Ouchijuku was a post town in the Edo Period when high ranking officials had to travel to the capital every other year.
Ouchijuku (大内宿) once served as a post town in the
Edo Period for travelers going from Nikko to Aizu, and
vice versa. It was part of the Aizu Nishi Kaido, which was
vital for those living in the Tohoku Region. Like other old
post towns, this one was once a place for rest and
provisions for travelers, particularly because they
traveled by foot due to sanctions by the Shogunate
during the Edo Period. Thus it had taken much longer to
reach a desired location and post towns like Ouchijuku
were built. Officials and other high ranking citizens also
used this town when traveling. The Honjin was a primary
inn used by these high ranking officials, however, like the
rest of the town; Honjin is kept as a museum for the
public in order to demonstrate what post town during the
Edo period once seemed.
Everyday items of the Edo Period can be found in the
museum like a wooden rice mill, which is rare to find
intact. However, modern details like electrical or phone
wires are hidden to keep the appearance of a town
during the Edo period. Now, Ouchijuku is a town that has
restaurants, souvenir shops, and museums for its
visitors. There are also several minshuku, or Japanese-
style accommodations available for those who wish to
stay longer in this historical and peaceful village. The
post town was originally built in 1643 for the officials that
lived in the Tohoku Region. Over 30 thatched roofed
traditional buildings were built along the unpaved roads
of the town. Ouchijuku was very prosperous until the
construction of a new national route during the Meiji
Period.
The patrons of both the Shimotsuke Kaido and Ouchijuku
dramatically dropped because the new road was more
convenient. Ouchijuku was left behind with time, but it
proved to be a good thing because the thatched buildings
and unpaved roads were preserved. In 1981, Ouchijuku
was designated as a Group of Traditional Buildings.
Since then it has become a popular sightseeing spot in
Fukushima where it heralds in about 1.2 million patrons a
year. Its main attraction is the fact that many post towns
were not kept in their original forms and Ouchijuku serves
as a great example of one in great condition.
Inside the minshuku are irori (traditional Japanese
sunken hearth) where they make char fish on a stick. It is
a good snack to have that has been eaten since the Edo
Period. Again many of the homes and buildings in
Ouchijuku have been around for more than 400 years
even though they are equipped for modern times. There
is also an observatory at the end of the walkway of
Ouchijuku where you can see the town from above. This
observatory is a great place to go to especially in the
wintertime when the town is blanketed with snow and
illuminated at night.