Japanese Secondary Inn Wakihonjin – Nakasendo Unuma-juku (Edo Period)

Unuma-juku was the 52nd of the 69 post stations along the Nakasendo, one of the five major highways connecting Edo (modern-day Tokyo) with Kyoto during the Edo period. Post towns were equipped with designated lodging facilities for high-ranking travelers, such as feudal lords (Daimyo) and imperial envoys. Alongside the primary official inn (Honjin), secondary inns known as Wakihonjin served as overflow accommodations for dignitaries and senior retainers when the main inn was fully occupied.

The Wakihonjin structure at Unuma-juku represents a functional hybrid of two distinct architectural traditions under a single roofline. The left section follows the style of a high-class merchant house (Machiya), featuring sliding entrance doors and strict height limitations on the street-facing second floor. The right wing, separated by a wooden perimeter wall, adheres strictly to formal samurai architecture. This section includes a ceremonial roofed gate, a raised entrance platform (Shikidai), and elevated primary reception rooms equipped with paneled ceilings. The historic building has been faithfully reconstructed by Kakamigahara City (Gifu Prefecture) based on historical blueprints and currently serves as an open-air museum.