Sakura Bukeyashiki 佐倉武家屋敷 旧河原家住宅

Beautiful carpentry in preserved samurai houses

The three preserved samurai houses at Sakura City are on the way to the town's old center and the National History Museum, so they're easy to visit. These are small samurai residences representing three ranks of samurai families. The first house of the highest-ranked samurai has some beautifully preserved features - a cane ceiling in one of the rooms dampens the sound, other ceilings are wooden, and the kitchen has some equipment that gives a sense of the lifestyle of the residents. Guides are friendly and can explain in English details about the architecture and gardens.