Gujo Hachiman Former Town Hall Memorial Hall

A general tourist information center in a retro building in Gujo Hachiman, where the streetscape of the old castle town remains.

Built in 1936, this Western-style, two-story wooden building has a total floor area of Approx. 800 square meters. Its well-balanced design features wooden exterior siding and tall, narrow windows. The roof structure uses truss construction, a method also used for gymnasiums and halls, and it incorporated cutting-edge technology for its time.

This building was used as the Hachiman Town Hall until 1994, and in 1998 it was designated as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan. It reopened after renovations the following year, in 1999. Now, as Gujo Hachiman’s general tourist information center, it shares the area’s appeal with visitors.

Inside, you’ll find a cafeteria, a souvenir corner, and more. At the “Former Town Hall Cafeteria,” you can enjoy meals made with carefully selected local ingredients from Gujo, such as the local specialty “Kei-chan” and set meals featuring Gujo Ham. There’s also the “Yoshida River Salon,” which retains an early Showa-era atmosphere, and “Kawasaki Hall,” where you can try the Gujo Odori dance (reservation required). It’s a great hub for sightseeing in Gujo Hachiman.