Townscape of Takehara: The Little Kyoto of Aki

This walking tour takes you through the townscape of Takehara, known as the "Little Kyoto of Aki." First, learn about the town's origins at a museum, then look down upon the rows of tiled roofs from the elevated Fumeikaku Hall. Afterwards, visit the residence of a merchant family that built its wealth from salt fields, as well as a sake brewery that has operated since the Edo period.

History and Regional Appeal

The Takehara Historic Preservation District is an area where townhouses from the Edo period line Honmachi-dori Street, which runs through the center of Takehara. In 1982, it was selected as a national Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings as a "salt-making town" that prospered through the production of salt.

At the beginning of the Edo period, Takehara adopted the irihama-style salt field method from Ako ahead of other areas, spreading the name of "Takehara Salt" across the country. It is said that the town was so renowned as a source of good salt that purchasing salt was referred to as "buying Takehara." Using salt making as a foundation, the local residents expanded their commerce into sake brewing, shipping, and wholesaling, bringing great prosperity to the town. Through trade with the Kamigata (Kyoto-Osaka) region, people also cultivated an appreciation for scholarship, Chinese poetry, and the tea ceremony. As many scholars emerged from the area—including the family of Rai Sanyo—the town also flourished as a center of culture and education. The legacy nurtured by salt, sake, and learning remains preserved today in the rows of houses with continuous wooden lattice windows.

Key Highlights

• ​Takehara City History and Folklore Museum​​: A Western-style building constructed as a library in the early Showa period on the former site of the Edo-period Takehara Shoin academy. It introduces the daily life and history of the town, focusing primarily on Takehara's salt-making industry that flourished around its salt fields. Standing next to it are statues of Taketsuru Masataka, a Takehara native called the "Father of Japanese Whisky," and his wife, Rita.
• ​Fumeikaku Hall​​: A Kannon hall built in 1758 within the grounds of Saiho-ji Temple on a hill overlooking the townscape. It is built in an elevated stage style (butai-zukuri) said to be modeled after the stage of Kyoto's Kiyomizu-dera Temple, and when you step onto the stage, the townscape of Takehara spreads out below.
• ​Former Matsusaka Family Residence​​: The residence of a family operating under the trade name "Sawadaya," who ran a wholesale business for the firewood and coal essential to salt fields, and later expanded into salt field management, shipping, and brewing. The undulating, large roof—combining both concave curves (sori) and convex curves (mukuri)—catches the eye. From the garden facing the sukiya-style tatami room, one can view the elevated Fumeikaku Hall.
• ​Fujii Sake Brewery Sakagura Exchange Hall​​: A facility opened within a corner of the Edo-period sake brewery of Fujii Shuzo, founded in 1863. At the 1st National Sake Appraisal in 1907, its signature brand "Ryusei" was awarded the first prize (First Class, First Rank). Inside the high-ceilinged storehouse, visitors can also sample Japanese sake.

Recommended Route and Duration

The estimated required time is about 4 hours. From Hiroshima Station, the "Kaguya-hime-go" highway bus takes about 70 minutes to reach Takehara Station. From Takehara Station, it is about a 10-minute walk to the preservation district. When visiting by car, you can park at Michi-no-Eki Takehara near the southern entrance of the street and explore the townscape on foot.

Spots within the townscape are all within a few minutes' walk of each other. First, learning about the town's origins at the Takehara City History and Folklore Museum will make the subsequent walk even more enjoyable. About 200 meters southeast of the museum, climb the stone steps to reach Fumeikaku Hall at Saiho-ji Temple. Because there are stone steps, it is recommended to wear comfortable walking shoes. When you descend the hill, you will find the Former Matsusaka Family Residence right below along Honmachi-dori Street. Finally, head back northwest along Honmachi-dori Street for a little over 200 meters to stop by the Fujii Sake Brewery Sakagura Exchange Hall. Those who are driving should refrain from sake tasting and instead enjoy choosing souvenirs.

Honmachi-dori Street is about 500 meters long, and if time permits, you can also extend your walk to Shoren-ji Temple, which is associated with the Rai family, the Former Kasai Residence, another mansion of a salt field owner, and the Former Morikawa Family Residence, a Taisho-period estate located slightly to the south. For the return journey, taking the JR Kure Line from Takehara Station will bring you to Hiroshima Station in about 110 minutes while you enjoy views of the islands of the Setouchi region.

Experience Summary

Discover the history of a town shaped by salt and learning at the museum, look across a sea of tiled roofs from the Kannon hall's stage, and immerse yourself in the atmosphere of salt field owners' estates and sake breweries. In every lattice and every roof curve, the lives of the townspeople who prospered through salt and sake are reflected. Takehara is a town best enjoyed without rushing, pausing at every corner along its historic alleys.