Wakimachi
One of the most irritating things about Japan is that much of its historic and ancient architecture is no longer with us. Much of it was built in wood, as well as stone. This meant that it was easily destroyed by war, natural disasters and fires.
But if you look around closely in Japan, you can still find some architectural jewels. One such example is the former castle town of Wakimachi, located on the north bank of the Yoshino River in Tokushima Prefecture on the southern island of Shikoku.
It is home to a picturesque street of historic buildings that evoke the time, centuries ago, when it was a thriving merchant center of the region. There were merchants trading in many different products, but many of them made their wealth with indigo.
Known as Aizome in Japanese, this blue dye is virtually synonymous with Japanese fabric and dyeing though we would know it primarily as the color of jeans. It is a dye particularly suitable for cotton, and after silk became forbidden for the lower classes in the 16th century it was replaced by cotton and indigo became much sought after.
It was grown in many places in Japan, but the quality of Tokushima indigo became the benchmark and it dominated the market. About 20 percent of the economy of the Tokushima Domain (Sanuki) was provided by indigo, and the merchants of Wakimachi took their cut of that.
Many of the old buildings on the street are now private homes, a few are empty, but others have been converted to gift-shops, cafes, restaurants, and one is a ryokan.
The highlight of my visit was the Wakimachi Theater, built in 1934. It has a modern Western-style exterior, and it is a genuine theatrical hut equipped with a revolving stage and a naraku. It was popular for kabuki and noh-kabuki performances. It was restored in 1999 as a filming location for director Yoji Yamada’s “The Man Who Grasps the Rainbow” and is now a venue for theatrical performances and movie screenings, as well as a place for citizens to showcase their entertainment culture.