Nishu

Kumagawa-juku Historic Post Town

Explore a Historic Post Town Where Cultures Once Connected

The post town of Kumagawa-juku was established in 1589, as a place for travelers to rest between Kyoto and the Wakasa region of southern Fukui. Visitors today can explore its traditional townscape, lined with buildings that date back to the Edo period (1603–1868), and that now serve as pottery shops, cafés, and overnight accommodations. A local history museum offers displays of old documents and diaries, from the founding of the post town through the end of the Edo period.

For centuries, Wakasa was an imperial food province, and provided the imperial court in Kyoto with fresh, high-quality seafood. Over time, Kumagawa-juku prospered and became a place where cultures mixed, as merchants passed through and stayed in this post town.