Ouchi-juku

Ouchi-juku, pronounced “o-uchi,” is a nationally preserved district, featuring over 30 old thatched-roof houses along a 450-meter main street within a protected 11.3-hectare area. Ouchi-juku was a mid-way post town that served travelers making their way between the northern Tohoku region and Edo, offering meals, lodging, and respite on the long journey.
Spared from modern development when traffic routes shifted in the Meiji period, you can still soak up that rare, old Edo post town atmosphere when you walk the streets here. 300 year-old thatched-roof houses still line the street, functioning both as family homes and shops selling their specialty leek soba noodles and local crafts. The villagers themselves re-thatch the roofs with pampas grass and lead efforts to preserve the town’s unique heritage, to ensure their traditions are carried on into the present.