Uchiko's picturesque main street has a number of interesting buildings, many now serving as museums, souvenir stalls, craft shops and charming teahouses. The old buildings typically have cream-coloured plaster walls and 'wings' under the eaves that serve to prevent fire spreading from house to house.
On the left as you walk up the street, look for Ōmori Wa-rōsoku , Uchiko's last remaining candle manufacturer. The candles are still made by hand here, according to traditional methods, and you can watch the candle-makers at work.
As the road makes a slight bend, several well-preserved Edo-era buildings come into view, including Ōmura-tei and Hon-Haga-tei, the latter of which is a fine example of a rich merchant's home. The Hon-Haga family established the production of fine wax in Uchiko, winning awards at World Expositions in Chicago (1893) and Paris (1900).
Further on, the exquisite Kamihaga-tei is a wax merchant's house within a large complex of buildings related to the wax-making process. The adjacent Japanese Wax Museum has excellent English explanations on the wax-making process and the town's prosperous past.
Finally, at the end of the historic district, you'll see signs pointing to Kōshō-ji , the shrine up the hill. It's just a few minutes' walk up to the large reclining Buddha in front of the shrine.
