old town | Japanese Countryside Travel Notes

I thought I had seen the approach to the castle located on the north side of town, but I was surprised to see that it looked exactly like the Obi Castle ruins on the Nichinan coast. It is also very similar that the historic townscape remains intact along with the town layout and this townscape was registered as “Traditional Buildings Preservation District.”

tatsuno castle entrance

obi castle entrance

Obi’s stone walls surrounding samurai residences are impressive, while Tatsuno’s rows of merchant houses formed by lattice windows and storehouses are impressive. Most tourist brochures highlight only the most beautiful parts of the scenery, but it is rare to find a historic wooden building of this size remaining. If possible, it’s best to take enough time to wander aimlessly.

tatsuno city old map

tatsuno city (1)

tatsuno city (2)

tatsuno city (3)

tatsuno city (4)

tatsuno castle entrance

tatsuno city (6)

tatsuno city (8)

tatsuno city (7)dragon pine

tatsuno city (9)

tatsuno city (10)

tatsuno city (11)

tatsuno city (12)

tatsuno city (14)

tatsuno city (15)

tatsuno city (16)

In Japan, children’s songs urging children to “go home” are still played from loudspeakers in many towns in the evening. The representative children’s song is “Aka-tombo,”(red dragonfly) and the lyricist’s hometown is Tatsuno City. The lyrics are interpreted in various ways due to the poor lifestyle, but they give the impression of being melancholic and making people feel anxious and want to go home. Red dragonfly designs can be found on various street corners in Tatsuno City.

tatsuno city (17)red dragonfly design

tatsuno city (18)red dragonfly design

tatsuno city (19)red dragonfly design

Many souvenirs are based on fermented foods and soy sauce. The brick chimney of the soy sauce factory seen from the castle ruins is impressive.

Is the meaning of “the guy who can’t go up the Udatsu” closer to “the guy who can’t even build a pool in the garden”?

waki town 8

waki town11 the thickest udatsu for only vanity

Udatsu began as a fire wall plastered on the boundary between the second floors of merchant houses on the street to prevent fire from catching fire from neighboring houses. Later, its thickness became a symbol of wealth. Nowadays, it is used in the opposite way, such as “some people can’t go up the Udatsu,” and it has become a proverb to ridicule a husband who is unattractive and inferior to other people.

waki town1 old wharf

waki town2

waki town5 udatsu

waki town4 udatsu for fire protection or vanity

waki town7

waki town14

waki town15

waki town16

waki town24

waki town25

waki towm12 theater

waki town17 old indigo dealer

waki town19 indigo material

The merchant houses on the street remain intact in the townscape, as if you had slipped back in time to the Edo period. In this town, the Udatsu has risen in the trade of indigo products. It is similar to Yamagata’s safflower trade. When you are enjoying the good atmosphere, you will suddenly be occupied by a large number of chattering ladies who got off the large sightseeing bus, so be careful. It is the mother who rules the world, and the husband always doesn’t go up the Udatsu.

waki town3 toribusuma for bird resting place

waki town10 mushiko window like insect cage

In addition to the Udatsu, a perch-like place is attached to the ridge-end tile (Onigawara) on the roof for birds to rest their wings and not poop on the ridge-end tile. It is called “Toribusuma”. Also, Also, on the second floor of the merchant’s house, there is a lattice window that allows the outside to be seen only from inside room, and the exterior is designed like an insect cage. It is called “Mushiko window”. On the first floor, there is a thin lattice that hides the private part, and a lattice with a large gap that allows the store to be seen from the outside. You can see many historical buildings with many interesting details.