At the end of the Meiji era, the crown prince came to Wakura. That was when the Go-benden was built there──

A go-benden refers to places where not only the emperor but the emperor’s family could rest while traveling throughout the countryside. The emperor at the time was revered as a god, and the average person wasn’t able to use a building which had been prepared for the emperor. Once the go-benden no longer served its purpose as a resting place for the emperor, they were usually quickly destroyed.

However, for one reason or another, this go-benden at Wakura Onsen wasn’t destroyed. To put its significance in perspective, there are only two go-benden that still exist to this day. While remembering that this is where the Go-benden once existed, let’s move on to where it currently is.