Kusatsu-juku in Kusatsu City, Shiga Prefecture was the 52nd of the 68 post stations of the Tokaido Road in the Edo period (1603-1868). The town’s history dates back to the Heian period (794-1192), and in the Kamakura period (1192-1333), it had already been considered as an important point of traffic. The town was developed into a post station during the governances of Nobunaga and Hideyoshi. Located at the interchange point of the Nakasendo and Tokaido roads, the post town thrived as the transportation center in the Edo period. The names of the renowned persons such as the members of the Shinsengumi or the masterless warriors of the ex-Ako domain are left in the guest books of inns.

The honjin (the lodging for daimyo and the nobility) standing on the old road is a beautiful building with white clay walls. It was built in 1635 and is a nationally designated Historic Site. It is now open to the public and visitors can see precious historic documents.

The specialty product of Kusatsu-juku, Ubaga-mochi, is a kind of Ohagi, a rice ball covered in bean jam. The famous Ukiyoe artist, Ando Hiroshige, also depicted the shop selling Ubaga-mochi, which was included in his work Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido.