Shiryokan Izushi History Museum

Izushi

The Shiryokan History Museum in Izushi housed in a traditional residence.

Izushi is a small castle town in northern Hyogo, now a part of Toyooka City. The old town contains about 50 acres of Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings, and here is located the Shiryokan, the local history museum.

Genkan entrance hall of a wealthy merchants house from the Edo Period

It's in an Edo Period residence of a wealthy merchant family, a cluster of connected buildings with lots of art and artifacts on display, but for me, it was the architecture itself, especially the interiors, that were the star of the show.

small irori in the floor with tokonoma behind

Spread over 2 floors, there is a veritable warren of rooms to explore filled with tatami, shoji, tokonoma, irori, fusuama, and all the traditional features of Japanese interiors. Somewhat unusual was the reddish hue of many of the walls, which comes from local clay.

Chigai-dana, traditional shoin-style shelving

A large storehouse also has displays of samurai weapons and armor.

sunlight through summer lattice windows cast strong shadows on tatami

Izushi History Museum

78 Izushicho Yoida, Toyooka-shi, Hyogo 668-0232

Tel: 0796-52-6556

Open 9:30am to 5pm every day except Tuesdays and over the new year

Entry 300yen for adults, 180 yen for kids