🗺️ Sahara (Important Traditional Building Preservation District)

Katori City, Sawara has developed and prospered by utilizing the Tone River waterway, once praised for its beauty comparable to Edo. Along the banks of the flowing Onogawa River and the intersecting Katori Street, many wooden townhouses, storehouses, and Western-style buildings constructed from the late Edo period to the early Showa period are still preserved today. The entire street exudes a nostalgic retro style. There are eight prefecturally designated tangible cultural properties in the area, including the "Ino Tadataka Old Residence," built in the 5th year of the Kansei era (1793) and designated as a national historic site, as well as the "Mitsubishi-kan," a Western-style building from the Taisho era that was formerly the old Mitsubishi Bank Sawara branch, creating an atmosphere that feels like stepping back in time. Traditional businesses such as kimono shops, hardware stores, tea houses, and sake breweries continue to operate, forming the "Sawara All-City Museum," which opens its family heirlooms for public viewing. Additionally, the "Ko-Edo Sawara River Cruise" is also highly recommended; aboard a sightseeing boat called Sappa (サッパ舟), visitors can enjoy the town's scenery from the water's surface.

Along the banks of the Onogawa River and on the Katori Street, there are areas that have preserved buildings from the Edo to the Showa periods. In 1996, it was designated as a national "Important Traditional Building Preservation District." Today, many shops that have been passed down through generations are still in operation. Some businesses open their family heirlooms for public viewing. The "Koedo Sawara River Cruise," which allows visitors to enjoy the scenery of Onogawa, is quite popular.