HiroshimaLeisure

Kure City Yutaka-cho Mitarai Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings (呉市豊町御手洗伝統的建造物群保存地区)

Flow of the course

About 80 min here

About 20 min to the next stop

Next stop: Take in the Seto Inland Sea from a beach ranked among Japan's 100 Best Shores

About this spot

Mitarai (御手洗), at the eastern tip of Osakishimojima Island (大崎下島), flourished greatly in the Edo period as a port town where ships gathered to wait for favorable tides. The merchant houses and inns of that era, along with Western-style buildings from the Meiji period, remain as they were and the area has been designated a national Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings. Narrow lanes too tight for cars weave through the town, and a different scene appears around every corner, making it a pleasure to walk. The multi-island scenery of the Seto Inland Sea visible from the port is another highlight. The townscape is compact, so you can walk through the whole area in just over an hour. It's also conveniently just a few minutes by car from the pool.

Tips

The lanes are still part of residents' daily lives, so walk quietly and be considerate so as not to disturb the people who live there. The opening hours of the buildings open to the public vary, so check the local guide signs on site. There are stretches with little shade, so a hat is essential. There is a parking lot at the entrance to the district, where you can park and explore on foot.