🗺️ Kumagawa-juku熊川宿

Kumakawa-juku is a post town on the "Saba Kaido" (Mackerel Road) that transported catches such as mackerel caught in Wakasa Bay, Fukui Prefecture, to Kyoto. The so-called Saba Kaido (Wakasa Kaido) refers to the road from Mihama, near Wakasa Bay, to Wakasa Town, passing through Kumakawa-juku, going through Shiga Prefecture, and entering Kyoto from Ohara Hachiya. Kumakawa-juku was established as a transportation hub by Asano Nagamasa, the lord of Wakasa, who was favored by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in the 17th year of Tensho (1589). After that, the area prospered as a post town connecting to the Omi province, and it is said that during its peak in the early to mid-Edo period, there were more than 200 inns. Today, Kumakawa-juku has been designated as an Important Traditional Building Preservation District. In this area of about 10.8 hectares, there are remains of a magistrate's office, a guardhouse, and storehouses. Along the roads, the waterways from the time the inns were built still flow, preserving the ancient traditional streetscape. In the "Shukuba-kan," which has been converted from a government office building into a museum, visitors can learn about the history of Kumakawa-juku and the Saba Kaido. Including Kumakawa-juku, the techniques for making mackerel and rice bran pickled mackerel, along with traditional activities, have been recognized as part of the "Cultural Heritage of Wakasa Ancient Road Connecting the Sea and the Capital - Mikuni Wakasa and Saba Kaido" and designated as a Japanese Heritage.

Important attractions are distributed within 1.1 kilometers along the street. There are several renovated machiya-style restaurants and shops on both sides of the street, making it a great place for a leisurely stroll. There are parking lots on both sides of the street and nearby, making it suitable for self-driving trips.