【Communication from the local area】"How to walk in Toyosato, the town of Omi merchants" ~Staying in a Japan house, a dazzling early summer trip~ (Toyosato Town, Shiga Prefecture)

This is the third installment of the series, "Good Travel ⇌ Communication from the Locals". This time, we received a contribution from Mr. Nomura of the Toyosato Town Tourism Association in Shiga Prefecture. Toyosato is a small town on the eastern shore of Lake Biwa. In the past, there were many merchants who were based in Omi Province and expanded nationwide.
Among them, a certain merchant company produced by Toyosato is now a company that competes for the top position as a non-zaibatsu in the general trading company industry, where zaibatsu dominate, and is nicknamed the Nobushi Group. Company applicants and business people may be able to find hints if they go to Toyosato. (Editorial Department).
(Photo: Symbol of Toyosato Town "Rabbit and Turtle (at the former Toyosato Elementary School building)")

At first

Toyosato Town is the smallest municipality in the prefecture that belongs to Inugami District in the north-central part of the prefecture, east of Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture. It overlooks Hikone City to the west and the majestic Suzuka Mountains running north and south to the east. The entire town area is a flat environment with little difference in elevation, making it a "town" that is easy to work in. Due to the geographical environment where the "Old Nakasendo Road" developed in the Edo period passes through the center of the town and intersects with the Uso River, which originates in the Suzuka Mountains at the southern end of the town, it has been bustling as a trading post or relay point since ancient times.

Toyosato is a town of Omi merchants!

Toyosato Town is known as a town of Omi merchants, as is Gokaso in Higashiomi City, Shiga Prefecture. It is divided into Toyosato Ward in the northern half and Nichiei Ward in the southern half, and in the Middle Ages, merchants called "Branch Village Merchants" appeared from Nichiei Ward. They handled Mino paper from Gifu Prefecture and wholesaled it to Kyoto. From Toyosato Ward in the northern half, merchants who handle textiles such as "Omi Azabu" were born. At the forefront of this is Mr. Chubei Ito, the founder of ITOCHU Corporation and Marubeni, who led the company to become a global trading company. Also, be sure to remember the names of Satsuma Jihei, who made a fortune as the "Cotton King" at the end of the Edo period, and his grandson, Baron Satsuma (Satsuma Jirohachi), who devoted himself to cultural exchange between Japan and France.

The hall associated with the Omi merchants from Toyosato still exists along the old Nakasendo Road, and welcomes tourists as the Toyokaikan, the Itochubei Memorial Hall, the former Toyosato Elementary School buildings, and the Satsuma Jibei Memorial Hall. Although it is "the smallest town in Shiga Prefecture", the treasures contained in it are full of charm that is second to none. This time, I would like to stay in a Japan house in a town where the heart of Omi merchants still breathes, and deliver an exciting summer recommendation.

Visit the Voriz architectural schoolhouse, which has a lot of charm

Do you remember that in the morning drama series "Come Come Everybody" that started in November 2021, a luxurious white building appeared? This is the scene where the heroine drives an unfamiliar bicycle and chases her beloved to the station with all her might.

It is a symmetrical building, with a roundabout leading to the main entrance in the front yard, and the lawn is lively and dazzling. It was an impressive scene coupled with the wonderful performances of the performers. That scene was filmed at the National Registered Tangible Cultural Property "Toyosato Elementary School Former School Buildings". The school was designed by American architect William Merrell Vories with a donation from Mr. Tetsujiro Furukawa, an Omi merchant who served as the managing director of Marubeni Shoten, and was called "the Hall of Education of Chalk" and "the best elementary school in the Orient" because it was built with the most advanced architectural technology at the time and equipped with the best teaching materials.

In addition, it is said to be the setting of the popular anime "K-On!", and even now, more than 10 years later, there are many fans who love the work from Japan and abroad. In recent years, the number of customers who say that they came to visit retro buildings and locations has increased. Vorhees architecture is also popular among architecture fans, and public elementary schools are very rare among the ones he has worked on.

Let's enter the school, which is a change from the sophisticated exterior, and the interior is made of wood. Maybe that's why it's surrounded by a warm atmosphere. The long corridor, the chapel-like auditorium, and the design with operability and safety in mind make visitors wonder, "Is this really a municipal elementary school?" In addition, the old library is crammed with anime goods donated by fans, making it look like a museum.

One of the features of Vorhees architecture is that it has many and large windows. The way the light of each of the four seasons shines indoors is picturesque, isn't it? It is also designed with the future of the residents who live there in mind. Since this is an elementary school, it is made according to the physique of the children, such as the height of the doorknob and the height of the steps of the stairs. It has already retired as a school function, but architecture, art, the heart of Omi merchants, etc. There is so much charm here that I can't write about it all. We welcome you as a landmark that reflects the appearance of Toyosato in the past ~ present ~ future.

