最終更新日：2022年4月1日

Tatsuno-City ‘Tatsuno Traditional Buildings Preservation Area’

（1）Name

Tatsuno-City ‘Tatsuno Traditional Buildings Preservation Area’

（2）Area

Approximately 15.9 ha.(West East approximately 560m, North South approximately 850m)

（3）Area’s History

As recorded in an ancient book “Harima no Kuni Fudoki”, Nomi no Sukune, worshipped as a god of sumo, is buried in Tatsuno. In order to build the grave, the people had to line along the field, thus the city was named Tatsuno (“tatsu”=stand; “no”=field)

During the Sengoku period, Akamatsu Warlord resided at the hilltop castle at Mt.Keiro located on the west coast of the Ibo River. It is believed that the streetscapes were established by the end of the 16th Century. During the Edo period, the castle was moved to the foot of Mt.Keiro and early modern castle towns were created. By the mid -17th Century, Feudal Lord Wakizaka built a stable reign for about 200 years until the Meiji Restoration.

Tatsuno’s castle town developed mainly in the soy sauce brewing industry as a strategic place for Ibo River water transport, and has played a role as the center of political economy of Nishiharima throughout the Edo period.

（4）Area’s Characteristics

Studies have shown that the town division of the district, which was drawn in “Banshu Tatsuno Jyouzu” (map of Banshu Tatsuno Castle area) during the first half of the 17th Century, has remained almost unchanged compared to present day, and there is no big difference in the land division when compared to the 18th Century’s “Tatsuno So Ezu” (Map of Tatsuno).

There are many traditional buildings in the town and have various forms depending on the era built, such as exterior entrance of the ground floor, second floor windows, walls, eaves, and so on. Various traditional styles such as stucco walls, wooden waist-high walls, mushiko-mado(
Lattice windows on upper floors for letting in air and light), degoshi mado (protruding wooden lattice windows), and so on.

In addition to various facilities related to soy sauce brewing which is a local specialty of Tatsuno, there are mansion-style houses with “takabei” (high walls) and “mon-gamae” (gates), temples, and western-style houses that add a nice accent among the traditional homes.

（5）Selected as one of Japan’s “Important Preservation District for the Traditional Buildings”

The traditional buildings in this area are considered to be in excellent condition overall, and was selected to be a National Important Buildings Preservation Area for “Merchant Town-Brewing Town” on December 23, 2019.

（6）Design of Traditional Buildings