Merchant’s Museum (Former Nishina Family Residence)

This early twentieth-century home and shop belonged to Nishina Gentaro, a Tsuru merchant who built his fortune trading locally produced silks known for quality and affordability. Designated an Important Tangible Cultural Asset in 1993, the building now holds over 100 objects related to the silk trade and domestic life from that era. The entrance features the original dirt-floor shop area with fabric samples still on display. Inside, the living quarters spread over two floors with antique furniture, hand-carved woodwork, paper shoji screens, and a family shrine. A fully furnished Western-style parlor on the ground floor reflects the era's enthusiasm for foreign design.