The Takumi-Shuku Traditional Crafts Museum is located in the southeast corner of the facility and displays traditional crafts that have been carefully preserved by the city of Shizuoka.

The town of Sunpu flourished under the rule of Tokugawa Ieyasu, when top craftsmen gathered here to build and renovate Sunpu Castle and Sengen Shrine. People were drawn to the area by the craftsman’s skills and started settling here.

That’s why a number of traditional crafts have taken root in this area of Sunpu.

Throughout the Edo, Meiji and Taisho periods, and so on, many craftsmen started off here. Since ancient times, the locals have cherished the traditional crafts and always remember to use them with care.

That’s why the traditional crafts displayed at this museum are all relatively new, most no more than 20 years old.

Suruga bamboo crafts, on the other hand, have been a part of the history of Sunpu since the Edo Period.
Several types of Suruga bamboo crafts are on display at the Traditional Crafts Museum. What makes this technique of bamboo craft unique is that the bamboo is processed while it’s being heated, and each bamboo strip is carved out one by one. This was so insects wouldn’t be harmed.

During the Edo Period, craftsmen made these insect cages in their time off as gifts to local samurai. The technique lives on as Suraga bamboo crafts.

After touring the Traditional Crafts Museum, head to Izumigaya, which is the area just outside of Takumi-Shuku.

Let’s search for the seven mysteries scattered along the “Ancient Tokaido.”