Edo

On Hokkaido's Sea of Japan coast, the Sasanami house is the island's oldest surviving folk dwelling, raised in the early 1800s by a family of herring net owners.

The Former Shimo-Yoichi Unjoya in Yoichi, Hokkaido, is the sole surviving example of an unjoya — a trading post once established across Hokkaido by the Matsumae Domain for commerce with the Ainu people. Designated as an Important Cultural Property, this imposing timber structure rebuilt in 1853 features a distinctive stone-weighted roof and Hokuriku-style fishing village architecture. Discover this irreplaceable monument to Hokkaido's frontier trade history.

Discover Shōgyōji Main Hall in Akkeshi, Hokkaido — an Important Cultural Property originally built in 1799 in Niigata and relocated by sea to eastern Hokkaido. Explore its elaborate carvings, polychrome decorations, and the fascinating story of frontier-era architectural heritage.

The Main Hall of Jōkokuji Temple in Kaminokuni, Hokkaido, built in 1758, is the oldest surviving temple building in Hokkaido and a designated Important Cultural Property of Japan. Featuring a fully developed Jōdo Buddhist architectural form with unique cold-climate adaptations, it stands as a precious testament to the history of northern frontier settlement and faith.

Founded in 1625 in Hokkaido's southwestern town of Matsumae, Ryūun-in is a Sōtō Zen temple that uniquely survived the Hakodate War with its Edo-period buildings completely intact. Its main hall, priest's quarters, bell tower, and storehouse — designated Important Cultural Properties of Japan — together preserve a rare and complete late-Edo temple precinct, blending the carving artistry of Echigo masters with the craftsmanship of local Matsumae carpenters.