Connecting the Sea and Kyoto, Imperial food purveyors and the Mackerel Road
Fukui Prefecture has many tourist spots with historic buildings and sites such as shrines, temples, castle ruins, Japanese garden, and so on. Kumagawa-juku used to be an important post town connecting Wakasa region and Kyoto that developed into a post-station town especially since 1589.
The Wakasa Kaido (highway) used to connect Kyoto, the old capital of Japan, with the Wakasa Bay where fresh fish were abundant. The Wakasa Kaido was also called the Mackerel Highway, because people in Kyoto particularly liked the mackerel from the Wakasa Bay and a large amount of it was carried on this highway. Thriving as an outpost on the Mackerel Highway is Kumagawa-juku. The Kumagawa Juku post town was the largest transit point on the Saba Kaido. Wholesalers would commission agents to transport large volumes of supplies from Obama by horse or carrier to Kyoto. Many traditional buildings still line the streets, including the Ogino family residence, the area’s oldest machiya townhouse. The wide mixture of building styles gives Kumagawa Juku a unique feel.
During its golden age, the outpost flourished containing more than 200 houses, but the highway fell into disuse and ruin over time. The townscape, developed from the Edo to the Showa period, has been kept untouched and was designated as a Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings. Nowadays, you can enjoy a slow walk in the sightseeing area.
The Wakasa Kaido (highway) used to connect Kyoto, the old capital of Japan, with the Wakasa Bay where fresh fish were abundant. The Wakasa Kaido was also called the Mackerel Highway, because people in Kyoto particularly liked the mackerel from the Wakasa Bay and a large amount of it was carried on this highway. Thriving as an outpost on the Mackerel Highway is Kumagawa-juku. The Kumagawa Juku post town was the largest transit point on the Saba Kaido. Wholesalers would commission agents to transport large volumes of supplies from Obama by horse or carrier to Kyoto. Many traditional buildings still line the streets, including the Ogino family residence, the area’s oldest machiya townhouse. The wide mixture of building styles gives Kumagawa Juku a unique feel.
During its golden age, the outpost flourished containing more than 200 houses, but the highway fell into disuse and ruin over time. The townscape, developed from the Edo to the Showa period, has been kept untouched and was designated as a Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings. Nowadays, you can enjoy a slow walk in the sightseeing area.
