The history of Wakasa-cho in Tottori Prefecture dates back to A.D. 1200, when the Yabe clan built Onigajo Castle in Mt. Tsuruo. The town had thrived as the castle town until the beginning of the Edo period. Since the castle was dismantled according to the Ikkoku-Ichijo Order (One Castle per Province) by the Shogunate, it changed into a prosperous post town on the road connecting the Inaba area and Banshu province (presently the southwestern part of Hyogo Prefecture). As the reminiscence of the town’s old-time prosperity, the store houses of wealthy merchants still remain along a street in the town. As the town was attacked by a fire several times, construction of new buildings other than store houses was banned in this street in 1885, thereby the old-time store houses has been preserved in their original forms. As it takes about 15 minutes to walk and see around the store house street, it’s a good walkway to enjoy a taste of traditional Japanese townscape. As is sung in a popular song Wakasa Kouta written by Noguchi Ujo, the murmuring of clear stream can be heard everywhere in town.