Iwamura Castle Town

In April 1998, Iwamura Main Street in Iwamura Town was selected as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings by the country (Agency for Cultural Affairs). Iwamura was a castle town that prospered as the political, economic, and cultural center of the Tono region during the Edo period.The preservation district is based on the form of the town, which was formed as a townhouse district in the castle town, and the merchant houses that flourished as a center of commercial activity since early modern times. It successfully conveys the distinctive historical landscape of the townscape. As if to show the prosperity of the past, the main building and storehouses are built in a stately lacquered house, and the townhouses are lined with large pillars and beams that show off their size. There are many old houses, including the Kimura residence and Tosaya, which are open to the public.