Halfway up Iimori-yama, Sazae-dō is a weird and wonderful hidden gem in a Buddhist temple complex. Built in 1796, the 16.5m high hexagonal wooden structure houses 33 statues of Kannon, the Buddhist goddess of mercy. Once inside you follow a fabulous spiral staircase that, Escher-esque, allows you to journey up and back down again without retracing your steps.
At the foot of Iimori-yama, the White Tigers Memorial Hall tells the story of the dramatic suicides and houses the departed samurai's personal possessions.
Step inside the Yamatogawa Sake Brewing Museum to peek inside a kura that dates from 1790 and, until 20 years ago, functioned as a sake brewery. It's a 15-minute walk north of Kitakata station. East of the museum and across the river, Otazukikura-d?ri has a cluster of pretty kura that are a drawcard for photographers.
