Tondabayashi
REKISHI KAIDO -- SENGOKU NANIWA ROUTE
TondabayashiOsaka Prefecture

Tondabayashi, a City Rich in Historical Associations

Jinaimachi in Tondabayashi developed as a new town built on the desolated land bought from the feudal lord by Shoshu, 14th abbot of the Kosho-ji Temple (Kyoto), during the warring period.
Because Jinaimachi is located along the Chihaya and Higashi Takano highways, near the basin of the Ishi River (Ishikawa), a fertile land with sources of good quality water, it thrived as a commercial town. The old saying that gold was in the well water of Tondabayashi's breweries suggests how much the town prospered. Many extant merchants' warehouses remind visitors of the town's glorious old days.
After the Meiji Restoration in 1868, a railway was laid and many public facilities were constructed, making the town Southern Kawachi's modern economic and cultural center. The old guideposts and tradesmen's houses in the town convey the atmosphere of its past days.

Ridge-end roof tiles (originally devil masks were used as a talisman but later these tiles were used for decoration.)

Historic Cultural Resources
Town Houses in Jinaimachi

Kosho-ji Branch Temple

Jokoku-ji Temple

The Sugiyama Family's Old House

The Nakamura Family's Old House


Tondabayashi as illustrated in "Kawachi meisho zukai" (picture of places of interest in the Kawachi Province) as a motif of the hanging screen for the Subaru hall

Jinaimachi Center and the Sugiyama Family's Old House
 Tondabayashi's Jinaimachi was a religious self-governing town centering on the temples of the Jodo Shin sect of Buddhism.
To survive the warring period, the level of the ground surrounding the town was raised and bamboo jungles were installed around it for protection against attacks by enemies. For security, intersections of roads were specially designed to decrease the visibility; the roads do not cross at right angles. This technique was called atemage.
There are still about 50 old tradesmen's houses reminiscent of the town's vigorous commercial activity. In cooperation with local residents, the municipal government has been making efforts to preserve the town's old buildings and maintain its historic atmosphere.

Historic Cultural Resources Map
Return to Kansai Digital Archives Index Page
 The homepage Kansai Digital Archives is managed by KIIS(Kansai Institute of Information Systems)
Copyright(c) 1996 KIIS