Kitakata is an old and beautiful feudal town located in northern Japan.
It is famous for its large warehouses (kuras).

The name derives from kita (northern) kata (region), since it was located in the northern region of the Aizu lands. The kuras are sturdily built but have a sense of simplicity and beauty. The kura is the symbol of the Kitakata people. Why were so many kuras built? The Aizu lord encouraged the accumulation of personal wealth through hard work, a policy that spread from the samurai to the farmers and then to the tradesmen. Soon the kura became a symbol of affluence. It was a man's dream and life work to build a big and sturdy kura.