In this town of 10,000 households are over 2,600 kuras which are used for warehouses, distilleries, shops, and dwellings. Going downtown, a tourist may be delighted to find banks, schools, post offices, museums, and other modern buildings resembling kura. In other words, the whole town looks like a kura. This is the most prominent feature of Kitakata.
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Shop Kura |
Storage Kura |
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Distillery Kura |
Red Brick Kura |
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The kura came to be used as a dwelling during the late Meiji era and into the early Taisho era. The building material used in the interior was of the finest quality, and beautiful paintings hung from the wall. |
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ExteriorA famous feature of the kura is its beautiful exterior walls. Mud, sand, and black and white mortar are used on the exterior.
A Set of Folding Doors |
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A Double-Layered Roof |
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A Corniced Roof |