Aoyama History Village

The Aoyama History Village 青山歴史村 is a museum complex that lies in the former villa and outbuildings of the Aoyama family, who ruled the Sasayama Domain through much of the mid-to-late Edo period. Here, you’ll find a rich collection of historical materials: more than 1,200 wood-blocks used for Chinese classical studies, maps and records of castle-wall repairs, seals and Japanese feudal documents.

As you stroll around the compact Aoyama History Village site you’ll also see original architecture – including the villa (often called “Kei­ensha”), a storehouse and the Nagayamon gate of the old Sawai family. It offers an excellent place to reflect on the lifestyle of domain lords and their administrative apparatus in the Edo era, and sits conveniently opposite the castle’s main gate in the historic townscape.