Sanshu Izutsu Residence
The Sanshu Izutsu Residence in the city of Higashi-Kagawa was once home to one of the most prosperous families in eastern Kagawa Prefecture. The Sano family operated multiple businesses, including soy sauce and sake brewing, and owned large tracts of land in the area from the Edo period (1603–1867) to the first few decades of the twentieth century. Their expansive estate, which consists of a residential building, storerooms, and warehouses, was completed in the early Meiji era (1868–1912) and thoroughly renovated in 2001. It now houses a variety of facilities, including a museum, a tourist information center, and a souvenir shop. The residential building, including a detached cottage in the back and a central garden with trees that are up to 200 years old, lets visitors imagine the lifestyle of a wealthy merchant more than a century ago. The fire-resistant storehouse (kura) adjacent to the residential building now functions as a shop and restaurant. The facility also hosts regular workshops themed on the artisanal traditions of Higashi-Kagawa, which include mitten decoration and making confections with a type of fine-grained sugar (wasanbon) traditionally produced in this area.