Higashi Chaya Tea House District

On the banks of the Asanogawa River which flows through the foothills of Mt. Utatsu, an older Japan seems to have been frozen in time in the Higashi Chaya District. Historical structures have been carefully preserved in this area which still features beautiful latticed bay windows called kimusuko. To this day, visitors can hear the sounds of shamisen and taiko drifting out from teahouses which still hang lanterns outside their doors. This tea house district is also known as the setting for Hiroyuki Itsuki’s novel, Toki no Haka. In 2001, it was designated by the country as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings. Efforts to preserve it as a cultural heritage site of the city are ongoing.