Kiyamachi Street

Ryoui Suminokura began his excavation of Takase River at Nijoukirimachi (present day Kamikorikichou) in 1611 during the Keichou Era (1596 - 1615).

At the beginning of the Edo period, charcoal and lumber from Osaka and Kyoto were loaded on boats and brought to the area to be put in storehouses, which lined the river.

Zaimokumachi, Kamiyamachi, Nabeyamachi, Komeyamachi, and other towns still remain in the area around Kiyamachi, each of which was named for the products they dealt in.

In the middle of the Edo era in the 18th century, because of an influx of travellers and merchants in the area, the appearance of the street changed and restaurants, inns, and bars were established.

At the end of the Edo era, the town served as a secret meeting place for loyalists of the emperor such as Ryouma Sakamoto, Takayoshi Kido, Masujirou Oomura, Seiishiro Honma, and Shouzan Sakuma.