What Is the Kasashima Townscape Preservation District? | A Setouchi Port Town Preserved for the Present
At the Kasashima Townscape Preservation District on Honjima Island in Marugame, Kagawa Prefecture, you can walk through a landscape where the form of a settlement enclosed by the sea and hills blends with machiya townhouses from different periods.
Rather than viewing the buildings one after another, pay attention to the bends in the roads, the orientation of the houses, and the positions of the temples, shrines, and hills. This makes it easier to read how this Setouchi port town took shape.
An Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings Selected by the National Government
In 1985, Kasashima was selected by the national government as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings, and its historic port-town streetscape has been protected ever since.
The town retains machiya dating from the Edo through Meiji periods and roads laid out so that they are difficult to see straight through, preserving the character of a port town.
A Settlement Shaped by Hills on Three Sides and the Sea
The settlement is enclosed by hills on three sides. Temples and shrines stand at the foot of the hills, while narrow lanes wind between homes toward the sea.
This is not a flat sightseeing district. By following gentle slopes and turning corners, you can sense how the town grew in response to the terrain.
Machiya Handed Down from the Edo Period to the Early Showa Period
The district contains 13 buildings from the Edo period and about 20 from the Meiji period. Traditional structures and designs were also carried into buildings from the Taisho and early Showa periods.
Kasashima is not an open-air exhibit filled with buildings from a single period. Seeing it as a living place where homes of different ages continue one after another is the first step toward understanding the district.
Higashikoji and Maccho-dori | Follow the Maze-like Streets
Kasashima's distinctive impression comes from lanes whose width and direction constantly vary and from the machiya that line them.
Do not rush to fix a walking order. Experience how the view opens and closes each time you turn a corner, and the structure of the settlement will begin to reveal itself.
Here are the main places and the points to observe.
| Place | Street characteristic | What to notice |
|---|---|---|
| Higashikoji | Runs north to south | Continuous rows of machiya |
| Maccho-dori | Curves like a bow | Relationship to the sea |
| T-junction | Stops the sightline | Overlapping walls and eaves |
| Offset crossroads | Misaligned route | Depth of the settlement |
Higashikoji, Lined with Machiya
On Higashikoji, which runs north to south through the eastern side of the settlement, you can compare the lattice-fronted facades and eave heights facing the street as you walk.
Look beyond differences between individual houses and notice how neighboring buildings shape the width and scenery of the road. This lets you understand the townscape as a group.
Maccho-dori, Running Almost Parallel to the Coast
Maccho-dori meets Higashikoji at a right angle and curves like a bow almost parallel to the coastline.
The sea is not always directly in front of you, so walking the curve offers the pleasure of imagining the distance between the port town and the water.
Changes in the View Created by T-junctions and Offsets
Kasashima's roads meet in T-shaped and cross-shaped junctions, and their width varies from place to place, making it difficult to see far ahead at once.
Do not occupy the center of a lane. Watch for local vehicles and residents, and quietly take in the scene at each corner.
Lattices, Mushiko Windows, and Namako Walls | Reading Machiya Design
Kasashima's machiya display features linked to the climate and daily life, including front lattices, mushiko windows on upper floors, and namako walls on storehouses.
Do not compare them only by decorative splendor. See them as devices that protect the building while admitting light and air, and the role of each detail becomes clearer.
Here are exterior elements that are easy to identify and the roles they serve.
| Architectural element | Appearance | How to interpret it |
|---|---|---|
| Lattice | Thin vertical and horizontal members | Boundary with the street |
| Mushiko window | Small upper-floor window | Means of admitting light and air |
| Namako wall | Raised white joints | Design that protects the storehouse |
| Tsushi second floor | Low upper floor | Machiya configuration |
Lattice Fronts Gently Separate the Street from the Home
Lattices give machiya their character by forming a boundary that regulates views from outside while bringing light and air into the home.
View them from the street without getting too close. Compare the spacing of the latticework and its combination with entrances from one house to another to see the differences.
Notice the Mushiko Windows and Tsushi Second Floors
Along the street stand machiya-style homes with low tsushi second floors fitted with mushiko windows.
To avoid neglecting your footing while looking up, stop in a safe place and move your gaze in order from the eaves to the windows and then the roof.
See the White Walls and Namako Wall at the Maki Residence
At the Maki Residence, which is open as the Kasashima Townscape Preservation Center, a storehouse with a namako wall adjoining white plaster walls is a signature highlight.
By shifting your attention from the exterior to the interior, you can connect the face the house presents to the street with the living spaces deeper inside the property.
