Isabella Bird's 'Unbeaten Tracks in Japan': Ouchi-juku and a curious crowd of 1,000 (Pt. 13)
On June 26, 1878, Isabella Bird stopped at Tajima, the principal town of the Okuaizu region, where the scars of the Boshin War still lingered. The tow
On June 26, 1878, Isabella Bird visited Ouchi-juku, a post town in the Shimotsuke Kaido that had once been a bustling hub for travelers. The town, nestled in a valley surrounded by mountains, still retained much of its Edo period charm. Bird stayed at Honke Minoya, an inn that had served as the official lodging house for high-ranking travelers during the late 19th century.
Despite its historical significance, Ouchi-juku failed to promote itself as the town where Bird had stayed, likely because it was already known as a valuable surviving post town in the southern Tohoku region.
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