A Major Producer of Fine Binchotan (White Charcoal)
The main streets of Kiragawa, a national preservation area for traditional buildings, are lined with white-walled homes and storehouses (kura) built during the Meiji (1868–1912) and Taisho (1912–1926) periods. Kiragawa prospered as a town of high-quality Binchotan producing center from the Meiji to the early Showa era, because ubamegashi, the raw material for Binchotan, was harvested around the area.
The unusual architectural style is influenced by the town’s position along Kochi’s wilder eastern coast. The area is often hit by strong typhoons, so the traditional buildings are cleverly designed with Kochi-specific features to protect the structures from the fierce wind and rain. The walls are coated in bright white Tosa plaster for waterproofing, and you will see that the outer walls are lined with rows of water-draining roof tiles, which help protect the plaster below and give the buildings a rather charming, frilly aspect.
Originally a charcoal wholesaler's warehouse has now been renovated and turned into a café called Kura Space. After exploring the little town and getting a taste of Kiragawa’s heyday as a major producer of fine binchotan (white charcoal), why not duck in for a drink at one of the cafés housed in the white-walled buildings, or perhaps spend the night in retro accommodation at one of the inns?
The unusual architectural style is influenced by the town’s position along Kochi’s wilder eastern coast. The area is often hit by strong typhoons, so the traditional buildings are cleverly designed with Kochi-specific features to protect the structures from the fierce wind and rain. The walls are coated in bright white Tosa plaster for waterproofing, and you will see that the outer walls are lined with rows of water-draining roof tiles, which help protect the plaster below and give the buildings a rather charming, frilly aspect.
Originally a charcoal wholesaler's warehouse has now been renovated and turned into a café called Kura Space. After exploring the little town and getting a taste of Kiragawa’s heyday as a major producer of fine binchotan (white charcoal), why not duck in for a drink at one of the cafés housed in the white-walled buildings, or perhaps spend the night in retro accommodation at one of the inns?
