Former Makabe Post Office

Former Makabe Post Office: A Western-Style Landmark in a Historic Castle Town

In the heart of Makabe, a beautifully preserved Edo-era castle town in Sakuragawa City, Ibaraki Prefecture, stands a building that immediately catches the eye. While the surrounding streetscape is dominated by traditional Japanese wooden merchant houses and earthen-walled storehouses, the Former Makabe Post Office (旧真壁郵便局) rises as a striking Western-style structure — the only one of its kind in the entire district. Built in 1927 (Showa 2) and registered as a national Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2000, this modest yet elegant two-story building has served as a bank, a post office, and now a cherished symbol of Makabe's layered history.

A Building Born as a Bank

The Former Makabe Post Office was not originally a post office at all. It was constructed in 1927 as the Makabe Branch of the Daigoju Bank (第五十銀行), a predecessor of today's Joyo Bank (常陽銀行), one of the leading regional banks in the Kanto area. The building occupies a prominent corner lot at the intersection of Gojinyamae-dori and Takakami-cho-dori, two of the main streets in central Makabe. Its location was no accident — as a financial institution serving the prosperous merchants of this thriving market town, the bank needed a prestigious and highly visible site.

After the Daigoju Bank relocated its operations, the building changed hands several times. During the postwar period, it briefly served as a rationing distribution center. From 1956 (Showa 31) to 1986 (Showa 61), it functioned as the Makabe Post Office (a tokutei post office, or special-designation post office). Today, it stands as one of 102 Registered Tangible Cultural Properties in the Makabe district and occasionally serves as a tourist information center, particularly during the popular Makabe Hina Matsuri (Doll Festival) each February and March.

Why It Was Designated a Cultural Property

The Former Makabe Post Office was registered as a national Registered Tangible Cultural Property (建造物) on October 18, 2000. This designation recognizes buildings constructed at least 50 years ago that contribute to the historical landscape and demonstrate architectural or cultural significance.

The building is valued for several reasons. Its exterior features a simulated stone appearance achieved through an artificial stone wash-out finish (人造石洗い出し仕上げ) applied over a wooden frame — a technique that gives the impression of solid stone or reinforced concrete construction, while the structure is actually entirely wooden. The facade is remarkably restrained, with regularly spaced windows and almost no decorative ornamentation, embodying the streamlined aesthetic that characterized early Showa-period architecture. This simplicity is itself significant, as it illustrates the design trends in regional bank architecture of the late 1920s.

The nearly square floor plan includes a two-story main structure with a vault room projecting from the rear right corner of the ground floor — a telltale remnant of its banking origins. Originally, the interior featured a dramatic double-height atrium on the second floor, but this was later filled in to accommodate a telephone switchboard room when the building was converted to a post office.

Highlights and What to See

Visitors to the Former Makabe Post Office can enjoy several distinctive features that reveal the building's rich history. The Western-style exterior stands in vivid contrast to the traditional Japanese buildings on every side, making it an unmistakable landmark as you explore Makabe's streets. Look closely at the exterior walls to appreciate the mortar wash-out finish — what appears to be cut stone is actually a skillful surface treatment over a wooden frame.

Inside, the former post office counter partitions remain in place, complete with the service windows that would have greeted postal customers during the Showa era. The wooden staircase leading to the second floor offers a glimpse into the building's original spatial layout. The interior atmosphere is quiet and contemplative, bathed in natural light from the evenly spaced windows. While the building does not contain permanent exhibition displays, it provides a fascinating window into the adaptive reuse of early modern architecture in rural Japan.

During the annual Makabe Hina Matsuri, held from early February to early March, the building serves as a general information center for the festival, staffed by local volunteers who can guide visitors through the town. Handmade hina dolls created by local kindergarten children are also displayed inside during this festive period.

Makabe: A Townscape Like No Other

The Former Makabe Post Office is best appreciated as part of a broader exploration of Makabe's extraordinary historic townscape. In 2010, the central area of Makabe — spanning 17.6 hectares — was designated as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings (重要伝統的建造物群保存地区), the first such designation in Ibaraki Prefecture. With over 300 traditional buildings including merchant storehouses (misegura), earthen warehouses (dozo), gates, and townhouses from the late Edo period through the early Showa period, Makabe offers one of Japan's most authentic experiences of a historical Japanese town.

The town's origins trace back to the Warring States period, when the Makabe clan established a castle here and laid out the town grid that survives largely intact today. During the Edo period, Makabe thrived as a cotton trading hub, channeling textiles from the Kansai region to the Tohoku markets. The wealth generated by this trade funded the construction of the impressive merchant houses that line the streets to this day. In the Meiji period, the silk reeling industry brought further prosperity, and many of the later buildings reflect this era of growth.

A unique feature of Makabe's cultural landscape is the stone marker system: locally quarried Makabe granite (mikage-ishi) markers stand in front of each registered cultural property, making it easy for visitors to identify and locate these treasured buildings as they walk through the town.

Surrounding Attractions

Makabe offers plenty to explore beyond the Former Post Office. The Makabe Folklore and History Museum (真壁伝承館), built on the site of the former Makabe magistrate's office (jinya), provides excellent historical context for the town and is an ideal first stop before a walking tour. Nearby, the Iseya Ryokan — itself a Registered Tangible Cultural Property dating from the Meiji era — offers both accommodation and local cuisine, including the regional specialty suiton (wheat flour dumplings in broth).

About one kilometer east of the town center lie the ruins of Makabe Castle (真壁城跡), a designated National Historic Site that preserves the earthworks and moats of the medieval fortress that gave birth to the town. For those seeking a deeper connection with nature, Mount Tsukuba — one of Japan's most beloved mountains — rises to the south, offering hiking trails, cable car rides, and panoramic views of the Kanto Plain. The Tsukuba Rinrin Road, a cycling path built on a former railway line, also passes near Makabe, making it possible to combine a cycling excursion with a visit to the historic town.

The Makabe Hina Matsuri

Since 2003, Makabe has hosted an extraordinary Hina Matsuri (Doll Festival) each year from early February to early March. What began as a grassroots community effort to share the town's heritage with visitors has grown into one of the region's most beloved seasonal events. Approximately 160 households, shops, and businesses throughout the town display their treasured hina dolls — some passed down through generations, including rare pre-war and Edo-period examples. Local residents warmly welcome visitors, offering tea, amazake (sweet sake), and stories about their dolls and family histories. The Former Makabe Post Office serves as the festival's main information hub during this period.

Practical Information for Visitors

Makabe can be reached by public transportation, though a car is the most convenient option. From JR Iwase Station on the Mito Line, take the Sakuragawa City community bus (approximately 25 minutes, 200 yen) and alight at the Shimojuku bus stop. Alternatively, from Tsukuba Express Tsukuba Station, take the bus to Tsukubasan-guchi (approximately 46 minutes), then transfer to the Sakuragawa City bus to Makabe (approximately 19 minutes). By car, the town is about 25 minutes from the Sakuragawa-Chikusei Interchange on the Kita-Kanto Expressway. Free public parking is available at the Takakami-cho parking lot in the center of town.

The Former Makabe Post Office itself is free to enter when open, though opening hours may vary and the interior is not always accessible. During the Hina Matsuri period, volunteer staff are present to assist visitors. The Makabe Folklore and History Museum (admission free for the history exhibit area) is recommended as a starting point for any visit. English-language signage is limited, so bringing a translation app or a Japanese-speaking companion can enhance the experience.