Shiwaku Shipping and Carpentry | Understanding the Background of the Townscape
Honjima is the central island of the Shiwaku Islands. The activities of people who traveled the sea and building techniques developed from shipbuilding supported the culture of the region.
In Kasashima, the history of shipping can be considered not as an abstract story but in connection with machiya beams, earthen floors, fittings, and the layout of the roads.
A Port Town Grew from a Base for Sailors
Located on a Seto Inland Sea route, Honjima developed a harbor-centered settlement as people and goods moved through the island against the background of sailors' activities.
Even in lanes where the sea is not directly visible, noticing the routes to the harbor and the arrangement of the houses helps you imagine the relationship between maritime transport and the town.
Sense the Work of Shiwaku Carpenters in the Buildings
Shipbuilding skills cultivated through maritime trade spread into architecture and were put to use by Shiwaku carpenters in constructing buildings across Japan.
At the preservation center, you can hear explanations of the architecture and deepen your understanding while examining the beams and fittings with your own eyes.
Preservation Does Not Mean Stopping the Town's Time
An Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings is not merely an area for viewing old facades. It is a place where residents' lives overlap with the inheritance of cultural properties.
Marking 40 years since the district's selection, a preservation and utilization plan was formulated in March 2026. Efforts continue to pass the historic landscape into the future through repairs and context-sensitive improvements.
Visit the Maki Residence to Understand Past Life in Three Dimensions
After walking outdoors, enter the Maki Residence at the Kasashima Townscape Preservation Center to examine living spaces and tools that cannot be understood from the exterior of a machiya.
Opening arrangements can change, so checking the days it is open before crossing to the island will give you peace of mind.
Connect the Earthen Floor, Living Room, and Courtyard
At the Maki Residence, a courtyard, broad earthen floor, cooking stove, living room, and other spaces connect to one another, allowing you to picture indoor movement and household work in concrete terms.
Instead of photographing each room separately, look at the sequence from the street through the entrance and earthen floor to the spaces at the back. It conveys the depth of a machiya.
Think About Daily Life Through Small Folk Tools and Andon Lamps
Small folk tools, andon lamps, and other items preserved from the late Edo period are displayed inside, allowing you to see the building and its implements together.
Rather than memorizing only the names of the tools, imagine who used them, in which room, and how. Daily life in the period will feel more immediate.
Distinguish Public Facilities from Residents' Homes
Not every building in the preservation district is open to visitors. Many remain private spaces with which people are still involved today.
Even if a gate or lane is open, do not enter the property. Enjoy only facilities marked as open to the public and areas visible from public roads.
Boats to Honjima and Local Etiquette | Prepare Before Your Walk
Because reaching Kasashima requires taking a boat to Honjima, the foundation of your itinerary is to decide on both your outbound and return sailings before you begin walking.
Honjima Kisen connects Marugame Port with Honjima, but weather and operating conditions can cause changes, so check the day's service status.
Walk from Honjima Port or Use Island Transportation
It is about a 25-minute walk from Honjima Port to the Kasashima Townscape Preservation Center.
Rental bicycles and a community bus are also available on Honjima, but check their conditions of use and schedules in advance, and return to the port with ample time before your boat.
Check the Preservation Center's Opening Conditions
The Kasashima Townscape Preservation Center is open from 9:00 to 16:00. It is closed on Mondays, or the following day when Monday is a public holiday, and from December 29 through January 3. From January 4 through the end of February, it opens only on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays.
Admission is 200 yen for adults.
Children's admission and temporary closures may be handled differently depending on the information source, so confirm the details before departure.
How to Walk While Protecting a Living Community
Here are actions that allow you to enjoy your walk while protecting the historic landscape.
| Situation | Recommended action | Action to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Lane | Stop at the edge | Block the passage |
| In front of a home | View from the public road | Enter the property |
| Photography | Take care not to include people | Aim the camera through a window |
| Walking | Watch your footing | Take photos while walking |
Avoid loud voices and occupying one place for a long time. Leaving room for residents and other travelers to pass makes your walk respectful of the townscape.
Summary | Walk Kasashima by Connecting Its Lanes and Machiya
In the Kasashima Townscape Preservation District, connect the bends of Higashikoji and Maccho-dori with machiya featuring lattices, mushiko windows, and namako walls and with the living spaces of the Maki Residence. The history of the port town will then come into three-dimensional view.
Check the round-trip boat schedule and public-facility opening times, and walk at a distance that does not disturb residents' lives. The journey will let you feel not only the preserved landscape but also the work of passing the town on.
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