Greater Tokyo

FUKUSHIMA

Shirakawa-juku | Former Wakihonjin Yanagiya Ryokan Kura-zashiki

Feel the history of this tranquil townscape

A former Oshu Kaido gateway town, Shirakawa preserves the quiet atmosphere of travelers’ days past.
Culture & Arts Nature & Views
Shirakawa-juku developed as a post town along the Oshu Kaido during the Edo period and played an important role as a gateway linking Edo with the Tohoku region. Located in the southern part of present-day Fukushima Prefecture, Shirakawa was long regarded as a boundary area separating north and south, symbolized by the historic Shirakawa Barrier that marked the entrance to the northern lands. With the construction and later development of Komine Castle, the town grew not only as a post station for travelers but also as a castle town. Samurai, officials, merchants, and ordinary travelers stopped at Shirakawa-juku to rest and prepare for the next stage of their journey. Although Komine Castle was destroyed during the turmoil at the end of the Edo period, Shirakawa today retains a calm and understated atmosphere. One notable historic structure that can be visited today is the
Former Wakihonjin Yanagiya Ryokan Kura-zashiki,a storehouse-style building associated with a former wakihonjin (a secondary official inn), which supported the honjin (the principal inn reserved for high-ranking samurai and officials). Located in the Honmachi area, where lodging facilities once gathered, this kura-zashiki quietly conveys memories of the days when travelers were welcomed along the highway. Rather than a destination of grand monuments, Shirakawa offers a gentle and walkable travel experience, where history can be felt through streets, buildings, and atmosphere, appealing to visitors interested in Japan’s historic highways and townscapes.

Access Information
Address 66 Motomachi Kitaura, Shirakawa City, Fukushima
Phone number
+81-248-28-5533
Business hours
10:00 am–4:00 pm
Holiday
Mondays (or the following Tuesday if Monday is a national holiday); year-end and New Year holidays (December 28–January 4)