All Reviews of The Omi Merchant Townscape (Shinmachi Dori)

When visiting Omihachiman, besides seeing the cherry blossoms and taking a boat ride through the waterways, I also recommend strolling through the old Omi merchant district. Many traditional machiya townhouses from the Edo to Meiji periods have been preserved along the way. With their white exterior walls, lattice windows, and quaint streets, walking around feels like traveling back in time to an old merchant town. This was once an area where Omi merchants were active, and many of them set out from Omi to do business throughout Japan, leaving behind numerous historic buildings. There aren't many tourists in the district, which makes it even easier to leisurely enjoy the atmosphere of the old streets.

It's really impressive how well these old wooden buildings have been preserved. Not an easy feat at all.