Hirosaki Samurai District 仲町武家屋敷

A small part of the old castle town of Hirosaki is preserved as a former samurai district. Four samurai houses and one house of a merchant are open to the public.

The Hirosaki Samurai District, also known as Nakacho Buke-Yashiki, is within walking distance from Hirosaki Castle .

It's a 35-minute walk to the samurai district or a 15-minute bus to Kamenokomon-mae bus stop to the north of Hirosaki Park from Hirosaki Station.

Four samurai residences, Ito, Umeda, Iwata and Sasamori, are all free of charge to visit, and you can go inside of these historical homes (you will be asked to remove your shoes).

The homes are very simple and unadorned. The Ito residence, home to the family doctor of the Tsugaru feudal lord, is slightly larger and more well appointed than the other three.

The Ishiba residence was owned by a merchant class family that sold household goods and straw. The residence is still used today, as a shop and home. There is a 100-yen admission fee to see the inside of the house. You will see that the merchant class lived with a few more amenities than the average samurai.

You will find other former samurai residences in the Hirosaki Samurai District. These are not open to the public. You can imagine what it was like to live as a samurai during the Edo period (1603-1867) as you walk by.