Walking Around in the Castle Town Area
What comes to mind when you think of sightseeing in a Japanese castle town?
In case of Sasayama castle town, the classics would be the Oshoin at the Sasayama Castle ruins, the Anma Family Museum, the Historical Art Museum, Aoyama Historical Village and Dekansho Museum, and the Ojiyama Makekirai Inari Shrine.
However, this time, I would like to introduce some unique off-the-beaten-path spots.
First, there is the nostalgic shop called "Natsukashi-ya" with a retro Showa-era atmosphere. If you head east on Nikaimachi Street from the Nikaimachi bus stop, you will find it just before the Historical Art Museum. The paper balloons swaying at the eaves create a peaceful and nostalgic atmosphere.
Inside, you'll find a collection of sweets and goods such as Take Tombo (small bamboo Japanese toy that flies when spun between the palms of one's hands), paper balloons, streamers, and candies reminiscent of a Showa-era snack shop.
The lady running the shop is around 80 years old, and she is friendly, loves to laugh, and enjoys chatting. We had a pleasant time playing with paper balloons and having a leisurely conversation.
Nearby is "Futa-ai", a shop that sells secondhand kimonos, fabric scraps, and miscellaneous good. The shop owner is also very kind and freely shares various information. She is willing to help you find the right kimono, obi(sash), or accessories that suit you. There are even customers from overseas who come regularly with specific requests for kimonos with certain patterns from certain era.
New kimonos can be quite expensive to purchase, but it is delightful to see these traditional garments spreading easily and casually. They can be used as fabric, interior decorations, patchwork materials, or transformed into bags and Western-style clothing. The possibilities are limitless with ideas and creativity. How would you make use of them?
Next, we visited "Aoki Hyakka". Some of you may have seen various goods hanging outside the shop. Once you step inside, you will find a wide variety of items piled up from the floor to the ceiling, from the entrance to the back of the store. From straw hats used for farming, various sizes of baskets, kitchen utensils, Asian-style goods, insect cages, aluminum bento boxes, and many more items keep appearing!
Lastly, we visited "Kishida Kamiten" in Inui Shinmachi. They offer engagement ceremony supplies, washi paper products, Ogura Hyakunin Isshu (a traditional Japanese card game), greeting cards, and stationery with illustrations from The Tale of Genji, to name a few. The shop showcases lovely products that were carefully selected by the shop owner.
It turns out the owner's son is a champion in Karuta (a traditional Japanese card game), and the trophies were proudly displayed.
Engagement ceremonies have become less common nowadays, but they used to be a common pre-wedding event. They featured symbols of celebration such as pine, bamboo, plum, and folding fans. It was also an expression of a firm commitment to marriage.
By the way, the beautiful items made of Mizuhiki (a traditional decorative cord made of twisted paper) are becoming harder to find as the number of craftsmen decreases. It saddens me to hear that traditional crafts and techniques are gradually being lost. It is impossible for one person to protect all the traditional crafts throughout the country, but I sincerely hope that something touches someone's heart, and each tradition can be passed down.
For this town walk, I chose shops with a treasure hunting element. It might be enjoyable to take your time and search for hidden gems while chatting with the shop owners. These are many more shops like these in Sasayama! So, take a stroll and enjoy the relaxed flow of time in Tamba Sasayama.