Walking the streets of Yamaga, Kumamoto, part 1

After visiting the Yachiyoza kabuki theater, we took a walk through the old street of Yamaga in the city. Yamaga was an important post station on the Satsuma-kaido (薩摩街道) during the Edo era.

The arch stone gate of Kongojo-ji (金剛乗寺) Temple. It's very unusual temple gate that makes a circle. 

The Yamaga Lantern Folk Museum. Yamaga is famous for its lantern festival held on the Obon holiday in August every year. Many local lanterns are putting on display at the museum. You can make your own lantern from paper, too.

Ashi-yu (足湯) or a foot bath on the other side across of road from Sakura-yu public bath. People enjoy relaxing foot spa and it's free of charge.

The Sakura-yu (さくら湯) public bath. The building, a reproduction of Ochaya (御茶屋) tea house, was built by the Hosokawa clan of Kumamoto. 

Sakura-yu loved as a local hot spring for over 50 years, from Meiji to Showa. However, it was dismantled in 1973 for the redevelopment building construction. The current building was completed in October 2012.

The Yakushi-do (薬師堂) temple standing in front of the entrance of Sakura-yu. Once the hot springs withered, it was built to pray for the restoration of the spa town and they prayed together. A few days later, hot water gushed out from under the ground.