🗺️ Okabe-juku Okyado Kashiwaya

Okabe-juku's large inn, Kashiwaya, was an accommodation facility for travelers along the Tōkaidō during the Edo period. It has now been transformed into a museum open to the public, where visitors can see the appearance of inns from that time and the lifestyle of the people. In the "store area" and the second-floor guest rooms, there are dolls of the main characters Yaji and Kita from the comedic novel "Tōkaidōchū Hizakurige." Their interactions with the landlady while enjoying meals illustrate the function of the inn as a place for weary travelers to relax, as well as the attire and appearance of travelers at that time. Additionally, at the back of the second-floor guest room, there are explanatory panels, three-dimensional models, and a display area for travel goods. From the first-floor main tatami room, one can overlook a Japanese garden, which, combined with the traditional Japanese architecture, enhances the appreciation of Japan's beauty. The premises also feature a shop selling local specialty products, retro snacks, toys, and a café where visitors can enjoy creative dishes and desserts made with local ingredients. There is also an art gallery that hosts exhibitions of paintings and crafts. Both the café and the art gallery are housed in warehouses built during the Edo and Meiji periods, making them highly valuable for viewing. It is recommended to take plenty of photos as a memento.

You can enter the Japanese architecture built during the Edo period. Inside the museum, you can learn about the style of inns from the Edo period and the way people lived. The view from the main tatami room on the first floor of the museum is breathtaking. It's a lot of fun to choose souvenirs at the shop selling local specialties. There is also a café and gallery where you can enjoy creative dishes and desserts made with Shizuoka ingredients.