Ishibe-shukuba-no-sato

Ishibe-shukuba-no-sato is a theme park featuring reconstructed buildings from the Edo period, including merchant houses, tea rooms, and traditional inns spread across the grounds. The layout recreates the appearance and daily use of a historical post town along a major trade route.

The site opened in 1985 and recreates the 51st post station along the Tokaido Road, which connected Edo and Kyoto during the feudal period. This historic route served as a major link for trade and administration across the region for centuries.

The site showcases traditional craft techniques like indigo dyeing and local pottery from the Shiga region. Visitors can observe how these methods remain part of the landscape through exhibits and demonstrations throughout the grounds.

The park is accessible on foot from Ishibe Station on the JR Kusatsu Line and operates as a walk-through exhibition space. It helps to wear comfortable shoes and plan time for exploring the buildings and exhibits at your own pace.

The Tokaido Ishibe-juku Museum displays a scale model of the Kojima Honjin, showing how elite travelers were accommodated during the period. These exclusive lodgings reveal the hierarchy of hospitality that existed in the old post town.

GPS coordinates: 35.00389,136.04472

Latest update: December 13, 2025 12:23