蒲原宿(Kanbara inn town): lots of old houses to indicate what an inn town used to be

I passed by Kanbara multiple times by JR Tokaido line local and express, but I have never stopped by. 

My Google map street view research shows that Kanbara(and Yui inn town as well) preserves the best of what an old inn town used to look like, more than any inn towns on Tokaido between Shizuoka and Tokyo. 

Edo-side Mitsuke(guard gate) is located here. Note that there are two train stations that have “Kanbara” on: Kanbara and Shin-Kanbara. Edo-side Mitsuke is very close to Shin-Kanbara station. 

On the left, there is Kiya Edo museum. Apparently this three-story warehouse is a museum that displays old documents about this area and businesses. As a three story warehouse, this is the fifth oldest in Japan. 

I circled two things here, but according to the website of Shizuoka prefecture, both appears the same. 

If you compare old towns like Takayama or Tsumago, Kanbara might not be as attractive as these two. However, up until Kanbara, all inn towns on Tokaido routes have been destroyed by whatever reasons and rebuilt recently, which made us difficulty to experience the good old days of Tokaido. Here, you can feel it much more. 

When you see structures of houses along the Tokaido route, you will notice that houses are narrow on the street side but long and deep. This is a typical Machiya-style houses. You might have heard about those of Kyoto. 

The Sato family house on the right has typical Namako-style wall, a wall covered with square tiles jointed with raised plaster. It used to be a merchant’s house. 

Yoshida family house preserves Nuri-ie-style structure(塗り家造り), which means that there is no column at the center of the house, so it looks more spacious. 

Then we are passing by where used to be a Toiyaba, an administrative office/cargo terminal/postal office. 

Now we are at Hatago Izumiya, a former Edo-time business hotel. Today this house is a rest house so you can enter and take a look for free. 

Former Kanbara Nishi Honjin(I missed east Honjin!)  building was built in early 1900s. 

The circled on the left is where Kanbara goten residence used to be. Originally built by lord Ieyasu Tokugawa for lord Nobunaga Oda, who was engaging in battles against lord Shingen Takeda, the residence was expanded by Ieyasu’s son, Hidetada. Iemitsu, Ieyasu’s grandson, also expanded the residence as well. 

The modern-looking building on the right used to be Igarashi Dental clinic. Today it is open to public. 

The beautiful inn town still continues. 

Here the route takes 90 degree curve southward. 

Going straight down southward. 

Former Kyoto-side Mitsuke is here. This is the end of Kanbara inn town. 

By the way, do you notice that two tectonic plates are joining off the shore of Kanbara? That is why Shizuoka occasionally experiences big earthquakes historically.  

As mentioned earlier, Shin Kanbara station is the most convenient train station. 

References: 

Kanbara-Shuku. Shizuoka Tourism, Exchange and Cultural Bureau, Tourism and MICE Promotion Division. Shizuoka City. https://shizuoka.tokaido-guide.jp/shukuba/1 (Accessed in 5/13/2025)