Kumagawa Juku Post Town

Kumagawa-juku is a former post town on the old Saba Kaido route connecting the historic port town of Obama/Wakasa Town in Fukui Prefecture with Kyoto. It is designated as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings under the name "Wakasa Town Kumagawa-juku Preservation District for Traditional Buildings," and it is also recognized as part of Japan Heritage. In this area, you can see rows of traditional buildings such as tiled-roof houses, true-wall construction (makabe-zukuri), and plastered storehouse-style buildings (nurigome-zukuri). There are museums that make use of historic buildings, such as the Saba Kaido Museum, as well as eateries, cafés, and variety shops—and even a roadside station. The community is active in preservation efforts, including encouraging residents to reuse vacant houses. In some old houses, younger people run cafés and shops, and there are even places where you can eat school lunches. Walking the modern-yet-traditional streetscape is popular with tourists. There is also a ninja dojo (including shuriken throwing), offering ninja experiences. In Kumagawa-juku, you can not only shop and visit but also stay overnight. To get to Kumagawa-juku, take a bus from JR Kaminaka Station for about 15 minutes.