Former Toride Inn Honjin Someno Family Residence in Toride City, Ibaraki Prefecture Offering Special Seal for Visitors
Toride City in Ibaraki Prefecture began heavily developing during the Edo Period as a strategic town on the Mito Kaido road. The symbol of the town is the Former Toride Inn Honjin Someno Family Residence, designated as a prefectural cultural property and historic site. This stunning building will now be open to the public starting June 3, 2022!
In Japan, fans of temples and shrines often collect Goshuin. These are beautiful handwritten shrine seals collected in a special book, and they have recently become popular with younger generations. The first ‘honjin goshuin’ in Japanese history will be available at the Former Toride Inn!
A honjin was an inn for government officials, generally located in post stations during the later part of the Edo period. In Toride, the Someno Family Residence was designated as the main honjin for use by the Mito Tokugawa family in 1687. Since then, successors of the Mito Tokugawa family and many other feudal lords and samurai traveling between Edo and Mito used the location as a place to rest.
Of the three remaining honjin on the Mito Kaido road, the Former Toride Inn Honjin Someno Family Residence is the oldest and largest in scale. Today, it is also the only one with both the grounds and interior open to the public. With deep ties to the Mito Tokugawa family and Yoshinobu Tokugawa, the last shogun of the Edo Shogunate, it remains an incredible historical site.
Former Toride Inn Honjin Someno Family Residence Information (Released October 1, 2021)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKHGJsztC0Q
Visitors can obtain two honjin goshuin: one features an illustration of the main building, while the other features the seal of the Someno Family Residence.
Information
Former Toride Inn Honjin Someno Family Residence
Hours: Open to the public every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (excluding New Year’s holidays) from 10:00-16:00 *Last admission at 15:30
Admission: Free
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Cafe Amayadori Tote Bag
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TEL: 029-352-2715
Opening Hours: 09:00 ~ 17:30 (subject to change)
Closed: Mondays, Holidays (subject to change)
Official Site: http://rain-sound.com/cafe