As customary for the Japanese medieval society, around the Hirosaki castle was built a residential area for the samurai and several streets with merchant houses. Today, from this area survived a small neighborhood located right next to the castle, Nakacho, and some of the old houses were preserved. The street doesn’t look traditional, but the neighborhood is interesting because there are 3 old samurai residences and one merchant house that can be visited.

The house photographed here is the Ishiba House, once the store of a wealthy merchant. Although it is still in use (today it’s a sake shop), the original aspect was perfectly preserved and the house, now an Important Cultural Property, can be visited (just ask the storekeeper).

Ishiba House, Hirosaki, Aomori

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