A peaceful time spent in Tamba-Sasayama, a castle town with vibrant crafts

Tamba-Sasayama, a place with two Japanese Heritage Sites

Tamba-Sasayama is a town with a long history that has prospered as a castle town and post-station town since ancient times. Surrounded by mountains on all sides and rich in nature, it is blessed with delicious Tamba brand agricultural products such as Tamba-Sasayama black soybeans and Tamba chestnuts.

It also contains two locations designated as Japan Heritage* sites, which are stories of fascinating culture and traditions in various parts of Japan designated by the Agency for Cultural Affairs.

The first is "Tamba-Sasayama: Dekansho Bushi ~Memories in a folk song~". Dekansho Bushi are folk songs of this region that have been sung since the Edo period. In each era, they have sung of love for the region and its customs. Every year in August, the Dekansho Festival is held, whose participants dance and clap to the music of Dekansho Bushi. Visitors come from far and wide to get a look of the festival.

The second is "Six Ancient Kilns ~ Ceramics Born and Raised in Japan ~". The Six Ancient Kilns* are six representative ceramic production areas that have continued to produce pottery from the Middle Ages to the present, and Tamba-yaki of Tamba-Sasayama is one of them.

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▲ ▲Folk art store "Ameya" is chock-full of Tamba-yaki pottery

Strolling around the town, you will see many stores selling Tamba-yaki pottery.

If you find a piece of pottery you like, ask the name of the potter. Tamba-yaki Village is about 20 minutes by car from the castle town area, so it is fun to visit!

More information about Tamba-yaki can be found in "A stroll in the Tachikui area, Konda-cho, home to the Tamba-yaki Village of the Six Ancient Kilns."

*Japan Heritage - Stories which tell of Japanese culture and traditions through the historical charm and characteristics of a region, as designated by the Agency for Cultural Affairs. It is a part of Japan's cultural heritage protection system, which aims to revitalize regions by having them autonomously develop and utilize tangible and intangible cultural assets, which are full of the charm of each region, and promote them both domestically and internationally.

*The Six Ancient Kilns of Japan - the collective name for Echizen-yaki, Seto-yaki, Tokoname-yaki, Shigaraki-yaki, Tamba-yaki, and Bizen-yaki.

From Sasayama Castle to the merchant district. Stroll through the castle town enjoying history and culture

▲Sasayama Castle ruins

At the center of the castle town area are the ruins of Sasayama Castle, which was built in 1609 by order of Tokugawa Ieyasu*. The Oshoin (large drawing room) was built to serve as a center of politics, but was destroyed by fire in 1944. The present building was reconstructed in 2000.

Inside the Oshoin is a display of armor of Warring States-period warlords. They were actually handmade by an armorer living in Tamba-Sasayama! Visitors can see and even wear the elaborately crafted armor up close.

▲Choose your favorite utensil and experience the tea ceremony!

▲The hidden highlight of the garden is the suikinkutsu (buried earthen jar that makes sound when water drips into it). It makes a particularly beautiful sound!

Near the moat on the west side of Sasayama Castle is the Okachimachi Samurai Residence District, where samurai residences with thatched roofs remain. The Anma-Family Samurai Residence Museum, which shows the life of low-ranking samurai of the time, was built after 1830. The museum exhibits daily necessities, furniture, dolls, and other items used by the people who once lived here, and also allows visitors to try on kimonos and experience the tea ceremony.

▲Gorgeous buildings with white walls and tiled roofs stand side by side

Kawaramachi Street on the east side of the ruins of Sasayama Castle is lined with magnificent buildings that were once merchant houses. They are now often used as hotels, cafes, and variety shops, and it is a pleasant area to wander around.

*Tokugawa Ieyasu - Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616) was a military commander and politician who united Japan by founding the Edo shogunate (1603-1868). He brought the Warring States period to its end and founded the long period of peace known as the “Edo Period."

Unique accommodations from which you can travel as if you were living in Tamba-Sasayama

In Tamba-Sasayama, which still retains its traditional townscape, there are many unique accommodation facilities that make use of old private homes and buildings originally used for other purposes! This article will feature two of them.

Sasayama Castle Town Hotel NIPPONIA

▲ Nipponia Tamba-Sasayama whole house rental

Nipponia is a luxury hotel brand that renovates old houses of historical value and was first established in Tamba-Sasayama in 2015. The entire town has been transformed into a hotel, with guest houses belonging to the hotel scattered throughout the town.

Travelers accustomed to traveling in Japan and those seeking an unusual experience will love Nipponia's accommodation style, which is like renting a vacation home.

