Ozu Castle Town — Preserved Edo Architecture

Ozu is a well-preserved castle town along the Hijikawa River, featuring Edo-period merchant houses, samurai residences, and a reconstructed castle keep built using traditional wooden construction methods. The riverside district retains its historical layout with narrow streets, whitewashed warehouses, and traditional machiya townhouses converted into cafes, craft shops, and guesthouses.

The Ohanahan Street area preserves merchant architecture from the 1800s, where wealthy traders built elaborate wooden homes with interior gardens and tea rooms.