Uchiko

Uchiko is a small town in Ehime Prefecture that prospered during the Meiji era as a centre for Japanese wax production. Its Yokaichi & Gokoku historic district preserves an extraordinary row of merchant houses with cream-coloured plaster walls, dark timber beams, and ornate lattice windows — a streetscape that feels like stepping back to 19th-century rural Japan.

Despite its modest size, Uchiko punches above its weight in cultural offerings. The Uchiko-za kabuki theatre, built in 1916, still hosts performances and is open for visitors to explore its revolving stage and trapdoor mechanisms. The Kamihaga Residence, a former wax merchant's estate, offers an intimate look at the wealth and craftsmanship that the wax trade brought to this mountain valley.