Kusatsu-juku, Post station in Kusatsu, Japan.
Kusatsu-juku was a post station where two major trade routes crossed at a river crossing point. The preserved buildings show how travelers were accommodated and how the station functioned as a rest point along the journey.
A shogun used the location in the 15th century as a stopping point during a pilgrimage, which led to the station's establishment. The site later developed into a major rest point where the two trade routes intersected.
The name comes from a hot spring that once attracted travelers through the area. The two honjin buildings reveal how elite travelers moved along the main routes and where they stopped to rest during long journeys.
The site is about a 10-minute walk from the nearest train station. The preserved buildings now function as a museum where you can walk through the rooms and see how travelers were treated during their stay.
The station had not one but two separate high-class inn buildings for officials and daimyo. This was unusual and shows how important the location was as a crossing point of the two trade routes.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
