Kitamae-bune Kaisen Wholesale Street

From Edo to Meiji Periods, Iwase District prospered as a port for Kitamae boats used in Japan Sea trading and as a village for captains. The retro townscape still remains today.

Omachi Niikawa-cho Street used to be known as Hokkoku Kaido Road, which is lined with workshops and stores converted from traditional homes. Taste Iwase’s specialties, Triangle dorayaki and Tobi-dango and other gourmet food. Stop by at Mori Family’s residence, a national important cultural property built around 1878 for the boat wholesaler. It is also worth a look at the home of Baba Family, who was one of the Five Greatest Kitamae Boat Captains in Hokuriku Region since late Edo Period.

Mori Family’s residence has the typical townhome structure since Edo Period, but this has the wooden doors made of valuable Yaku Cedar and a rare huge chunk of rock from Shodo Island used for entrance.
Baba Residence is the largest in Iwase District with the main home, a number of storages, gates and walls. “Tori-niwa,” a 30m-long hallway, and “Oi,” a chamber with 33 tatami mattresses, give a glimpse into their wealth back then.