ancient practices to the emergence of modern pharmaceutical companies.
In ancient times, the Ouda area was known as Akino. According to the Nihon Shoki, one of Japan’s oldest chronicles, a medicinal gathering event took place here on the fifth day of the fifth month in 611, during the reign of Empress Suiko. Known as kusurigari, this imperial activity involved collecting medicinal materials, including deer antlers and medicinal plants. The account illustrates how long the area has been associated with medicine and healing traditions.
Ouda’s pharmaceutical heritage continued to develop over the centuries. In 1729, during the Edo period, the Morino family established a medicinal herb garden, which survives today as the Historic Morino Medicinal Herb Garden. Against this background, Ouda grew into a thriving town of medicine wholesalers. At its height, more than 50 pharmaceutical merchants are said to have operated in the area, earning it a reputation as a major center of the medicinal trade.
The museum’s building was once the residence and business premises of the Hosokawa family, who had been operating as medicine wholesalers since 1806. In 1836, the family sold traditional medicines, including a digestive remedy known as Tenjumaru, and prospered as an established merchant household.
The building’s elaborate copper-roofed entrance sign, featuring a decorative karahafu gable, remains an impressive reminder of the family’s former wealth. Its traditional rooms, spacious interior, and storehouse reflect the architectural style and commercial prosperity of a successful merchant family in the late Edo period.
The Hosokawa family also has a connection to the development of modern Japanese pharmaceuticals. Tomokichi Fujisawa, the son of Matsu, the second-generation head of the Hosokawa family’s daughter, was adopted into the Fujisawa family in 1882. He later founded Fujisawa Pharmaceutical, the company that became part of today’s Astellas Pharma. The museum introduces the company’s development, the achievements of its successive presidents, and the history of its well-known medicines.
The museum’s exhibits are organized by theme. The first-floor Japanese-style rooms display materials related to the pharmaceutical trade in the Matsuyama district, providing insight into the work and daily life of local medicine merchants.
Other exhibits are housed in the former storehouse and focus on Fujisawa Pharmaceutical’s history, its social contributions, and its expansion into overseas markets. Together, these displays illustrate how a regional medicine business developed into a company with an international presence.
Visitors can also see objects associated with the Hosokawa family and materials relating to finance, reflecting the family’s broader role in the local economy. Particularly interesting are vintage signs, advertisements, and medicine packaging for familiar Japanese products such as Asada Ame throat lozenges, Ohta’s Isan digestive medicine, and Norshin pain relievers. These items offer a nostalgic perspective on how medicines were marketed and used in everyday life.
The building itself is one of the museum’s major attractions. Its large reception rooms and traditional storehouse retain architectural features characteristic of a prosperous merchant residence in the late Edo period. Intricate details and the careful arrangement of the interior provide a sense of the household’s former status and business success.
The former Hosokawa residence was designated a cultural property by the former town of Ouda in 1992. Today, its preservation as a museum allows visitors to appreciate both the architectural heritage of the historic town and the history of its pharmaceutical trade.
The museum reception also provides tourist information for the Ouda area, making it a convenient starting point for exploring the surrounding historic streets and cultural sites. Since September 1, 2024, visitors have also been offered a special Shōki postcard as a commemorative gift for their visit.
For a fuller understanding of the district, consider combining the museum with a visit to Senken-sha, the Matsuyama District Community Development Center. Together, these sites offer a deeper appreciation of Ouda’s historic townscape, traditional commerce, and local culture.
From Kintetsu Haibara Station, take a Nara Kotsu bus bound for Ouda and get off at either Nishiyama or Ouda High School. The museum is approximately a 10-minute walk east from either stop.
By car, the museum can be reached in approximately 30 minutes from the Hari Interchange via National Route 370.
Kusuri no Yakata brings the history of Ouda’s pharmaceutical trade to life through its preserved merchant residence, historical documents, and displays of traditional and modern medicines. For travelers interested in Japanese history, architecture, and the development of the country’s pharmaceutical industry, it is a rewarding stop in the historic heart of Uda City.