Tatsuno

Tatsuno is a city in the southwestern corner of Hyōgo Prefecture, framed by mountain ranges to the north and the Seto Inland Sea to the south. The Ibo River crosses the urban area in a north-south direction and divides the plain, where residential neighborhoods alternate with commercial zones.

The Wakisaka family ruled this place from 1672 for two centuries and built it into a castle town. After the Meiji Restoration, the administrative structure changed, and later several smaller communities were merged until the current urban form emerged.

The name comes from the local castle hill that once formed the center of this settlement. You can still recognize the structure of old trading quarters today in the narrow lanes with white warehouses.

The main daily services are distributed across several neighborhoods, so a vehicle can be useful for longer stays. If you are interested in architecture and craft traditions, you will find many preserved buildings from earlier epochs in the older quarters.

The local production of thin thread noodles and soy sauce goes back several centuries and still shapes some family businesses today. Around a quarter of workers commute daily to the neighboring large city of Himeji, giving the place a marked double function as a residential and production location.

Location: Hyōgo Prefecture

Inception: October 1, 2005

Reference: 282294

Shares border with: Shiso, Aioi, Himeji, Sayo, Kamigori, Taishi

Website: https://city.tatsuno.lg.jp

GPS coordinates: 34.85792,134.54539

Latest update: December 13, 2025 18:03