Asuke Townscape

Asuke Townscape was the first in Aichi Prefecture to be designated as an Important Preservation District of Historic Buildings (commonly abbreviated as judenken). It was an important relay point on the Ina Kaido (Chuma Kaido), which connected Owari and Mikawa with Shinshu, and was a merchant town that flourished as a vital hub for goods transport and traveling commoners. Salt, an important trade commodity, was repackaged here and known as Asuke salt and Asuke blended salt. Most of the townscape was destroyed in a great fire in 1775. All that remains today are townhouses built in the style of nurigome-zukuri, coated with plaster all the way to the eaves for fire prevention. It continues to convey the essence from the late Edo period to the end of the Meiji period.