Tsuwano Town

The coiner of 'philosophy' grew up here.

Nishi Amane's Former Residence

Photo by Heartoftheworld (CC BY-SA 4.0)

01 ／ Washibara Hachiman Shrine's Yabusame Track

A yabusame track built in 1568is, the town says, Japan's only original.

Tsuwano's lord Yoshimi Masayori is said to have built this yabusame (mounted-archery) track in 1568, alongside Washibara Hachiman Shrine. The 250m track has three targets, and the town says it is the only one in Japan to keep its original form. Designated a National Important Cultural Property in 2011, it hosts a yabusame ritual every April.

Said to have been built in 1568
250m long, with three targets
National Important Cultural Property, 2011

02 ／ Former Hori Garden and Hatasako Hospital

A copper-mine baronbuilt a hospital, and edged its flowerbeds with smelting-slag brick.

The Hori family, who made their fortune from the Sasagatani copper mine, privately opened Hatasako Hospital for local residents. When it opened in 1892, the flowerbeds in its front garden were edged with bricks made from copper-smelting slag. Now part of the Former Hori Garden, a National Site of Scenic Beauty, it opened as a small museum in 2016.

Opened in 1892 by Hori Reizo, at his own expense
Slag brick made from Sasagatani copper mine waste
National Site of Scenic Beauty (2005); museum since 2016

03 ／ Otome-toge

Of the 153 Christians exiled here from Nagasaki,36 died.

In 1868 and 1870, 153 Christians from Urakami, Nagasaki, were exiled to the Tsuwano domain and confined at Korin-ji temple. The town's records say 36 died after refusing to renounce their faith. In 1948, the Otome-toge Maria Memorial Chapel was built on the site, and the Otome-toge Festival has been held every May 3rd since 1952.

153 exiled in 1868 and 1870
36 died after refusing to recant, town records say
Otome-toge Festival held every May 3rd since 1952

Living here

Mountains along the Yamaguchi border, and the Tsuwano River.

about 7,000 people
Rural district town

Tsuwano is a mountain town in southwestern Shimane, bordering Yamaguchi Prefecture. Tonomachi Street, lined with buildings from the old samurai quarter, runs along the Tsuwano River. The town was formed in 2005 when the former town of Tsuwano merged with Nichihara. On weekends and holidays, the SL Yamaguchi steam train runs between here and Shin-Yamaguchi Station.

People living here: 6,875people
Area: 307.03km²
Households: 3,090households
Rent (average for rentals): —
Healthcare: 1 hospital ／ 6 clinics

Area and habitable land at the same scalee-Stat B1101 / B1103

Population from 2005 onward (municipal boundary changed).2005-09-25 に新設合併（日原町）。2005年調査から市域が変わっている。

Children waiting for childcare: —2 nurseries and similar
Home purchase subsidy: —
Average annual temperature: —

These 3 items are waiting on a nationwide data source. We do not fill them with estimates.

Shape

Borders 4 municipalities across 1 prefectures.

Tsuwano Town in Japan34.542°N 131.835°E

Territory of Tsuwano Town

Boundaries: National Land Numerical Information (N03)

North to south

19.2km

Shimane Prefecture: 益田市, 吉賀町
Yamaguchi Prefecture: 山口市, 萩市

Travel times per leg are not published by the municipality, so they are not shown.

Tsuwano Town isthis kind of town.

01The Former Residence of Nishi Amane, in Tsuwano's Ushiroda district, is where Nishi Amane, the Meiji-era thinker who coined words such as 'philosophy' and 'sensation,' lived from age 4 to 21. Across the Tsuwano River stands the birthplace of Mori Ogai, born into a family of domain physicians.
02The yabusame track at Washibara Hachiman Shrine keeps the form it had when built in 1568, which the town says is unique in Japan. At the Former Hori Garden, Hatasako Hospital, opened by the copper-mining Hori family, once had flowerbeds edged with smelting-slag brick.
03At Otome-toge, a memorial marks 36 of the 153 Christians exiled here from Nagasaki in the early Meiji era who died there; the Otome-toge Festival is held every May 3rd. The old castle town is also home to Taikodani Inari Shrine and the local dish uzume-meshi.

If something caught your eye, ask the town itself.

Tsuwano Town official site ↗Wikipedia ↗