Yonago Castle Town

Yonago's old town offers a rare look at an intact commoners' district from the Edo period. While the samurai quarter has been replaced by modern offices, the merchants' area along the Kamo River retains its original scale, lined with white-plastered storehouses and narrow two-story shophouses. The Kamo River was once a moat separating these two social worlds. Boat tours now run from the river through to Lake Nakaumi, passing under the low stone bridges that cross it. The adjoining temple district, Teramachi, adds ten Buddhist complexes to the surrounding streets.