Katori City Sawara Traditional Buildings Preservation District

The Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings refers to the area along the Katori Kaido road where it intersects the Onogawa River running through the center of Sawara. Because the townscape retains strong Edo-era atmosphere, it was designated in 1996 as the first “Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings” in the Kanto region. Within the district are notable sites such as the Ino Tadataka Former Residence (a nationally designated historic site), the Mitsubishi-kan building (a tangible cultural property of Chiba Prefecture), and the Fukushin Gofukuten (a traditional drapery store). Many merchant houses still carry on their family businesses, and the area is also valued as a “living townscape.” Along the Onogawa riverbank, stepped unloading points called “dashi” remain, and the streetscapes differ by area—along Katori Kaido, along the Onogawa, and along Shimoshinmachi Street—making it a photogenic spot that has drawn attention. A classic water-town attraction is the “Suigo Sawara Jyunihashi Meguri (Twelve Bridges Cruise),” where you ride in a small “sappa” boat skillfully steered by a female boatwoman, passing under bridges that still remain. The area is especially lively from late spring through summer when irises and Japanese iris bloom at Suigo Sawara Ayame Park in Yodaur a (the boat departure area), and hydrangeas also bloom by the water; souvenir shops open to serve boat passengers. Access is about a 15-minute walk from Sawara Station on the JR Narita Line.