Chirimen Kaido

In short

The nickname for the townscape that stretches along the former highway in Kaya, Yosano Town. The town of Kaya retains the land divisions of a castle town from the Sengoku period, and from the middle of the Edo period, it developed as a commercial and industrial town centered on Tango Chirimen Silk Crepe. It was selected as a national Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings in 2005, and in 2017 it was certified as a Japan Heritage site, "Tango Chirimen Silk Crepe Corridor: Weaving 300 Years of History."

• ​Castle town street layout and historic buildings​​: Of the 260 buildings along the zigzagging street, about 120 date from the Edo period to the early Showa period
• ​Former Kaya Town Hall​​: An example of Western-style architecture built in 1929 after the Kita-Tango Earthquake, and a Kyoto Prefecture-designated cultural property. It is now used as a tourist information center and the office of the tourism association
• ​Silk crepe mills and the birthplace monument​​: There are silk crepe mills that still continue textile production today, and some of them can be toured. In front of the Sugimoto Family Residence stands a stone monument inscribed with "Birthplace of Chirimen" (縮緬発祥之地)

History and Highlights

​Chirimen Kaido​ is the nickname for the townscape that stretches along the former highway in Kaya, Yosano Town. Yosano Town is located in the northern part of Kyoto Prefecture, at the base of the Tango Peninsula that juts out into the Sea of Japan. The town of Kaya retains the land divisions of a castle town from the Sengoku (Warring States) period, and from the middle of the Edo period, it developed as a commercial and industrial town centered on Tango Chirimen Silk Crepe.

Tango Chirimen Silk Crepe in Kayadani began in 1722 (Kyoho 7) based on techniques introduced from Nishijin in Kyoto by Momenya Rokuemon and others. Main buildings (omoya), earthen-walled storehouses (dozo), silk crepe mills, and weaver dormitories built from the Edo period to the early Showa period remain well-preserved as a collective group, conveying the historic ambiance of a crepe-weaving town. In 2005 (Heisei 17), it was selected as a national Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings, and in 2017 (Heisei 29), it was certified as a Japan Heritage site, "Tango Chirimen Silk Crepe Corridor: Weaving 300 Years of History."

Viewing and Experience Points

• ​Castle Town Street Layout and Historic Buildings​​: Because it was originally a castle town, the streets feature zigzag turns. Of the 260 buildings along the street, about 120 date from the Edo period to the early Showa period. Many buildings that convey the bustling past of the town remain, such as merchant houses, clinics, and banks.
• ​Former Kaya Town Hall​​: Located at the northern entrance to the townscape, this government building is an example of Western-style architecture erected in 1929 following the Kita-Tango Earthquake. It is a Kyoto Prefecture-designated cultural property and is currently used as a tourist information center and the office of the tourism association.
• ​Silk Crepe Mills and Birthplace Monument​​: Although their numbers have declined, there are still crepe mills that continue textile production today, some of which can be toured. In front of the Sugimoto Family Residence stands a stone monument inscribed with "Birthplace of Chirimen" (縮緬発祥之地). If you apply to the Yosano Town Tourism Association, you can also take a guided walking tour through the townscape.

Walking Tips

From Yosano Station on the Kyoto Tango Railway, take a Tango Kairiku Kotsu bus for about 20 minutes and get off at "Chirimen Kaido" or "Kaya Chosha." Located in the middle of the townscape, the Former Bito Family Residence, which operated as a silk crepe wholesale business for generations, is open to the public. Touring inside the mansion allows you to glimpse the affluent lifestyle of the past. As you walk along the street, try listening closely to the sounds of the looms coming from the mills that are still operating today.