Ouchi-juku Townscape Exhibition Hall: Toiya Honjin (大内宿町並み展示館:問屋本陣)

Flow of the course

About this spot

This museum, located midway along the Ouchi-juku street on the former site of the honjin, was built to recreate the Edo-period honjin. A honjin was a prestigious inn used by feudal lords and officials during the sankin-kotai alternate attendance system, and inside the building, rooms such as the jodan-no-ma (the raised formal chamber) have been recreated. A fire is lit in the irori hearth, letting you experience post-town life with all five senses, down to the smoky scent that lingers in a thatched-roof house. The exhibits, including farming and everyday tools and photographs of Ouchi-juku through the four seasons, are also substantial, making this a valuable facility for taking a close look at the inside of a thatched-roof house, something you can't understand just by viewing it from outside. You can also learn about the structure of thatched roofs that withstand heavy snow and how they are re-thatched, so getting a grasp of the history here deepens how each house along the street appears to you.

Tips

Located midway along the Ouchi-juku street, it's an easy stop to make partway through your walk. Admission is 250 yen for adults, so it's reassuring to have cash ready. Smoke from the irori hearth drifts through the building, so if the smell bothers you, plan your outerwear accordingly. In winter, viewing hours may change due to snowfall, so check on-site.

Best time to visit

About 30 to 40 minutes. Fitting it in partway through your walk deepens your understanding of the houses you see in the latter half

Access & map

〒969-5207 福島県南会津郡下郷町大内山本８