Kumagawa-Juku Shukubakan

Asano Nagamasa, who was a confidant of Shogun Toyotomi Hideyoshi and became the Lord of Wakasa, decided to establish Kumagawa-Juku as a post station in 1589. The location was important from both transportation and military perspectives. The 'Wakasa Kaido', the road by which goods traveled over the mountains between Wakasa (on the Sea of Japan coast) and the capital in Kyoto, also became known as the 'Saba Kaido' on account of its use in transporting fish including mackerel (saba) to the capital. The Saba Kaido passes through Kumagawa-Juku which retains a traditional street lined with Edo Period buildings in various styles. Kumagawa-Juku has been designated as an important traditional Building Preservation District by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.
A fast-flowing brook called the Maegawa flows along the side of the Saba Kaido within Kumagawa-Juku, helping to conjure an atmosphere of past times in which the visitor is transported back to Japan's Edo Period (approx. 1600~1867).
People can learn about the history of Kumagawa-Juku and the Saba Kaido at the 'Wakasa Saba Kaido Kumagawa-Juku Shiryokan (archives museum)', known as 'Shukubakan' for short.
The building that houses this museum was originally the Kumagawa Village Office.
This building itself, which mixes Japanese and Western design elements, features a porch with cylindrical columns and a hipped tiled roof. At the time of its construction,
Western cultural influences were being actively adopted by the Japanese, a trend very much evident in the architecture of this building.

Address	Kumagawa, Wakasa-cho, Mikatakaminaka-gun, Fukui-pref.
Access	On Maizuru-Wakasa Expressway 12 min. drive from Wakasa-Kaminaka I.C. (via Pref. Route 22 and Route 27) 30 min. from JR Kosei line Omiimazu station, via JR bus, get off at Kumagawa, Wakasa.
Opening Hours	Shukubakan 9:00 to17:00 (April to October） 9:00 - 16:00（Novenber to March） Roadside Station WAKASA KUMAGAWAJUKU 10:00 to 18:30 *Visitors can view the street freely at any time.
Closed Days	The Shukubakan is closed on Mondays (or on the following day when the Monday is a national holiday), and over the year-end/New Year holidays. Roadside Station WAKASA KUMAGAWAJUKU is closed on Thursdays and from Dec. 30 to Jan. 3.
Fee	Shukubakan admission fees: JPY 200 for adults, free for children up to junior high school age
Parking	Roadside Station: Available for 31 cars Shukubakan: Available for 4 cars
Inquiries	Shukubakan Phone. 0770-62-0330
Web SIte	http://kumagawa-juku.com/