Townscape of Unomachi
Townscape of Unomachi designated as Preservation District for Groups of Historic buildings
Unomachi in Seiyo City was once prosperous being a key point of transportation, as well as the only post town in Uwa fudal clan and as a residential town in Edo period.
At present, the town is a historic spot preserving traditional town scape as it was.
You can enjoy walking the street lined by precious historic architectures with beautiful white walls, lattice windows also you will witness an inn or a sake brewery that have been in business more than a hundred years.
Pleasure of Townscape of Unomachi
The first sightseeing spot we recommend is Kaimei School, which is the oldest elementary school in the Shikoku region. It was constructed with money donated by the townsfolk in 1882, during the Meiji era, when Japan started to become a modern nation. It imitates Western-style buildings of that era and still retains the same atmosphere as that time period. In a classroom upstairs, you can experience a class as if you were a student in the Meiji era. (Fee is required.)
Uwa Folk Handcrafts Museum, or Mingu-kan, is another sightseeing spot you should not miss, if you are learning about how people lived at that time. Mingu refers to the tools that ordinary people handcrafted and used as needed in their daily lives. The museum stores and exhibits about 6000 mingu used for business or daily life, which are no longer in use. The exhibits there convey the local people’s culture and customs to you.
After you have learned about history and culture there, you might want to stroll down the local streets lined with houses featuring beautiful white plaster walls. You can find a splendid house that stands out on the streets, named the Suemitsu residence. It was constructed as a sake brewery in 1770 with the traditional architectural features that are rarely seen today. For example, there are lattice doors kept in turntable door pocket which are pulled out to partition rooms from the earth floor. Hako-kaidan or “box stairs” are another example. They function as storage as well as stairs.
Back on the streets, you may come across a prestigious gate called Torii-mon. It was constructed by the village headman named Torii Hanbē. It has gate doors fastened with iron rivets and a large decorative tile, and is styled as if it were an old samurai residence.
Walking along the streets rich with traditional culture and history, you can closely feel the people from those days.
Information on Facilities
| Kaimei School, Uwa Folk Handcrafts Museum |
109 3-chōme Unomachi Uwa-town, Seiyo City, Ehime Prefecture | |
|---|---|---|
| For both facilities: | ||
| Hours Open | 9:00 ~ 17:00 (entry until 16:30) | |
| Admission | A combined ticket for Kaimei School and Uwa Folk Handcrafts Museum 500 yen for high school students or above 300 yen for middle and elementary school students |
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| Regular holiday | Monday (if Monday falls National holiday, the next day is closed) | |
| The Suemitsu Residence | 3-chōme Unomachi Uwa-town, Seiyo City, Ehime Prefecture | |
| Open to the public | Every first Sunday 13:00 ~ 15:00 | |
| Torii Gate | 4-chōme Unomachi Uwa-town, Seiyo City, Ehime Prefecture | |
Kaimei School
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The Suemitsu Residence
Torii Gate