It is said that over 3,000 students studied at the school during the disturbances of the 10-year civil war (Onin War) starting in the 15th century.   When the Catholic missionary Francis Xavier came to the country in 1549, he described it as “Japan’s largest and most famous school” in his correspondence. Ashikaga thus became widely known overseas as well.   Today buildings have been restored，and visitors can view classrooms in their original historic form and join a program reading The Analects of Confucius on Sundays.

Ashikaga Machinaka Yuugakukan was opened in March 2003 as a facility to familiarize， enjoy， and learn about the history， culture， and nature of Ashikaga. Remodeled in 2016， the facility has a rest area and conference rooms， and provides tourist information. There are take-out shops for drinks， soups and lunch that can be enjoyed inside the building.On the second floor， visitors can try on traditional clothing made of Ashikaga Meisen silk."

History of Bannaji Temple On the site of the present-day Bannaji Temple, a powerful samurai called Minamoto no Yoshiyasu, who was as famous as Taira no Kiyomori and Minamoto no Yoshitomo (the father of Minamoto no Yoritomo and Minamoto no Yoshitsune) built his castle at the end of Heian period. He is the first generation of Ashikaga family.   In 1196, Ashikaga Yoshikane, the son of Yoshiyasu, built a hall dedicated to Dainichi Nyorai, and the 3rd head of Ashikaga family, Ashikaga Yoshiuji, built a hall tower and other buildings. Since that, the Bannaji Temple bacame the clan temple of Ashikaga family. 150 years later, the 7th head of the family, Ashikaga Takauji, founded the Muromachi Shogunate, which gave the Ashikaga family the reign of Japan. Even in the Edo period, as the temple of the Ashikaga family, the direct descendant of the Minamoto clan, was revered and protected by the Tokugawa Shogun, who claimed to be a member of the Minamoto clan.   Became the National Treasure of Japan In 1923, Bannaji Temple was designated as a National Historic Site as the "Ashikaga Family Residence". The main hall, the bell tower, and the sutra hall were designated as National Important Cultural Properties. It was selected as the one of the 100 most famous castles in Japan. The 40,000-square-meter territory is laid out in a square shape, surrounded by a circular fortress and a moat, and retains the characteristics of the Kamakura period's Buke Yashiki (samurai's house).   Annual Events On February 3, the temple hosts the Ashikaga Setsubun Armor Parade, in which more than 150 participants dressed as samurai and wearing armor parade to Bannaji Temple and then perform the bean-scattering ceremony. In spring, you can enjoy cherry blossoms, and in fall, you can see the leaves of the city's natural monument, the Ginkgo tree (about 600 years old), turn yellow, and the beauty of the tree is breathtaking.      

The Ashikaga Museum of Art was opened in April 1994， and is a relatively new museum. t is popular as a place where you can appreciate the fine arts in Japan and develop a wide range of arts and cultural activities， as well as a place where you can enjoy the works closely of artists who was born mainly in Ryomo area. This is an urban art museum that is rare in Japan， together with a residence."

Although officially founded in 1868， the name of this venerable confectionary shop can be found in documents from the late Edo period. Its most famous offering is its Koin Monaka. These monaka (bean jam-filled wafer cakes) feature a motif inspired by the ancient official seals (Koin) of the Ashikaga Clan. Other popular items include its Koin Senbei (rice crackers)， Takauji Senbei and Takauji (Dorayaki， bean jam filled pancake) ， the latter of which was inspired by the character of the Ashikaga Takauji， the first Ashikaga shogun. Another popular item is their Monaka Gokko， which allows you to enjoy the classic flavor of monaka in a casual "make it yourself" style."