Small popular "Toyobo Kabo-chan"

In the summer, a small but very sweet pumpkin called "Toyobo Kabo-chan" is harvested. After harvesting, one by one, they are polished beautifully so that they can be used by their children. It is a specialty product like a pearl. If you wrap this in foil, put it on a charcoal grill on the BBQ, and steam it slowly, you will have a surprising gem that will make you think, "It's like sweets!"
You can enjoy it just as much in the microwave.
At the tourist information center in the former Toyosato Elementary School building group and the Shutoku Memorial Hall, pudding and bread dora made with this pumpkin are sold, so please try it.

Feel the life of an Omi merchant

Facing the old Nakasendo in Toyosato Town Hachime, there is the "Itochubei Memorial Hall". It is the former home of the first generation Mr. Itochubei and the house where the second generation Mr. Chubei grew up. The residence of the Omi merchants is carefully protected as it is, and the favorite items of the two men and photos of the company at that time are on display.
When you enter the entrance, there is a dirt floor, and the front room is the kitchen. Further back is the pickle shed. On the right is the shop room with the office, the middle room, and the Buddha room. It is a traditional Japan house with dark brown pillars that support the house.

Luggage was transported from this old house to the head office in Osaka. It seems that not only products but also daily necessities of the clerks were sent. The person in charge of this was Yaju, the wife of the first Chubei. The great thing about Mr. Yae is that he educated the clerks, assessed their aptitude from there, and placed them appropriately. It seems that it was because of Mr. Yae that Mr. Chubei was able to devote himself to his work in Osaka with peace of mind. I am very interested in that pedagogical theory.
One of the most interesting features of the building is the glass rods on the bottom of the handwashing sink. There is no water coming out of the faucet now, but I think it was smooth and quiet when the water passed through the gap in the glass rod.

It is a sophisticated way of living.
You can go out to the large courtyard from the back of the mansion. When you sit on the veranda and look at the garden, you will be enveloped in a relaxing and luxurious time.
When you step into the site, you can hardly hear the sound of cars running on the old Nakayama Road, and the atmosphere changes to calm. Mr. and Mrs. Itochubei must have taken time out of their busy schedules to sit on this veranda and enjoy the conversation while feeling the changing seasons.

One of the characteristics of Omi merchants in Toyosato is a deep spirit of giving back to their hometown.
Particularly prominent is the adage "three loves". There are quotes such as "Love the place, fall in love with the work, and fall in love with the wife" by Mr. Chubei, and Mr. Jibei Satsuma, "Love the land, fall in love with the business, fall in love with the wife, and study a little more than others." We strive to be frugal and thrifty and develop the next generation of human resources. It can be said that both of them, as well as Mr. Tetsujiro Furukawa, who donated the former buildings of Toyosato Elementary School, embodied this.

Welcome to "an old folk house where you can stay and play as if you were living"!

Ryokan and hotels are good, but how about staying in an old folk house?
For those of you who have been stimulated by a nostalgic travel spirit, I would like to recommend "Guest House Omusubi", which opened in 2021 in Yoshida Ward, Toyosato Town. It is one of the few quaint accommodation facilities in Toyosato Town that has been renovated from a house with a thatched roof.

Originally, the renovation was carried out in 2014 by local volunteers "NPO Toyosato Town Development Committee" and the University of Shiga Prefectural "Toyosato Kaizo Project".
Powerful large beams support the roof, and high ceilings disperse the wind and create an environment that is easy to spend time in. There is also a kitchen in the spacious common space, so you can have a BBQ in the garden, or you can enjoy the starry sky and tilt a glass of sake.
The administrator's recommendation is a Shigaraki bathtub. Fill with plenty of hot water to heal your body.

This Yoshida Ward also retains its old-fashioned atmosphere. Take a stroll around the neighborhood.
Near the guest house, there is a long-established sake brewery. Okamura Honke There is. You can also tour and sample sake breweries, and don't miss the sake made with traditional techniques!

If you enter the alley next to "Okamura Honke", you will find a shop called "Bar Tartaruga" on the right. It is a restaurant run by students of the University of Shiga Prefecture, and the weekly pasta menu is fun. It's also fun to have a casual conversation with a familiar person in the neighborhood while sipping the store's original drink. If you are interested, please check out Tartaruga's Instagram.

In the latter half of June, the air in Toyosato changes to a damp one, and you can feel the heat in your throat every time you breathe. It is also an unpleasant season for Japan, but nature gives us a healing time. The day after it rains, fireflies begin to fly over the nearby Komasu River. There is also timing, but around 20 o'clock, the riverside is enveloped in the spectacle of fireflies. Sometimes it stops on my body, but I think it will impress you indescribably.
How about a night walk?

For breakfast at the guest house, please enjoy delicious bread delivered from the nearby confectionery shop "Kyokado". "Good morning! I've brought you some bread for breakfast, and I'll eat it." I am glad to have a bright and cheerful voice.

This time, we have introduced one of the recommendations of staying in a Japan house in Toyosato in the summer.
Each of the four seasons welcomes you with a fascinating time.
Please come and experience which season is the best.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at the Toyosato Town Tourism Association.
We look forward to seeing you there.
Thank you very much.