The front desk and restaurant building is the former residence of a bank manager, and is over 100 years old. Once you complete the check-in procedures, you can enjoy your stay in a traditional Japanese house as if you were returning home.

The interior and plumbing have been remodeled to make the houses more comfortable for guests, but they aren't over-repaired, with the balance being struck by leaving things such as soot stains on the ceiling and the old glass windows as they are, so that you can feel the history of the old house. Another point of interest are the low ceilings that match the height of Japanese people in the past!

To ensure that international travelers have an inconvenience-free stay, Nipponia has introduced a translation tool with support for 109 languages. In addition to communicating with hotel staff through automatic translation, you can read facility information through the language settings on your smartphone.

▲An example of Nipponia's restaurant menu. Dinner is French cuisine with plenty of Tamba-Sasayama ingredients.

For a special Tamba-Sasayama experience, check out the optional tours. Tours are available according to the season, such as a cycling tour that offers a completely original route tailored to your requirements, or a special plan that allows you to participate in the Dekansho Festival.

L'hôtel de Mai

▲ Selected tableware and teacups from all over Japan are available.

L'hôtel de Mai is a hotel in a renovated two-story wooden building that used to be a bank. There is only one guest room, and it is limited to one party per day.

The luxurious guest room, which occupies an entire floor, is decorated with works by artists associated with Tamba-Sasayama, and has a fine atmosphere that will make you feel as if your sense of taste has been refined just by staying in the hotel.

What makes this hotel special above all is that the hotel provides maximum support for one party per day.

For foreign travelers, the language barrier is always a problem when traveling to Japan. The hotel staff will help you make the most of your stay, not only by booking cabs and restaurants, but also by recommending cafes and stores, and even consulting with you on sightseeing plans.

▲The hotel provides a monthly playlist of recommendations in your room.

Many travelers who choose L'hôtel de Mai have a strong interest in arts and crafts, so we sometimes help them connect with other people by introducing them to local artisans and artists.

▲Decorated with persimmon tannin* and charcoal-dyed* goods by washi paper artist Hatano Wataru. The way it looks changes depending on the angle of the sun. They tell you to check in at the time of day when his works look most beautiful!

The special hospitality made possible by the hotel staff's thorough knowledge of the people, town, and culture of Tamba-Sasayama seems to be attracting many regular patrons.

There are many other unique lodging facilities scattered throughout Tamba-Sasayama, so be sure to explore them while touring the castle town.

*Persimmon tannin - The unripe fruit of astringent persimmons harvested while still green is pressed, fermented and matured to make it. Persimmon tannin has long been used for paints and dyes in Japan.

*Charcoal dyeing - Goods hand-dyed using charcoal as a dye

Every day, there is something new to discover. Tamba-Sasayama is a town that suits a long stay.

There are so many unique and beautiful hotels that it is hard to decide where to stay. Some travelers are said to change their accommodations every day and stay for a long time. The way you see the town and spend your time in it changes as you change where you stay. With so many different ways to enjoy Tamba-Sasayama, even a week may seem short!

Oito

Address: 186 Kawaramachi, Tanbasasayama-shi, Hyogo Prefecture, 669-2325（Google map）

Website: https://oito-henko.com/en/

Ayame

Address: 116-1 Kawaramachi, Tanba Sasayama City, Hyogo Prefecture, 669-2325 ( Google map )

Site: None

Sasayama Castle Ruins

Address: 2 Kitashinmachi, Tanba Sasayama City, Hyogo Prefecture, 669-2332 ( Google map )

Working hours:

May to October 8:30 to 20:00

November to April 8:30 to 19:00

Holiday:

Oshoin: Mondays (open on national holidays, closed the following day), year-end and New Year holidays (December 25 to January 1 of the following year)

Visitors are free to explore the castle tower, keep, and outer citadel during the above hours

Website: none in English

Anma-Family Samurai Residence Museum

Address: 95 Nishishinmachi, Tanba Sasayama City, Hyogo Prefecture, 669-2334 ( Google map )

Working hours: 9:00-16:30

Holidays: Mondays (the following day if Monday is a national holiday), year-end and New Year holidays

Website: none in English

Sasayama Castle Town Hotel NIPPONIA

Address: ONAE building, 25 Nishimachi, Tanbasasayama-shi, Hyogo Prefecture, 669-2342（Google map）

Website: none in English

L'hôtel de Mai

Address: 40 Tatemachi, Tanbasasayama-shi, Hyogo Prefecture, 669-2323（Google map）

Website: none